Placement Exam Requirements       

What are placement exams and why might I need to take one?

Students must be in compliance with the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), (Texas Education Code §51.3062) to enroll in Texas public institutions of higher education.
The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a legislatively mandated program designed to guide Texas public institutions of higher education in helping determine whether entering, non-exempt students are ready for entry-level college coursework in the areas of English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) and mathematics. Students are exempt from this program if they meet college readiness benchmarks on the SAT, ACT, STAAR English III or Algebra II EOCs, successfully complete the high school College Preparatory Course, among other ways (click here for a complete list of TSI exemptions). 

Entering students who do not meet a TSI exemption will need to take the TSI assessment. Students who do not meet one or more of the established benchmarks of the TSI assessment are required to receive developmental education academic support as determined by the institution. 

What are placement exams?

Students may be placed in college level courses if their scores on the TAKS, STAAR, ACT, or SAT exams meet guidelines for exemption from having to take developmental classes as per the    2021 TSIA/TSIA2 Placement Chart       

If a student did not score high enough to be exempt from developmental education based on these exams, he or she must take the TSI Assessment exam.    
   

How do I know if I am exempt?   

If the individual is TSI Exempt based upon their STAAR - EOC,  TAKS scores, THEA, ACT, SAT, or other college placement exam, then they will not be required to take the preparation session as long as they show proof of their TSI exemption to our Admission Office. 

ACT - 19 English / 19 Math with composite score of 23.  Scores may not be more than 5 years old. 
SAT - prior to March 5, 2016 - 500 Verbal / 500 Math with composite score of 1070.  Scores may not be more than 5 years old. 
SAT - administered after March 5, 2016 - a minimum score of 480 on the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) test shall be exempt for both reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment; a minimum score of 530 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment.  There is no combined score. 
TAKS - 2200 ELA with essay of 3 and/or 2200 Math. Scores may not be more than 5 years old from the 11th grade exit-level TAKS exam. 
STAAR end-of-course (EOC) with a minimum Level 2 score of 4000 on the English III shall be exempt from the TSIA Assessment required under this title for both reading and writing, and a minimum Level 2 score of 4000 on the Algebra II EOC shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment requireed under this title for the matethmatic section.  Scores may not be more than 5 years old.
GED  - 165 on Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) and/or 165 on Mathematical Reasoning.  

View all of the TSI Exemptions from the Texas Administrative Code
 TSI/Exemptions    Dual Enrolled - TSI Exemptions  

 
Exemptions to this policy: Level I Certificate Program Students, Non-Degree Seeking Students, and Returning Students   

 
If I am required to take a placement exam, what do I do next?
You must take the TSI Assessment.  First you must register for the exam and then you must complete the “Pre-Assessment Activity”.       

How do I sign-up for the TSI Assessment?

The fee for the TSIA is  ($30.00 / $20 for ELAR  & $10 for Math)  Advanced paid reservations are required before a person may take the TSIA. Check with the appropriate testing center to see when the TSIA will be offered and the procedures for making a reservation.  

 

 December 13, 2023 no later than 4 p.m. is the last day to make exam payments before the Christmas Break.  We will resume processing payments on January 4, 2024 after the Christmas Break.    

Click on the 2024 Exam Schedule for each site to see the testing schedules for each site. 

Then go to the online scheduling site - https://bookcbc1.timetap.com/

If you need assistance making your reservation please contact the Beeville Testing Department at (361) 354-2334 and we will be happy to assist you.  

 

Once you've (1) paid the fee and received your receipt # and completed the (2) Mandatory TSIA2 Pre-Assessment Activity and (3) voucher request form - please go to the CBC Online Scheduling Site. 

You will first Register - to create an account / then Click Login and enter your e-mail address and the password that you created.

Select your CBC Test Site / Session or Sessions / and then enter your information.  For the Exam Type - enter TSI.  Then in the  Course Information - you will enter TSI - Then in the TSI field- you will enter " TSI - and section /Date of when payment was made /  Receipt # / Amount paid / and that you've completed the TSI Pre-Assessment Activity.    

Realize that you may need to schedule for more than one session to complete both areas of the TSI.  A person may take anywhere from one to three hours per section to complete the TSI.  There are two sections to the TSIA2 - ELAR and Math.  


When the prospective TSIA examinee contacts the testing center, they will complete  [Starting 11/16/20 - The TSI Pre-Assessment Activity ]    
 Mandatory TSIA2 Pre-Assessment Activity  

It is mandatory for all first-time examinees to complete a “Pre-Assessment Activity” which consists of the following:
(1) the importance of this assessment, [Based upon your scores on the TSIA – this will decide whether you are eligible for a college level course or if you will need to take a developmental or preparation course – which will not give you college credit.  A developmental course will help you build your skills so that you will eventually be able to take a college level course.  These courses give you a foundation in the subject area that you need preparation in.  The TSIA is very important and we want you to do as well as you possibly can.]
(2) sample questions, [go to:  http://www.coastalbend.edu/tsiresource/ for sample questions and other resources to help you prepare for the TSI Assessment]
If you are a current CBC student - you may login to your Blackboard account and click on the TutorMe link - for free tutoring to Test Preparation.  
(3) course options, and [Coastal Bend College offers various course options: NCBO - Non-Course Based course - which is a non-semester length course delivered in an intense workshop setting, Integrated Course - which is a course that integrates two areas - such as Reading and Writing together so that a student gets two courses for the time and price of one course,  Lecture courses (class-room style course with instructor – face-to-face); Distance Learning courses (class-room setting, but video cameras and microphones link you to other sites with other students.  The instructor may move around from site-to-site to have face time with each area); Internet courses (do your course work from home, but some courses may have you take a proctored exam at a CBC site).
(4) resources for students.  Mandatory TSIA2 Pre-Assessment Activity  

It is shown that people who prepare for the exam in advance do better, than those who do not prepare. 

We want our students to succeed and do as well as they possibly can, so our staff will be taking the time to make sure that all of our first-time college students get off to the right start at Coastal Bend College. 


If the individual does not complete the “Pre-Assessment Activity”, they will not be allowed to take the TSIA.   


What do I bring with me on the day of the exam?
 
You will need to have a (1) Photo ID (this may be a Texas ID card, Driver's license, or Passport - if you do not have one of these forms of photo ID - you may print out the  TSI Assessment ID Form TSI Assessment ID form - have it notarized and then bring this to the testing department as photo identification.) and (2) Coastal Bend College ID #.   To create a Coastal Bend College ID – you must first fill out the application for Coastal Bend College -   GoApplyTexas    you will receive an e-mail with your Coastal Bend College ID Number about five business days after you submit the Apply Texas Application.  

 

No personal items are allowed in the testing area.  No cell phones, electronics, books, notes, calculators, purses, bags, etc...are allowed in the testing area.  No weapons are allowed in the Testing Center.
   

If you need any additional information or have questions, please contact: 
Roberta Kreis - Testing Coordinator at (361) 354-2244 
Toll Free Number: 1-866-722-2838 - Ext: 2244 


(Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.) 

Page revised on 1/12/2024
http://www.coastalbend.edu/per/