Texas Success Initiative
The State of Texas requires all incoming undergraduate students to demonstrate college readiness in reading, writing, and mathematics as defined by the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) program. Students can satisfy this requirement in various ways. All students must have documentation for each area on file before the start of the semester.
How to Satisfy the Requirement
TSI Assessment
There are multiple ways you can complete your TSI Assessment Requirement. The most common are:
- Register and complete TSI Assessment at your local community college
- Register and complete TSI Assessment through the Tarleton Testing Center (in-person and virtual options available)
TSI Assessment Benchmark
To satisfy the TSI requirement with the TSI exam, the following minimum scores are required (scores are valid for 5 years from completion date):’
| Objective | Score | Diagnostic | Essay |
| Mathematics | 950 | ||
| Mathematics | <950 | 6 | |
| English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) | 945 | 5 | |
| English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) | <945 | 5 | 5 |
Submit TSI Score Release Form
If you took the TSI assessment at a location other than a Tarleton State testing center, please complete the TSI Score Release Form to allow Tarleton State access to your scores.
TSI Assessment at Tarleton State
Schedule an appointment at our Stephenville campus testing center. The TSI assessment is offered daily at our Stephenville and Fort Worth campuses with both morning and afternoon times available. You may also sign up to complete your assessment online with a virtual proctor!
Schedule an exam at the Stephenville Testing Center
Schedule an exam at the Fort Worth Testing Center
When scheduling an exam, make sure you select “Placement Exams” as exam type and “TSIA2” as exam.
Texas College Bridge Program
The Texas College Bridge program is a program that prepares high school juniors and seniors for college with free, self-paced, online courses to strengthen English and Math skills. Students that successfully complete the program will earn their TSI exemption at Tarleton.
Speak with your high school counselor to see if the Texas College Bridge program could be an option for you!
Request Your Texas College Bridge Certificate of Completion
- Log into Texas College Bridge at https://texascollegebridge.org/login/.
- Click View your goals.
- Click on your name near the top right of the page.
- Click My Account in the drop down menu.
- Click on the My Achievements tab which will list all the certificates you have earned.
- Select the checkbox in front of the certificate(s) you want to share. If a checkbox isn’t present, click on Go To Certificate which will direct you to create a GreenLight Locker account (see instructions below).
- Click Email Achievements.
- A pop-up window will appear to enter a recipient email address. Enter admissions@tarleton.edu.
- Click Send.
GreenLight Locker Instructions
- Complete the on-screen form to register for a GreenLight Locker account.
- Visit https://greenlightlocker.com/login and login with the username and password you selected during step 1.
- You will be presented with a short video about using GreenLight and sharing your certificate. When you have finished watching that video, click Click to Continue.
- Accept and electronically sign the on-screen FERPA statement, then click Save.
- When you land on your GreenLight Dashboard, click View Credentials.
- Any certificates you have earned as part of Texas College Bridge will be listed.
- Click on the ‘Share’ icon to the right of the certificate.
- Send the certificate to Tarleton State University.
Please note: Send your certificate to Tarleton State through the portal (do not screenshot and email it). If you have both Math and English, complete this process for each certificate. If you originally created your GreenLight account using a high school email address, update the account to your personal email, as your high school email account may no longer be active.
Need help? https://greenlightlocker.com/contact
SAT or ACT
To satisfy the TSI requirement with the SAT or ACT exam, the following minimum scores are required (scores are valid for 5 years from completion date):
| Exam | Mathematics | Reading | Writing |
| ACT (pre-February 15, 2023) | Math 19 and Composite 23 | English 19 and Composite 23 | English 19 and Composite 23 |
| ACT (February 15, 2023-present) | Math 22 | Combined 40 English and Reading | Combined 40 English and Reading |
| SAT (pre-2016) | Math 500 and Combined 1070 | Combined 1070 and Verbal 500 | Combined 1070 and Verbal 500 |
| SAT (2016-present) | Math 530 | Evidence Based 480 | Evidence Based 480 |
Request Your SAT or ACT Scores
- Request your SAT scores sent to us from College Board.
- Request your ACT scores sent to us from ACT.
AP or CLEP Exams
To satisfy the TSI requirement from AP or CLEP exams, the following minimum scores are required:
| Exam | Mathematics | Reading | Writing |
| CLEP – American Government | 50 | ||
| CLEP – Calculus | 50 | ||
| CLEP – College Algebra | 50 | ||
| CLEP – College Composition | 50 | 50 | |
| CLEP – Introductory Psychology | 50 | 50 | |
| CLEP – Precalculus | 50 | ||
| CLEP – U.S. History I | 50 | ||
| CLEP – U.S. History II | 50 | ||
| CLEP – Western Civilization I | 50 | ||
| CLEP – Western Civilization II | 50 | ||
| AP – Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | |
| AP – Literature and Composition | 3 | ||
| AP – Government and Politics: US | 3 | ||
| AP – World History | 3 | ||
| AP – European History | 3 | ||
| AP – American/US History | 3 | ||
| AP – Calculus AB | 4 | ||
| AP – Calculus BC | 3 and AB Subscore 4 or 4 | ||
| AP – Statistics | 3 |
Request Your AP or CLEP Scores
Request your AP or CLEP scores sent to us from College Board.
College Coursework
The following courses transferring from a regionally accredited institution will satisfy the TSI requirement:
| Course (minimum 3 credits) | Mathematics | Reading | Writing |
| Any college-level Math course | X | ||
| English Composition I | X | X | |
| English Composition II | X | X | |
| General Psychology | X | X | |
| Introduction to Philosophy | X | ||
| Any History Course | X | ||
| Any Literature Course | X | ||
| Any Government Course | X |
If you have earned an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, the TSI requirement will be satisfied.
Order Your Official College Transcript
Contact the college you attended and order an official college transcript sent to us.
Military Service
If you are currently serving (or have previously served) in the military, your TSI requirement is satisfied:
- Active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard
- Service as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States (excludes reserves of Texas National Guard).
Complete the Military TSI Form
Complete and return the Military TSI Form.
General Education Diploma (GED)
If you completed a GED, the following scores are required (scores are valid for 5 years from completion date):
- Reading and Writing: 165 Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA)
- Math: 165 Mathematical Reasoning
Submit Your Official GED Transcript
Order an official GED transcript sent to us.
Public Safety Personnel
Certain public officers or employees are exempt from the TSI requirement:
- Certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and employed by a political subdivision* or
- Fire Protection Personnel** or
- Elected, appointed or employed to serve as a peace officer
*Political subdivision is any county, municipality, special district, school district, junior college district, housing authority, or other political subdivision of this state or any other state as per Texas Local Government Code Title 5, Subtitle C, Chapter 172.
**Fire protection personnel as defined by Texas Government Code Section 419.021:
(A) permanent, full-time law enforcement officers designated as fire and arson investigators by an appropriate local authority;
(B) aircraft rescue and fire protection personnel; or
(C) permanent, full-time fire department employees who are not secretaries, stenographers, clerks, budget analysts, or similar support staff persons or other administrative employees and who are assigned duties in one or more of the following categories:
(i) fire suppression;
(ii) fire inspection;
(iii) fire and arson investigation;
(iv) marine fire fighting;
(v) aircraft rescue and fire fighting;
(vi) fire training;
(vii) fire education;
(viii) fire administration; and
(ix) any other position necessarily or customarily related to fire prevention or suppression.
Request Employment Verification
Human Resources (or an authorized representative) may email admissions@tarleton.edu verifying employment. As applicable, EMT certification will also be required to be emailed to admissions@tarleton.edu.
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