Texas Success Initiative (TSI)

WHY DO STUDENTS HAVE TO TAKE THE TSI EXAMS?
It is state law. The Texas Success Initiative is a provision in Senate Bill 286. The Texas Success Initiative requires institutions of higher education to assess the academic skills of each entering undergraduate student to determine the student’s readiness to enroll in freshman-level academic coursework. The law requires students to be assessed in the areas of mathematics, reading, and writing.

Students shall be exempt from the requirements of the Success Initiative who meet or exceed the following criteria:
(note: some of the exemptions are full and others are partial exemptions only)

· ACT - composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on both the English and Mathematics sections. If a student has a combined score of 23 with a minimum of 19 in only one and not both content areas, the student will be exempt in only one area and will be required to take a TSI exam in the other area. (ACT score exemptions are valid for 5 years from the date of test.) Note that the English section covers the TSI areas of reading and writing and the Mathematics section covers the TSI area of mathematics.

· SAT - combined Critical Reading and Mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum score of 500 on Critical Reading and/or mathematics tests. If a student has a combined score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 in only one and not both content areas, the student will be exempt in only one area and will be required to take a TSI exam in the other area. (SAT score exemptions are valid for 5 years from the date of the test.) Note that the Critical Reading section covers the TSI areas of reading and writing and the Mathematics section covers the TSI area of mathematics.

· TAKS (exit-level) – 2200 in Mathematics and/or 2200 in English/Language Arts (ELA) with a subscore of at least 3. Students who do not meet the exemption criteria in all areas will need to take a TSI approved exam in the areas they did not meet the exemption criteria. Note that the English/Language section covers the TSI areas of reading and writing and the Mathematics section covers the TSI area of mathematics. (Valid for 3 years.)


· A student who has graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education.

· A student who transfers to UTSA from a private or independent institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education and who has satisfactorily completed college-level coursework as determined by this institution.

· A student who has previously attended any Texas public institution of higher education and has been determined to have meet readiness standards at that institution. A student who is serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or as a member of a reserve component for at least a three-year period preceding enrollment.

· A student who on or after August 1, 1990 was honorably discharged, retired or released from active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard or service as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States.

· A student who is non-degree seeking.

 

 

 

 

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