Texas Success Initiative Exemptions

You may not need to take the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) placement test if you meet one of the requirements below.

Highlander Central in the Enrollment Services Center reviews all exemption documents. If your exemption is based on test scores, you must send your official scores to McLennan Community College.

For questions about TSI exemptions, call Highlander Central at 254-299-8622.

You may qualify for a TSI exemption if:

• Your ACT, SAT, GED, STAAR, or other approved test scores meet the required minimum scores.
• You served on active military duty for at least three years before enrolling.
• Another college or university has already determined that you met college readiness standards.
• On or after August 1, 1990, you were honorably discharged, retired, or released from:
  • The U.S. Military
  • The Texas National Guard
  • A reserve branch of the U.S. Armed Forces
• You earned an associate or bachelor's degree from a college or university.
  • If you earned your degree outside the United States, you must submit a transcript or diploma evaluation.
  • MCC accepts evaluations completed by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
• You have already completed college-level courses in reading, writing, and math.
• You plan to enroll in a certificate program with fewer than 42 semester credit hours.
  • Students in these programs may take up to 6 college-level credit hours outside their certificate before they must meet TSI requirements.
• You are certified and employed as one of the following:
  • An emergency medical technician (EMT) certified under Chapter 773 of the Texas Health and Safety Code and employed by a political subdivision.
  • A firefighter as defined under Section 419.021 of the Texas Government Code.
  • A peace officer who is elected, appointed, or employed under Article 2A.001 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.

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