Piqosity, a Houston-based edtech company, now offers 4 full-length TSI practice tests, and they’re currently available for free! These 4 tests are the first of six TSI practice tests which will go online between now and February 2025.
The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment 2 is often taken by Texas high school students to participate in dual enrollment courses at their local college or to attend a Texas public college after graduation. Because Piqosity is based in Houston, it makes sense that we should be the largest publisher of practice material for our home market!
The TSI Assessment is computer-adaptive test composed of four subtests in Math and English with between 50 and 146 questions plus an essay. The exam is untimed but usually lasts 2-4 hours. Tested concepts include reading comprehension, writing mechanics, and math through Algebra I.
TSI Assessment Format Infographic
TSI Practice Test PDF Previews
Click a test name above to download a PDF sample.
Note that the TSI Assessment is an online test only, and the PDF practice test cannot be scored offline.
How to Prepare for the TSI Assessment
The TSI is not a particularly tricky test compared to the more ubiquitous ACT and SAT. The best indicator and easiest way for students to prepare for the TSI is to try hard and do well in their core English and math courses. Furthermore:
- Take a TSI practice test as a diagnostic to see your estimated score and check for weaknesses
- Review the questions from this practice test and learn from your mistakes
- Review core math and English concepts, and take more practice tests until your score is passing
How to Buy More TSI Practice Tests
After February 2025, all of our six TSI practice tests and prep course can be purchased directly online by interested students and their parents. Schools can purchase TSI practice tests either separately or as part of our College Prep courses for the ACT and SAT. Click here to learn more about Piqosity for educators.
More Math, English & Test Prep from Piqosity
TSI Frequently Asked Questions
Texas law (TSI Rule 4.55b) requires that all students must complete the Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA) before registering to take the TSIA2 test. It’s basically a non-scored online “orientation” and includes these components:
- 2 videos lasting less than 5 minutes in total
- A few paragraphs about the TSIA2
- Two sample tests totaling 20 questions
- ELAR – 10, multiple choice questions, non-adaptive
- Math – 10, multiple choice questions, non-adaptive
- A couple of paragraphs telling you that you will receive an improvement plan if you fail the TSIA2 and that you have the right to retest at anytime.
- A few paragraphs providing some tips for doing well plus links to some test prep resources.
You will probably need less than an hour to complete the PAA if you take your time and try on the sample tests. After completing the PAA, you’ll instantly receive a PDF certificate of completion that you’ll need to show your TSIA2 administrator before you can register to take the test.
The PAA is purely a “for your information” and it does not matter where you take it, how long it takes you to complete, or how many questions you get right on the practice tests. The only thing that matters (outside of the information you’re supposed to be learning) is that you get that downloadable PDF certificate of completion.
The Texas Education Agency and the test’s vendor, College Board, claim that the TSIA2 is super accommodating by design. Features that make it especially accommodating are that it’s untimed and includes features like a calculator, highlighter, save-and-continue ability.
Any additional accommodations must be requested from and approved by your school’s dual credit partner’s office of disability support services. That’s a mouthful that means you have to get additional accommodations not from your high school but from the college your school partners with. Note that accommodations for the TSIA2 are governed by Texas college rules and not Texas high school rules.
Unless something goes wrong, students will receive their scores instantly after completing all applicable sections. Even the essay is machine-scored so that score is also instant.
There’s technically no limit to the number of times you can take the TSIA2. However, if your school does not require you to pay for the test out of pocket, they may set their own restrictions if you want them to pay for the registration fees.
No, a dictionary is not allowed for any student either in the testing app or at the testing location. This restriction includes students classified as English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) or English Language Learners (ELL)
The TSIA2 is an untimed test that can be paused and resumed infinitely so long as it is completed within 13 days from start date. However, assuming that most students will spend 1 minute per question, the test could be:
- As short as 60 minutes if you pass both the ELAR and Math CRC and aren’t required to take the Diagnostic but do spend 20 minutes on the essay.
- About 3 hours if you fail the CRC for both ELAR and Math and are required to also take the Diagnostic tests and make it to the Essay test.
- As long as 104 hours if you managed to spend 8 hours a day for all possible 13 days that you could sit for.
Yes, you can complete the ELAR test and Math tests in different sittings or even different days. You can even save and resume your progress as often as you like so long as the test is completed within 13 days from when you started. However, essays must be completed in a single session to avoid getting a different prompt.
The TSIA2 exam is composed of two sub-tests:
- English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR)
- Mathematics
You must pass both ELAR and Mathematics to “pass the TSIA” and be considered college ready.
ELAR is further subdivided into three tests:
- College Readiness Classification (CRC)
- All students take the CRC
- 30 untimed, multiple choice questions, adaptive difficulty
- Scored from 910 to 990
- If you score a 945 or higher, you do not have to take the ELAR Diagnostic Test, but you do still have to write the Essay
- Diagnostic Test
- Only students scoring below a 945 on the CRC have to also take the Diagnostic test
- 48 untimed, multiple choice questions, adaptive difficulty
- Scored from Level 1 to Level 6
- Level 5 is considered passing, but Level 4 still allows you to take the Essay test
- Essay Test
- Only students who score a 945 or above on the CRC or above Level 4 on the Diagnostic Test are eligible to take the Essay Test
- Students must pass the Essay test to be deemed College ready
- Students see a short essay prompt followed by an assignment
- Essays are machined scored from 1 to 8 taking into account
- Purpose and focus
- Organization and structure
- Development and support
- Sentence variety and style
- Mechanical conventions
- Critical thinking
- Scores of 5 or higher are considered passing
Mathematics is further subdivided into two tests:
- College Readiness Classification (CRC)
- 20 untimed, multiple choice questions, adaptive difficulty
- Scored from 910 to 990
- If you score a 950 or higher, you do not have to take the Mathematics Diagnostic Test
- Diagnostic Test
- 48 untimed, multiple choice questions, adaptive difficulty
- Scored from Level 1 to Level 6
- Level 6 is considered passing
Yes, you will have access to an on-screen calculator for many of the math questions. Depending on the particular question, you’ll have access to either a four-function calculator, a four-function calculator with square root, or a graphing calculator. However, you are not allowed to use your own, offline calculator.
The cost to take the TSIA2 out of pocket is generally $29 for all three sections (ELAR, Math, Essay). However, the cost is lower to retest only in the sections you previously failed. ELAR by itself is $20 (including essay), Math is $10, ELAR Multiple choice is $10, and Essay is $10. However, your high school will probably pay for you to take the TSIA2 test, especially if you need it for dual enrollment courses and it’s your first attempt.
The TSIA2 is a pass/fail test, so the only score that matters is one that allows you to pass. There are at least two ways to pass each exam.
Passing Scores for TSIA English Language Arts and Reading
- College Readiness Classification (CRC) score of at least 945 and an essay score of at least 5; or
- CRC score below 945, Diagnostic level of 5 or 6, and an essay score of at least 5.
Passing Scores for TSIAMathematics
- College Readiness Classification (CRC) score of at least 950; or
- CRC score below 950 and a Diagnostic level of 6.
Source: Texas Education Agency
The TSIA2 is not a particularly hard test in comparison to the more popular ACT and SAT college admissions exams. In particular, the fact that it is untimed and can be taken an infinite number of times makes it significantly less stressful than the ACT or SAT. However, it may be difficult for you if you were already scoring poorly in your on-level math and English courses.
Most students take the TSIA2 in the spring of their sophomore year in preparation for dual credit courses their junior year. However, students can technically take the TSIA2 anytime and as often as they want so long as they complete it before they enroll in a Texas college.
Because TSIA2 scores are good for five years from the date of test completion, students could even take it as early as 8th grade!
Yes, most Texas students actually take the ACT or SAT instead of the TSIA2. For 2021-2022 academic year, 243,410 students took the SAT and 84,822 took the ACT, but only 50,269 took the TSIA2. You are exempt from taking the TSIA2 with the following scores:
ACT Test Minimum Scores for TSIA2 Exemption
- English & Writing – combined score of 40 or higher
- Math – 22 or higher
SAT Test Minimum Scores for TSIA2 Exemption
- Reading and Writing – 480 or higher
- Mathematics – 530 or higher
Students were previously allowed to take STAAR English III and STAAR Algebra II end of course exams instead of the TSIA2; however, those STAAR tests are no longer offered.
Technically, any student wanting to enroll in a Texas college, including for dual enrollment during high school, would take the TSIA2. However, only about 35% of graduating Texas seniors actually take the TSIA2 during their high school career. The low percentage is because there are many ways (exemptions) to get out of taking the TSIA2 including getting a “passing score” on the ACT or SAT or joining the military.
TSIA2 stands for the Texas Success Initiative Assessment, version 2. Launched in 2021, the TSIA2 is computer-adapted test taken by Texas high school students in order to enroll in a Texas college, including dual enrollment courses taken during high school. The TSIA2 is the assessment test created to support the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). The TSI is the product of a state law which outlines how Texas colleges are required to assess the readiness of applying students. About 135,000 high school students take the TSIA2 every year or about 35% of graduating seniors who are enrolled in a Texas public school.
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