TSI Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a statewide program that requires all undergraduate students attending a Texas public institution of higher education to be assessed for college readiness in reading, writing, and math.
Students are required to have TSI scores or a qualifying TSI exemption or waiver on file in order to be advised and register for courses. This ensures proper placement in course work for student success.
- Visit MySam and select the "Students" tab.
- In the "Degree Progress" card, select "View Audit."
- Scroll down to locate the TSI status areas, including: TSI Overall Evaluation, TSI Writing Status, TSI Reading Status, and TSI Mathematics Status.
The "Complete" status indicates that your placement has been determined, either by TSI scores or an exemption or waiver, and that you are able to take college-level course work in that TSI area without an additional support course.
Unless you have a "Testing Required" status for a TSI area, you may continue with academic advising. Please check the Who's My Advisor page to locate your appropriate academic advisor, then book your advising appointment through CampusConnect.
The "Incomplete" status indicates that your placement has been determined by TSI scores, and that you must enroll in support course work for that TSI area. The specific support course work will be indicated in the same area as your TSI status information.
Unless you have a “Testing Required” status for a TSI area, you may continue with academic advising. Please check the Who's My Advisor page to locate your appropriate academic advisor, then book your advising appointment through CampusConnect.
The "Incomplete - TSI Testing Required" status indicates that you do not have TSI scores or an exemption/waiver on file. If you have taken the TSI within the last five years, you may submit a TSI Score Request Form. For an exemption/waiver, please submit a TSI Exemption Request Form.
If you have not taken the TSI and you do not meet any of the qualifying exemptions, then you are required to take the TSI assessment.
Please refer to our Testing Center's webpage to schedule an appointment to take the TSI. You may also reach them via phone at 936.295.1025 or email at test.ctr@shsu.edu.
The TSI exam determines course placement, which means there are no "failing" scores. To be considered "college ready," your TSI scores must meet certain requirements for each TSI area.
TSI scores that fall below these standards will require you to be placed into support coursework for that TSI area or area(s). Support education coursework and placement criteria can be found on our TSI placement webpage.
Students who are not exempt from TSI requirements and who have not earned "college ready" TSI scores are required by the State of Texas to follow a developmental education plan. These plans are meant to assist students who need support to ensure success in college-level coursework.
If you are required to take a support English course, you may only take one additional reading or writing intensive course in the same semester. You may receive this error if you have added too many reading or writing intensive courses to your schedule.
If you receive this error, please contact the TSI team at TSI@shsu.edu, or call the Registrar's Office at 936.294.1040.
Once you have been advised and begin registering for classes, your support coursework should be added first; otherwise, you will receive a "Prereq Required" error for all classes you attempt to register for. For example, if you are required to take support math and English coursework, your first registration attempt should include your core math, math support course, ENGL 1301, and English support course. If you are not adding your support coursework correctly, you will receive prereq errors for all courses you attempt to register for.
If you receive a prereq error, please contact the TSI team at TSI@shsu.edu or call the Registrar's Office at 936.294.1040.
Yes, TSI assessment scores (TSIA and TSIA2) are only valid for five years from date of testing for submission purposes. Once your scores are added to your student record, they do not expire at SHSU.
If your TSI scores have expired and you do not qualify for an exemption or waiver, you will be required to retake the TSI.
Texas College Bridge (TXCB) is a self-paced preparatory program offered by certain high schools which allows students to waive their math and/or reading and writing TSI requirements. Successful completion of this program provides students with a TSI waiver that lasts two years from the date of their high school graduation. TXCB courses must be completed before high school graduation. Students must enroll in their core math and/or English course work in their first year of enrollment at a higher education institution for the waiver to remain valid. Students must make a "C" or better within their core math and/or English course work within 2 years of their high school graduation.
Please contact your high school to find out if they offer this program. If you have completed one or both of these program courses, please submit your completion certificates using our TSI Exemption Form.
If you retake your TSI and earn higher scores than a previous attempt, you may resubmit a TSI Score Request Form or email your updated score report to TSI@shsu.edu. Please contact your Academic Advisor to determine if your support coursework placement has changed.
If you need to make changes to your support coursework, please contact the TSI team at TSI@shsu.edu with your Sam ID and let us know what changes you would like to make. If you a required to take MATH 0331, you cannot drop the course and still be able to attend the semester.
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Estill Building, Room 331
Huntsville, TX 77340
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Sam Houston State University
Office of the Registrar
Box 2029
Huntsville, TX 77341-2029