THE TEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE

WHAT IS THE TEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE (TSI)?

The Texas Success Initiative is a state-legislated program that requires students to be assessed in reading, writing, and math skills prior to enrolling in a Texas public institution and to be advised based on that assessment. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has approved the ASSET, COMPASS, ACCUPLACER and the THEA as acceptable assessment instruments for entering students. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi administers only the THEA and COMPASS, but accepts scores from any of the alternative assessments. The assessment or the results of the assessment are not a condition of admission, but a condition of registration to an institution.

WHO HAS TO TAKE A TSI-APPROVED TEST?

If you will be an undergraduate student in a public community college or university in Texas, you are required to take the test unless you qualify for an exemption or waiver. Students transferring from an out-of-state or private university, regardless of their undergraduate classification, are also subject to this requirement.

WHEN DO I HAVE TO TAKE THE TEST?

All undergraduate students must take a TSI-approved test before enrolling in a public community college or university in Texas.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT TAKE THE TEST?

You will be ineligible to register for any college-level classes until you take the test.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT PASS THE TEST?

You must enroll in appropriate developmental classes. Placement and participation in developmental education is determined on an individual basis for students by the Tutoring and Learning Center. Students may contact an Intervention Specialist at 825-2977 or go by their office (Library 218 A-1). Students may re-test to meet the TSI standard. Institutions may consider the performance in developmental education, in college-level courses, and on an assessment instrument in determining college readiness.

I AM A SENIOR; DO I HAVE TO PASS THE ASSESSMENT?

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.

YOU ARE EXEMPT FROM THE TSI IF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING APPLIES:

• You have an associates/baccalaureate degree from an accredited Texas 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 and a 2200 on the English Language Arts section with a 3 on the Writing subscore.*

• You were 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.

• You have met the readiness standard at another Texas public higher education institution.

•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.

[Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi has elected to use the following course work with the designated letter grade to meet the following standards: (1) Math readiness standard – College Algebra (MATH 1314) or higher with a C or better, (2) Reading readiness standard – Psychology (PSYC 2301), U.S. History I (HIST 1301), U.S. History II (HIST 1302), U.S. Government & Politics (POLS 2305), State & Local Government (POLS2306), Literature of the Western World (ENGL 2332 or ENGL 2333), Sociology (SOCI 1301), Biology I or II (BIOL 1406 or BIOL 1407), Macroeconomics (ECON 2301), Themes and Genres in English Literatures (ENGL 2334), or Themes and Genres in the Literatures of the Americas (ENGL 2335) with a B or better, and (3) Writing readiness standard – Composition I (ENGL 1301) or Composition II (ENGL 1302) with a C or better]

YOU QUALIFY FOR A WAIVER FROM THE TSI IF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING APPLIES:

• 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.

• The institution has elected to waive the TSI requirement for those non-degree seeking students. (The student must complete a TSI waiver contract). At the point a student becomes degree-seeking, TSI standards must be met by the student.

WHAT ARE THE MINIMUM PASSING STANDARDS ON THE THEA AND THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE TESTS?

• THEA: Mathematics – 230; Reading – 230; Writing – 220

• ACCUPLACER: Elementary Algebra – 63; Reading Comprehension – 78; Written Essay – 6 or [Written Essay – 5 & Sentence Skills – 80]

• ASSET: Elementary Algebra – 38; Reading Skills – 41; Written Essay – 6 or [Written Essay – 5 & Writing Skills (Multiple Choice) –40]

• COMPASS: Algebra – 39; Reading Skills – 81; Written Essay – 6 or [Written Essay – 5 & Writing Skills (multiple choice) – 59]

WHERE CAN I GO TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE TESTS?

• THEA: www.thea.nesinc.com

•ACCUPLACER: http://www.collegeboard.com/highered/apr/accu/accu.html

•ASSET: http://www.act.org/asset/index.html

•COMPASS: http://www.act.org/compass/index.html

*SAT and ACT scores are valid five years from the date of testing to the first day of enrollment in an accredited Texas public college/university institution. TAKS scores are valid for three years. After April 1, 2004, students holding the 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, a student that holds a 1070 SAT composite with a 600 on the Verbal (Critical Reading) section and a 470 on the math section will be exempt from the TSI testing in reading and writing. Students with an exit-level TAKS score of 2200 on the math, 2200 on the English Language Arts (ELA), and a 2 on the writing subscore, would be exempt from the TSI testing in math. In order for a student to be exempt from TSI testing in reading and writing with TAKS scores, the student must have both a 2200 on the ELA and a 3 on the writing subscore.

For questions regarding testing, please contact the Office of Academic Testing at (361) 825-2334 or visit with us in the Student Services Center Room 210.