Students attending Texas public institutions of higher education must be in compliance with the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), as of fall 2003 (Texas Education Code §51.3062), in order to enroll in public institutions of higher education.

The law requires all entering college students to be assessed for college readiness in Reading, Mathematics, and Writing unless the student qualifies for one or more exemption(s). Each student who fails to meet the minimum passing standard of the exam offered by the institution must be placed in a college readiness education program.

Test scores are valid for only 5 years (between your test date and the first day of the semester you are applying for).  

The following TSIA scores will determine a student's readiness to enroll in entry-level college coursework

College Readiness Scores

TSI

	READING	WRITING	MATH
COLLEGE READY	351 - 390	340-390 with an essay of 4-8 OR 310-339 with an essay of 5-8	350 - 390
NOT COLLEGE READY	310 - 350	340-390 with an essay below 4 OR 310-339 with essay of 4 or below	310 - 349

 

TSIA2 (starting January 11, 2021)

	ELAR (English Language Arts & Reading)	MATH
COLLEGE READY	945-990 with an essay of 5-8 OR 910-944 with diagnostic 5-6 AND an essay of 5-8	950 - 990 OR  910-949 with diagnostic 6
NOT COLLEGE READY	910-990 with an essay below 5 OR 910-944 with diagnosic below 5	910 - 949 with diagnostic below 6

 

What should I expect?

The TSIA is an internet-based assessment instrument. Students will complete all sections of the assessment on a Testing Center computer. 

The TSI is untimed but on average a full TSI takes approximately four hours.

Students are encouraged to study before attempting the TSI

Accuplacer provides a free study app and other study resources.  Select "Practice Resources" or "Texas Resources" on the Accuplacer Student Portal .  

Examinees cannot bring anything with them into the testing room this includes but is not limited to food/drink, cell phones, or smart watches.  All personal items must be stored with cell phones powered off before beginning the TSI.

Examinees may not access internet sites, computer programs, calculators, dictionaries, translators, cell phones, or other electronic devices during the TSI test.  An on-screen calculator is accessible for some Math questions during the TSIA. 

Any violation of WCJC Testing Center policies will result in a invalidation of your test.

Students can access their score report at any time (up to 5 years after test date) through the Accuplacer Student Portal.  Students will need to know the student ID number they tested under in order to access their score report.  WCJC does not send TSI scores to other institutions and does not accept unofficial test scores.

 

What if I took the TSI at my high school or previous institution?

Students who plan to attend Wharton County Junior College but took the TSIA at their high school or at another college can transfer their scores to WCJC by completing the TSIA Cross-Institutional Score Submission Request Form.

Note that test scores are only valid for five years.  If you took your test more than five years ago, you will need to retake the TSI.

 

What if I think I am exempt from taking the TSI?

Please see our Exemptions page for listed exemptions.

 

How Do I Take the TSI at WCJC?

1. Complete your ApplyTexas Application to generate a WCJC ID number

In order to take the TSI at WCJC, students must have a WCJC ID number.  Even if students do not plan to attend WCJC, they still need an ID number in order to take the TSI at a WCJC Testing Center. 

Complete the admissions application through ApplyTexas.  Make sure that you have completed the ENTIRE application and submitted it to WCJC.  Your ApplyTexas account will have a list of what institutions you have submitted your application to.  Use this to double check and make sure you have submitted your application to WCJC.

Allow at least 3 business days for applications to be received and processed by WCJC.  You will receive an e-mail from WCJC that shows your WCJC ID number.  Wait times can be longer during peak admissions periods.  Double check your junk e-mail to make sure WCJC e-mails haven't accidentally been sent to your Spam folder.

2. Make an appointment

Once you have a WCJC ID number, students must make an appointment with the desired WCJC Testing Center location (in Wharton, Richmond, or Sugar Land) for their TSI exam.  Appointments can be made via phone or e-mail.

Due to CoVID protocols and limited seating, walk-in or same day testing is not permitted.  All students must make an appointment.  Calendars with individual center contact information can be found on our Testing Schedule page.  Please consult the calendar for available days and times before contacting a WCJC Testing Center to make an appointment. 

The TSI Assessment (TSIA) is given year-round so students should not wait until the last minute to attempt the test.  Testing appointments fill up fast in the weeks prior to the beginning of a new semester.  Please call the Testing Center if you are unable to make your scheduled appointment time so that your reserved seat can be given to someone else. 

When contacting a WCJC Testing Center to make a TSI appointment, please include the following information:

1. Your full name.

2. Your WCJC ID number.

3. The day and time that you would like to make the appointment.

Please consult the calendar and select a day and time that is available for testing.

 4. Which section(s) of the TSI that you need to take.

You will receive instructions regarding what to do and bring on test day.  Please follow these instructions carefully.

3. Test Day

No personal items are allowed in the testing room with the student. This includes but is not limited to any cell phones, smart watches, calculators, or other electronic devices; any food or drink; and any paper including money.  All personal items will be stored before going into the testing room.  Please bring as little with you as possible.

Bring the following three things with you to your test:

Photo ID

This can be a government ID like your driver's license or state ID.  For those who do not have a government ID; a high school ID, Skyward account, or work ID can be used for this test but it must have your name and picture on it.  Contact a WCJC Testing Center if you do not have an ID or have questions about if your ID will be acceptable.

Receipt for payment of the $29 testing fee

The cost of the TSI is $29 no matter how many sections of the TSI you are taking.  Payment should be made at the Business Office of the campus you will be testing at.  This payment can be made the day of your appointment before coming into the testing center. 

Pre-Assessment Certificate

Examinees must complete the Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA) before taking the TSIA for the first time at WCJC. The link to the PAA video appears below.  Students must print the certificate of completion linked to the last slide of the video and bring this certificate to the Testing Center with them to test.

(Open video in Firefox or Chrome for best playback.)

 

What Happens Next?

Upon completion of the TSIA, your scores are automatically printed out and you will receive a printed score report.  A score report will also be sent to your email.  Students should keep a copy of their score report for their personal records. 

Score reports can be accessed for personal use or to send to another institution on the Accuplacer Student Portal.  Students must know their student ID number in order to access their TSI score report on Accuplacer Student Portal.  WCJC does not provide additional copies of score reports and does not send them to other institutions.

Students with "college ready" TSIA scores may register for classes through myWCJC.

Students who do not meet the Texas Success Initiative Assessment standard created by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Education Statute (applying to all public institutions of higher education in Texas):

•  
• Must enroll continuously in college readiness classes (excluding summer sessions and mini terms) directly related to the section(s) of the test where the score in reading, writing or math does not meet the college readiness standards. The student must continue enrolling in the college readiness class each semester until they are college ready in all areas. Students must give priority in course selection to the corresponding college readiness class. Students who are not college ready in reading, writing, and math are required to enroll in college readiness classes immediately upon enrolling at WCJC if the student seeks enrollment in college credit courses that lead to an associate, level two certificate or baccalaureate degree.

• Must satisfactorily complete all coursework in the developmental sequence at the point of placement before enrolling in college level courses in those disciplines.

• Cannot enroll in courses where college-readiness has not been met.

• Must meet with an academic advisor as part of mandatory advising/TSI remediation advisement until the college readiness courses are satisfied by either satisfying the TSIA by retesting in the area they did not meet the standard or completing the college readiness sequence with a grade of A,B, or C.

• Cannot graduate from an associate degree program or from a level two certificate program.

Students may take the TSIA as many times as they wish.  Retesting fees apply.

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