Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Test – Study Guide & Preparation Tips
Sep 24, 2025
When entering higher education, such as college or university, the individual needs to be ready for it.
There are several ways to measure this readiness and approve admissions. In Texas, they use the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Test.
Read this article to discover what exactly the TSI Test is, what it involves, who needs to take the test and how to prepare for it.
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What Is The TSI Exam?
The TSI Exam is a government initiative to determine if all entering undergraduate students are ready for freshman year at college or university in the subject areas of English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) and mathematics.
All Texas public education institutions are required to use this as a way to be able to prove a non-exempt student’s ability for higher education.
The results of the test give education advisers a definite idea of what courses a student should enroll in. It is important to note here that the advisers also consider background, goals and interests as part of this process.
Students can be exempt from the TSI Exam if they prove their readiness in another assessment at school, including the SATs Algebra III EOC’s English III or the College Preparatory Course.
The test has multiple-choice questions and one essay component.
The multiple-choice questions are adaptive, meaning they will decrease or increase in difficulty depending on the answers given.
The TSI Test is not timed, which gives the student time to prepare their answer and complete the exam to the best of their ability without the pressure of thinking of how much time is left.
The examinee can even save and finish the exam later as long as it is completed within 14 days.
The questions in the TSI fall under the following categories:
- Texas College and Career Readiness Standards
- Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
- Adult Education and Literacy Content Standards 2.0
- National Reporting System Educational Functioning Levels
- The ELAR Test (which includes the essay component)
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TSI Test Revision Guide
It is highly recommended for students who need to take the TSI Test to ensure they revise.
This gives them the best chance of passing the TSI and enables them to progress to the next level of their educational journey.
To revise, a person needs to know what they will be tested on.
Below is a list of the topics in each section.
TSI Math Exam
The TSI Math exam is made up of 20 questions and covers four main topics.
They are:
- Algebra and functions (elementary and intermediate) – This consists of solving functions and algebraic equations in context. The level of questions is set at elementary and intermediate grades
- Geometry and measurements) – This section focuses on trigonometry, converting measurements and solving problems related to perimeters, volume and area
- Data analysis, statistics and probability – Here, students need to review and understand data and statistics and then solve problems by interpreting them. They also need to predict probability problems using data, too
- Quantitative Reasoning – Students will need to use calculations to solve problems on ratios, proportions and percentages
The best way to revise these sections for Math is to refer back to textbooks and coursework from school and take online practice tests with answers.
TSI Reading Exam
The TSI Reading section asks 30 questions and covers:
- Literary analysis – Understanding the text and using this comprehension to answer the questions
- Main ideas and supporting details – Reading the text and understanding the main themes and ideas of the text
- Inferences in a text – This means delving deeper into the text, identifying hidden messages, and looking for suggested things rather than clearly stated
- Author’s use of language – Identifying the way the author writes the text to get the points and message across
These topics cannot necessarily be revised, but the students can familiarize themselves with previous school work that covers these topics.
They can also look online at forums and TSI practice tests.
TSI Writing Test
The TSI Writing test requires the individual to write a 300 to 600-word essay on a randomly selected piece of text given on the day of the exam.
To prepare for this, the pupil needs to:
- Revise how to write an essay – How it starts, how it ends and the way it is structured
- Revise how to put across the argument – The best way to communicate the argument and answer in the essay
- Sentence structure – The examiners are looking to see that a student can structure a sentence correctly, including a verb, adjective and noun, for example
- Sentence logic – The students also need to show that they can use the right tone and vocabulary in a sentence
The best way to prepare for this is to look over old notes and textbooks, refer to old essays, make notes on points to remember and practice with a TSI online test.
TSI Exam Examples
It is recommended to always look at examples of the different sections.
This section shows some sample questions that may help.
Math
If , then what is the value of ?
a)
b)
c)
d)
The correct answer is: c)
Start with the equation:
Add 4 to both sides:
Divide both sides by 7:
So, the value of is
There are 60 children in kindergarten and 5% of them wear glasses. How many actually wear glasses?
a) 5
b) 6
c) 3
d) 10
The correct answer is: c) 3.
There are two dice thrown at the same time. What is the probability that both dice will land on a 3?
a) 1 out of 6
b) 1 out of 12
c) 2 out of 12
d) 1 out of 18
The correct answer is: b) 1 out of 12
Reading
'The New York City railway system in 1888 became home to the first coin-operated vending machines in the US. The machines sold a chewing gum named “Tutti-Frutti”. The chewing gum was manufactured by the Thomas Adams Gum Company. The coin-operated machines were eventually updated to feature animated figures. These figures would dance each time someone bought gum'.
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
a) The vending machines dispensed chewing gum in exchange for coins
b) The vending machines were the first of their kind in the country
c) Train passengers used these vending machines
d) The original purpose was to entertain customers
The correct answer is: d) The original purpose was to entertain customers.
This is because the original purpose wasn’t to entertain, but they were updated later to entertain.
'It is long believed that the now King Charles of England and his first wife, Lady Diana, were not a good match. Charles was in love with his now wife, but she was not suitable because she was married with children of her own. Lady Diana was young, single and a virgin. The divorce of Lady Di and Prince Charles was complicated and painful.'
Why was Charles not allowed to marry Camilla when he was younger?
a) He was not in love with her then
b) She was not a virgin
c) He had been betrothed to Diana since birth
d) The Queen didn’t like Camilla
The correct answer is: b) She was not a virgin
This was because Camilla was already married and had children, so she was not a virgin.
What is inferred in the passage?
a) Camilla did not love Charles
b) Charles did not really love Lady Diana
c) They had a good marriage while it lasted
The correct answer is: a) Camilla did not love Charles
It is inferred Charles was in love with Camilla from a young age.
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TSI Test Prep Tips
We have mentioned the topics to revise, but this section looks at the list of the best ways to prepare for the TSI Test.
Revising the different sections and topics is highly recommended.
This means the students will know which areas they need to practice more and which ones they are confident with.
The math section, in particular, will have topics that the pupil may not have used since elementary school, so they need revising.
Creating a revision schedule is a good way to ensure all topics are given the amount of revision time needed.
SBAC Practice Tests
Taking the free online practice tests not only gives the student an idea of the questions but also the format and structure of the questions and answers.
Doing these practice tests after revision is a great way to know if the revision has worked!
There are some playful ways to learn and revise for the TSI Exam, such as playing logic games, spotting typos in the text and quick-fire memory puzzles. This all helps with quick math and reading skills.
All the questions are multiple-choice, so students can prepare by learning how to eliminate certain answers and look out for trick answers. This will help with questions when they are not fully sure what the answer is.
As with any test, it is important to get lots of rest the night before and to eat well.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to pass the TSI to go to college?
In the state of Texas, anyone who isn’t exempt and wants to go to college or university needs to take and pass the TSI Exam to show they are ready.
They need to pass the math, reading and writing sections as they are the basis for most courses.
There are some that are exempt from having to do the TSI, though.
How to be exempt from the TSI test?
Some students in the state of Texas can be exempt from having to do the TSI Test.
The main factors for exemption include scoring high enough in previous exams, serving in the US armed forces for at least three years, and transferring from another location with satisfactory grades.
How Long is the TSI test?
The TSI test is not timed, and the pupil can actually have rests in the test to ensure they give their best performance.
They can even hit save for later on the test and return to it within 14 days if they wish.
Is the TSI exam hard?
The TSI exam measures a student’s readiness for freshman education.
It can be hard, and revision and preparation are needed for the pupil to gain the minimum score.
However, with good preparation, it doesn’t have to be hard, and the student will be successful.
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Final Thoughts
The TSI exam is a way for the Texan government to ensure everyone going into freshman higher education has the math and ELAR skills to do so.
These topics are the foundation of most courses, which is why they are so important.
It is recommended for all students who have to take the test to revise the topics and prepare as much as they can for the test.
