Assessment and Placement

Testing Services

Students who have not taken the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSI) and do not have a Palomino ID number and are planning on enrolling into Laredo College must first visit the Office of Registrar and Admissions where they will fill out an admissions application and will receive a Palomino ID number.

Please note to bring in all relevant test scores from the students respective school, including: ACT,SAT, TAKS, STAAR ect as well as a photo ID. Students who are planning on attending Laredo College will then proceed to the Student Success Center to speak to an adviser who will then issue a test permit. *

Please keep in mind that all first time students taking the TSI exam must complete a Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA) found in the Assessment Center and Student Success Center website. Print a copy of the "Certificate of Completion" page found at the conclusion of the activity and present it to the Assessment Center along with the test permit and exam fee receipt.

All students must bring a valid government issued Texas Driver's License or Texas ID for identification purposes.

Students who do not plan on attending Laredo College but wish to take the TSI must first complete the Pre-Assessment Activity before they take the TSI. All non-LC students who plan on taking the TSI exam (1 section only) excluding the essay, will only be allowed to test on Friday's, must arrive at either test centers no later than 8:30 AM, have their test permit, copy of the "Certificate of Completion" and payment receipt.

Test Score Interpretation, Advisement, and Registration

After assessment, students must consult with an advisor for course placement and degree planning. Students who are pursuing an Associate of Arts/Science degree or those who have not selected a major must report to the Student Success Center for advising, unless the student is assigned to a TRIO, LEAPS, Honors or other specialized advisor. Students pursuing a Certificate program or Associate of Applied Science degree must meet with a faculty advisor located in their respective departments. Advising is required every semester and prior to the registration of classes.

Once advised, students may register for courses online via PASPort or in person at the Office of the Registrar and Admissions. To complete the registration process, students must pay their tuition and fees in full or enroll in an installment plan by the payment deadline. Students are responsible for initiating course withdrawal(s) if he/she decides not to remain enrolled after completing registration for the given term. Course withdrawal(s) occurring after the first class day are subject to fees.

Texas Success Initiative

The Texas Success Initiative requires all students enrolling at Texas public institutions to demonstrate college readiness in reading, writing, and math prior to enrolling in college-level coursework. Students can demonstrate college readiness by taking the TSI-Assessment and meeting established college readiness standards or by qualifying for a State approved exemption/waiver. Students who do not demonstrate college readiness must meet with an Academic Advisor to develop a plan leading to college readiness, which may include developmental course placement.

To be considered “College Ready” students must score the following on the TSI-A:

Math: 350 or higher

Reading: 351 or higher

Writing:

1. Multiple choice score 340 or higher AND essay score of 4 or higher or;

2. Multiple choice score less than 340 AND ABE Writing score of 4 or higher AND essay score of 5 or higher.

TSI Assessment Guidelines Due to COVID-19

Laredo College Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSI) placement guidelines may vary depending on directives given by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).  In response and under the guidance of the THECB (please note, directives may be subject to change), Laredo College has modified its course placement criteria to temporarily allow students access to enroll in college courses without TSI information.  Depending on what criteria is met, students may be placed in either college-level or developmental courses.  Students should consult an advisor at the Student Success Center for assistance.  Advisors are trained to assess and determine appropriate course placement based on program and major requirements.  It is important to note that eligibility to enroll in college-level courses does not denote college-readiness, and in certain cases, students will be required to take the TSI-Assessment prior to end of term for which they enroll.  Modified placement criteria effective Summer & Fall 2020 and is subject to change Spring & Summer 2021 at the discretion of Instructional Leadership.  The current Modified Placement Guide is available on the Student Success Center website under Advising Documents & Links.  For more information, please contact the Student Success Center via email at studentsuccessctr@laredo.edu or via phone at 956-721-5135 or 956-794-4135.

TSI Exemptions

The following table lists all State approved assessments with qualifying scores for full or partial TSI exemption:

* administered prior to March 1, 2016

**administered on or after March 1, 2016

The following are other conditions or criteria used to determine a full or partial TSI exemption:

• Completion of a College Prep Course (offered at select high schools) with a grade of 75 or higher and meet minimum TSIA-Math & TSIA-Reading scores as specified by Laredo College (see advisor for more info)

• Completion of college-level coursework as determined by LC

• Students who have attended any institution of higher learning and have been determined to have met "college-level" readiness

• Students who are enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level - One Certificates, 42 or fewer credit hours or the equivalent) at a public junior college, a public technical institute, or a public state college

• Students serving or have served in the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard. Specifically:

• A student who is serving on active duty as a member of:

  • the armed forces of the United States; or

  • the Texas National Guard

• A student who is currently serving as and, for at least the three-year period preceding enrollment, has served as member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States; or

• A student who on or after August 1, 1990, was honorably discharged, retired or released from 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.

For more information regarding the Texas Success Initiative Program, you may call the Student Success Center at (956) 721-5135 or (956) 794-4135. Testing dates and registration information are available in the Assessment Center.

General Educational Development (GED) Testing

The Assessment Center located at the Ft. McIntosh Campus in the Lerma Pena, Room 227, is an Official General Educational Development (GED) Testing Center. The GED examination consists of four (4) tests which measure achievement in the subject areas generally associated with high school programs of study. The four tests are: Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA)-155 minutes, Social Studies-75 minutes, Science-95 minutes, and Mathematical Reasoning-120 minutes. The GED exams are offered in English and Spanish. Minimum passing score required in each section is 145. For GED registration please visit www.ged.com.

GED preparation classes are offered through the Adult Education and Literacy Department located in the Eloy Garcia Building Room 111 – Ft. McIntosh Campus and AAC 126 – South Campus. For more information about GED preparation classes see the section of this catalog entitled, Adult Education and Literacy Program.

For more information about taking the official GED test, call the Assessment Center (956) 721-5418 – Ft. McIntosh Campus or (956) 794-4418 – South Campus.

Credit by Examination/Challenge Exams

Laredo College acknowledges that some students may have mastered college-level subjects prior to enrollment in college and therefore provides testing and credit programs to validate such learning. The College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP) Program, and the Local Spanish Exam may be used for awarding credit by examination. To register for the CLEP exam go online to: http://clep.collegeboard.org

A maximum of one-half of a two-year degree requirement may be earned through credit by examination programs. A student may attempt a specific exam only once during a three-month period. Credit by Examination is granted under the following conditions:

• The required examination fee has been paid. The examination fee is assessed when the exam is administered. 
• CLEP Credit or Grade is awarded if the student enrolls for the current semester in which they are attempting to add their score, and has paid tuition and fees for the current semester.
• Students must notify the Office of the Registrar and Admissions, if he/she wishes to have the course credit earned placed on his/her transcript by completing Permission to Post form, 
• Effective June 13, 2005 LC resumed awarding a letter grade for the CLEP Spanish Language Exam as follows: 50-59 "C" or credit "CR"; 60-67 "B"; 68-80 "A". For all other CLEP Examinations you will receive credit "CR" for the course(s).
• It is the student’s responsibility to submit CLEP testing documentation to the Office of The Registrar and Admissions for either Credit or Grade prior to the end of the semester in which they took the exam in. CLEP scores will not be added for a previous term if scores are submitted after the last day of the semester in which they took the exam and scores will not be added for a semester the student did not attend.

Laredo College grants course credit for areas indicated below.

Advanced Placement (AP) Program

Students participating in the College Boards Advanced Placement Program must submit a copy of their official AP scores to the Assessment Center for evaluation. AP exams are administered in the high schools. Only scores of three (3) or higher will be considered for college credit.

Laredo College grants college credit for areas indicated below.

¹Any six-hour sequence of Sophomore Literature may be selected