The State of Texas requires students to complete a pre-assessment activity before taking the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment. The pre-assessment activity must address:
The importance of this assessment in students’ academic careers
Developmental education options
Institutional and/or community resources
The assessment process and components, including practice opportunities with feedback of sample test questions in all disciplinary areas
In working through this pre-assessment activity, you will receive information on each of the areas specified above. When you finish this activity, make sure to include your Angelo State University campus identification number (CID) when submitting.
The TSI Assessment is a series of three tests that will help Angelo State University and other institutions determine if you are ready for college-level coursework in reading, writing and mathematics. ASU will also use the results of this assessment to help determine what type of course or other intervention will serve best to prepare you for college-level coursework, if you are not ready. To learn more, read this TSI Test Content information.
This is a critically important assessment. Your performance on these tests will determine what type of college-level coursework you will be allowed to take – or – what kind of developmental courses or other interventions you may be required to take to improve your skills and prepare you for success in college-level courses.
If your scores on the TSI Assessment indicate that you are not ready for college-level coursework in one or more areas, you will be required to participate in developmental activities.
Reading and Writing
If your scores indicate that you are not ready for college-level coursework in reading and/or writing, you will be required to participate in developmental English activities. This may include enrollment in the developmental course ENG 130C or the opportunity to satisfy your developmental requirements through a non-course-based option. Your academic advisor will be able to help you determine what options are available to you and which one might be right for your situation.
Mathematics
If your scores indicate that you are not ready for college-level coursework in mathematics, you will be required to participate in developmental mathematics activities. This may include enrollment in the developmental course MATH 130C or the opportunity to satisfy your developmental requirements through either a non-course-based option or a paired-course option (a college-level course paired with a developmental course). Your academic advisor will be able to help you determine what options are available to you and which one might be right for your situation.
Regardless of your placement or participation in developmental activities, you can always demonstrate that you are ready for college-level work and satisfy your developmental requirement by retaking the TSI Assessment and achieving a passing score.
Students can receive support from these ASU resources:
The Math Lab provides walk-in mathematics tutoring.
The Writing Center offers walk-in and by-appointment tutoring for both reading and writing.
The Tutor Center provides tutoring in a variety of subjects.
The Porter Henderson Library has books and information on a host of subjects, extensive and comfortable study areas, and great coffee.
Academic advisors are an excellent first contact for academic issues.
The TSI Assessment consists of three tests with one in each of these areas: mathematics, reading and writing. These tests include multiple choice questions that are aligned to the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards. The writing test includes an essay.
The assessment is computer adaptive, which means the multiple choice questions become either more or less difficult, depending on how you respond. For this reason, you cannot go back and change an answer once you have submitted it and moved on. The assessment is not timed, so it is in your best interest to spend sufficient time on each question because the results of the assessment will help determine which college courses you will be able to take.
You will receive information on your score immediately upon completion of the assessment. See this TSI brochure for help interpreting your score.
Be sure to record the ID number you used while testing. This number will be necessary for test directors or other institutional personnel to look up your test scores.
Identify areas of weakness prior to taking the assessment by using the link below to practice with sample TSI questions and feedback.
