Texas A&M University Corpus Christi - Placement Exams & the Texas Success Initiative

About the Texas Success Initiative (TSI)
The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a state-legislated program that requires students to be assessed in the areas of reading, writing, and math prior to enrolling at a Texas public institution. The results of the TSI assessment are used to determine your placement in certain courses and overall readiness to enroll in collegiate-level coursework.

Who has to take a TSI-approved test?
If you will be enrolling as an undergraduate student at a Texas public community college or university, you are required to take one of the TSI-approved tests unless you qualify for a TSI exemption or waiver (see below). Undegraduate students transferring from an out-of-state or private university, regardless of their classification, must also meet this requirement.

Am I exempt from the TSI?
You may be exempt or qualify for a waiver from the TSI if any of the following applies to you:

TSI Exemptions
You hold an associate and/or baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. You, on a single test administration, have an SAT composite score of 1070 with at least 500 on the Verbal (Critical Reading) and Math sections.* You, on a single test administration, have an ACT composite score of 23 with at least 19 on the Math and English sections.* You have an exit-level TAKS score of 2200 on the Math section, and a 2200 on the English Language Arts section with a 3 on the Writing subscore.** You have been honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty as a member of the Armed Forces, Texas National Guard, or served as a member of a reserved component of the Armed Forces on or after August 1, 1990. (A copy of your DD Form 214 or DD Form 295 indicating this status is required). You have met the readiness standard at another Texas public higher education institution. (The explanation for completion or the exemption must be indicated on your official transcript). If you are a transfer student from an accredited Texas private institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution with acceptable college-level course work determined by the receiving institution. A&M-Corpus Christi has elected to use the following course work with the designated letter grade to meet the following standards: Math Readiness Standard - College Algebra (MATH 1314) or higher with a C or better Reading Readiness Standard - a three-credit hour course in History, Political Science/Government, Economics, Philosophy, or Literature with a B or better, and Writing Readiness Standard - Composition I (ENGL 1301) or Composition II (ENGL 1302) with a C or better

* SAT and ACT scores are valid up to five years from the date of testing to the first day of enrollment at an accredited Texas public college/university institution.

**TAKS scores are valid for up to three years from the date of testing to the first day of enrollment at an accredited Texas public college/university institution.

Note: After April 1, 2004, students holding a composite score on the SAT/ACT may be exempt from a portion of the TSI approved examination in the individual area in which they met the required score. For example, if you hold a 1070 SAT composite with a 600 on the Verbal (Critical Reading) section and a 470 on the Math section, will be exempt from being tested in the areas of reading and writing. If you have an exit-level TAKS score of 2200 on the Math, 2200 on the English Language Arts (ELA), and a 2 on the writing subscore, you will be exempt from being tested in the area of math. In order for you to be exempt from being tested in reading and writing with your TAKS scores, you must have both a 2200 on the ELA and a 3 on the writing subscore.

TSI Waivers
You are serving on active duty in the Armed Forces, Texas National Guard, or Reserve Component of Armed Forces and have been serving for at least three years preceding enrollment. (Required - documentation that shows at least three years). You are a non-degree seeking student. Please note that you must complete a TSI Waiver Contract in order to initiatie this agreement. It should be duly noted that, at the point in which you become a degree-seeking student, you will be required to meet TSI standards.

What do I do if I am NOT exempt from the TSI?
If you are not exempt or do not qualify for a waiver, you will be required to take one of the TSI-approved tests below.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved the following testing instruments to be used to determine your readiness to enroll in college-level courses:

Our University administers the COMPASS and THEA Quick Test assessments, but accepts scores from any of the assessments listed.

The assessment and/or the results of the assessment are not required as a condition of admission, but rather a condition of enrollment. Failure to take the test and have the scores placed with your student file at the University will result in your inability to register for New Student Orientation and/or enroll in classes.

When do I need to take the test?
All TSI-liable students must take one of the TSI-approved tests prior to enrolling; freshmen will need to take the test and have their scores on file with the Office of Admissions prior to registering for New Student Orientation.

The COMPASS is administered by appointment during the week. If you do not live in Texas and need to take a TSI-approved exam, please contact us so that we can make arrangements for you to take the COMPASS test at a COMPASS remote test site located near you. Click here to find a COMPASS test center near you.

If you take a test and fail certain/all sections, you will be required to enroll in the appropriate developmental class(es). Placement and participation in developmental education is determined on an individual basis for students by the Center for Academic Student Achievement (CASA). For more on placement in developmental courses, you may contact an Intervention Specialist with CASA by phone at 361.825.2977 or go by their offices, located in the Glasscock Memorial Center.

If you fail certain/all sections of any given test, you have the option to re-test. Institutions may consider the performance in developmental education, in college-level courses, and on an assessment instrument in determining college readiness.

If you fail one or more portions of the assessment and have 60 or more cumulative college-level hours in the current semester, you may not be permitted to enroll in any senior-level courses (4000 level) until you pass the developmental program.

What is considered a passing score?
The scores expressed below are the state minimum passing standards on all TSI-approved assessments.

ACCUPLACER
Section	Score
Reading Comprehension	78
Elementary Algebra	63
Sentence Skills & Essay	80 with an essay of 5 (or essay of 6)

ASSET
Section	Score
Reading Skills	41
Elementary Algebra	38
Writing Skills & Essay	40 with an essay of 5 (or essay of 6)

COMPASS
Section	Score
Reading Skills	81
Algebra	39
Writing Skills & Essay	59 with an essay of 5 (or essay of 6)

THEA
Section	Score
Reading	230
Math	230
Writing	220

Our University has elected to use higher scores for placement into College Algebra. Students must score a 260 on the THEA exam or at the level of Algebra with a 66 on the COMPASS test. For additional information on math placement, please click here.

Office of Academic Testing

Placement Exams & the Texas Success Initiative