The TSI Assessment (TSIA) is part of the Texas Success Initiative program designed to help your college or university determine if you are ready for college-level course work in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. If you are an incoming college student in Texas, you are required to take the TSI Assessment - unless you are already exempt (read below) - to determine your readiness for college-level work. Based on how you perform, you may either be enrolled in a college-level course and/or be placed in the appropriate developmental course or intervention to improve your skills and prepare you for success in college-level courses.
TSIA Exemptions
Not all incoming students need to take the TSI Assessment. There are many ways you can be exempt. Qualifying for a TSI Assessment exemption means that you can enroll in any entry- level college course in a specific area without restrictions. In other words, there are no prerequisites for enrollment in the entry-level college courses. In certain cases exemptions are subject-specific, which means you may qualify for an exemption in one area such as reading but not in another area like mathematics or writing. You may be exempt if you meet one or more of the following:
A student shall be exempt from taking the TSIA if the student has:
scored a composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test shall exempt both Reading and Writing sections of the TSIA;
scored a composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the Math test shall exempt the Math section of the TSIA;
taken the SAT administered March 2016 and later and earned scores on the evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) assessment of 480, and a minimum score of 530 in Mathematics (no combined score needed);
Veterans, active duty personnel, and a student who is serving as and, for at least 3 years preceding enrollment, has served as a member of a reserve component of the U.S. armed services;
Transfer from another institution having satisfactorily completed college-level coursework; or
Enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level One certificates) at a public institution.
The tests in TSIA2 either certify you as “college ready” (or TSI-met/complete) in a subject area or it will provide a diagnostic profile regarding your academic strengths and weaknesses so that targeted instruction may be provided to help you succeed in college-level courses. TSIA2 contains multiple-choice questions aligned to Texas College and Career Readiness Standards, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, Adult Education and Literacy Content Standards 2.0, and National Reporting System Educational Functioning Levels. The ELAR Test also contains an essay component you must complete to be considered college ready in ELAR. Here are more details about TSIA2:
Multiple-choice tests in TSIA2 are computer adaptive, which means that questions increase or decrease in difficulty depending on how you respond.
The assessments are untimed, which means there’s no time limit on how long you can take to complete testing. Remember to allow yourself enough time to consider your answer to each question—your test results will be used by advisers in determining the course or courses in which you can enroll.
In most cases, TSIA2 provides results upon completion. When you complete the assessment, you immediately receive a score report.