What’s on the TSI test?

The TSI Assessment includes three subtests that cover the academic fields of mathematics, reading, and writing.

All three subtests are made up of multiple-choice questions except for the essay section where students must produce a five-paragraph essay.

Students that must take the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment should get optimally prepared. Taking multiple practice tests is very helpful for brushing up knowledge and getting all set for the TSI Assessment efficiently.

The Texas Success Initiative Assessment measures the academic knowledge and skills level of college-bound students. To learn all about TSI testing, check this TSI Study Guide

Universities and colleges operating in the public Texas College System utilize TSI Assessment results to determine whether students are sufficiently prepared to successfully attend their courses. If you prepare well, the TSI exam doesn’t need to be hard. But decent preparation is key!

If not, students may be required to take interventions or remedial classes before they can enroll in college programs.

This website offers TSI practice tests at no cost that cover all topics addressed in the three TSI Assessment subtests. Check also this post to learn more about how the TSI Assessment works and what TSI stands for.

Taking multiple sample tests is known to be highly effective. Students will learn about their academic strengths and weaknesses meaning they can center on subject areas that need their attention most.

This website’s free TSI practice tests will indicate whether students are sufficiently prepared for the actual exam or not. This way they learn to concentrate on areas they really need to work on to be successful.

TSI assessment-math

The TSI Math section includes multiple-choice questions  that cover four main content fields:
1. Elementary Algebra and Algebraic Functions — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Inequalities and number systems, Linear equations
• Equations and Algebraic expressions
• Word problems and applications
2. Intermediate Algebra and Algebraic Functions — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Equations and functions, Quadratic and polynomial expressions
• Expressions, functions of roots, equations, powers, radicals
• Exponential and rational expressions, equations, and functions
3. Geometry and Measurement — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Plane geometry
• Symmetry and transformations
• Area, volume, three-dimensional measurements
4. Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Interpretation of categorical and quantitative data
• Statistical systems and measures
• Probability

The TSI Math subtest measures students’ knowledge of Mathematics and Statistics.

See also this post to learn about free TSI Math sample tests.

TSI assessment-reading

The TSI Reading test comes with multiple-choice questions. Students’ proficiency is measured in the following four major fields:
1. Literary Analysis — Subject fields here are:
• Identifying and analyzing texts
2. Supporting Details and Main Idea — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Identifying the key idea in a text
• Identifying details and comprehending texts
3. Making Inferences — Subject fields addressed here:
• Synthesizing ideas in texts, making comparisons of and/or connections between passages in texts
• Making proper inferences about single-passage texts
4. Language Use of the author — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Identifying an author’s purpose, tone, and organization of texts, rhetorical strategy, evidence use
• Word meanings in contexts

To learn more about free TSI Language sample tests, click here.

TSI assessment-writing

The TSI Writing test comes with a multiple-choice part and students also must produce a 5-part essay. The main categories of the multiple-choice section are:
1. Revision — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Organization, coherence, and word choice
• Use of evidence and rhetorical effectiveness
2. Agreement — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Subject-verb agreement
• Pronoun agreement
• Verb forms and tenses
3. Sentence Structure — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Usage of commas, comma splices, run-on sentences
• Interpunctuation
• Parallelism, fragments
• Coordination, subordination
4. Sentence Logic — Subject fields addressed here are:
• Correct use, modifying phrases,  clauses
• Logical transitions

TSI Essay

Essay part — The essay section is the only part of the TSI Assessment that doesn’t have multiple-choice questions. Students must produce a five-paragraph persuasive essay that includes around 300-600 words. Check out also this page about free TSI sample tests.

Students are handed out a prompt about some controversial issue or a topic of current interest. Students must demonstrate proficiency in producing an essay with a clearly stated central idea without using their own opinions or ideas.

The essay needs to include details from the text and examples that back up the main idea while adhering to English language conventions. Students are not allowed to use, for example, a dictionary but scratch paper is provided so they can write rough drafts and plan their essays properly.