Being a Successful
Collegiate Academy
Student
The TSI test, GPA and tools for the journey
Leslie Walden
Collegiate Academy Counselor
What is success?
• The TSI Assessment is a statewide
tool designed to assess a student’s
skills in Math, Reading, and Writing.
• The TSI Assessment is designed to
assist colleges with determining
appropriate course placement.
What is the TSI?
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Aligned to the Texas College and Career Readiness
Standards for Math, Reading, and Writing
Multiple Choice
Untimed
Computer Adaptive
Up to 5 hours long
Scored Immediately
Unlimited re-testing
Features of the TSI
Plywood, while not the most pleasing wood to look at, has become an
incredibly important building material in house construction. It is
flexible, inexpensive, and strong. Its strength is due to layers of thin
wood glued on top of each other with the grain of each layer making a
right angle with the grain of the layer below it. This way of layering the
sheets of wood makes plywood difficult to break.
According to the passage, the arrangement of the layers of thin wood explains
plywood’s
A. Strength
B. Cost
C. Attractiveness
D. Flexibility
The correct answer is A
TSI Sample reading question
In some places, virtually all the topsoil has washed away, leaving
the sub-soils to sustain the crops.
Rewrite, beginning with
In some places, the sub-soils must sustain the crops… The next word will be
A. although
B. because
C. until
D. before
The Correct Answer is – B
TSI Writing Sample Question
TSI Test Progression
• MATH - 350
• READING - 351
• WRITING- 5 on Essay or 4 on Essay with 363-390 on
Multiple Choice
• Remember It’s Not a Question of Pass or Fail
• This test assesses your current skill level only, not
your ability, your intelligence, or even your
likelihood of doing well in college. These scores are
your ticket into your college classes for your 10th,
11th and 12th grade years.
TSI Placement Scores
TSI Score Range
GCCA students did an outstanding job-50% scored
in the college ready range on the reading portion of
the TSI.
College Ready Reading
44 9th grade GCCA students
GCCA Students TSI Results
• TCC Website:
http://www.tccd.edu/Student_Services/Testing.htmlSee computer based app for FREE! Great tool for TSI
practice!
• More Practice Test Questions:
• www.collegeboard.org/texas-sample-questions
• Mrs. Haney will be facilitating the TSI testing and
practice. More information coming soon!
Where can I go to get help?
GPA calculations
and Class Rank
Cumulative GPA
All high school courses taken in grades 9-12 will
be calculated in the cumulative GPA with the
exception of:
• Summer school courses taken between the 8th
and 9th grade year
• Summer school courses taken for credit recovery
• Credit by examination, with or without prior
instruction
• Traditional correspondence courses, with the
exception of courses taken through TXVSN
Ranking GPA:
• To determine the top 10%, including
valedictorian and salutatorian, only grades
earned in English, Math, Social Studies,
Science, Languages Other Than
English (LOTE), and AP courses not
associated with these subjects will be
included in calculating the Ranking
GPA.
• The district shall not calculate or report class rank except for
students in the top 10% as required by law.
• Class rank for students in the top 10% will be provided on a
certification of class rank.
• The lowest weighted GPA used to determine class rank for
each class will be listed on each high school counseling
website and will be updated at least once annually.
Class Rank
GPA Scale and
Course Weighting
• Dual credit courses will be given PreAP weight.
• Courses for which AP is a prerequisite
will be given AP weight.
Special Course Weighting
• Students will have three options when requesting GPA
for college admissions or other GPA requests.
• Cumulative GPA –all courses taken in grades 9-12, except
as excluded in district policy. For general reporting purposes,
this is the GPA the district will use.
• Ranking GPA - Only courses taken in English, Math, Social
Studies, Science, LOTE, AP courses not associated with these
subjects.
• Unweighted 4.0 GPA- All courses taken in grades 9-12,
except as excluded in district policy with no weight assigned.
GPA Reporting Options
• High School Counselor Contact:
• Leslie Walden, 817-515-6776
• Leslie.walden@gcisd.net
• Director of Counseling Emberly Spillman:
• Emberly.spillman@gcisd.net
• 817-251-5415
Contact Information
Tools for Success
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Regularly attend ALL of their classes
Form a strong relationship with their instructors.
Plan Ahead
Follow their syllabus as a road map in your classes
Study for their tests and exams
Submit all assignments on time
Do not procrastinate.
Set goals
Are prepared for any obstacle.
Students that are
successful………
In order to succeed in college and in life, students need to set
goals. Goals should have the following characteristics:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Reasonable
• Timely
Encourage goal Setting
Reach for the Stars!
 A syllabus is a contract between them and their
professor.
 Encourage your student to:
 Note the instructors contact information, contact times
and office hours, and actually CONTACT their professor.
 Note the dates of major assignments.
 Note the instructor's policies regarding absences, tardiness
and participation.
 Refer back to the syllabus before every class meeting.
 Double check the syllabus before submitting any major
paper or project to make sure you have met the deadline,
style, length and other requirements. If any are unclear,
speak to the instructor early.
Successful students read and use
the syllabus.
STUDY SKILLS NEEDED TO BE A
SUCCESSFUL GCCA STUDENT
Sample Tuesday Schedule
• Create a calendar of
dates.
• Make a “To do” list
• Start the “Sunday
Meeting”
• Make sure to schedule
relaxation, exercise and
recreation time.
• Allow time to review
before class.
• DO NOT over commit.
• Avoid Procrastination
8am
Jog for daily exercise
10am Intro to computers
12pm Lunch
1pm Principles of Managerial
Accounting
3pm
Break Time
3:30pm Watch Simpsons (cartoon)
4pm Go to the Library to do
homework
6pm
Dinner
6:30pm Play volleyball
8pm
Allsop Lab for Intro to
computers homework
Time Management
• TCC WebAdvisor- https://my.tccd.edu/. Your students
will create a login in their MAPS class. This is how you
check TCC grades. Check weekly with your student.
• Skyward Family Access
Monitor Grades Weekly
Encourage your student to:
• Start preparing for tests on the first day of class.
• Set an appointment with the professor and ask the instructor to
specify the areas emphasized on the test.
• Form study groups with students in your class
• Avoid studying in noisy places.
• Avoid Procrastinating-study class and personal notes everyday
for about 15-20 minutes.
Test Taking Strategies
 Break up their study sessions into manageable 45 minute
segments.
 Arrive at least 5 minutes before the test will start.
 Read the directions carefully
 Answer the questions in a strategic order.
◦ Answer easy questions first to build confidence and score points.
◦ Answer difficult questions and those with the most point values.
◦ With essay questions, outline your answer and sequence the order
of your points.
Test Taking Strategies
continued
 Expect It-Students who expect stress handle it better.
 Name It-Helping them identify the cause can help them feel
less overwhelmed.
 Accept It-A certain amount of stress helps us stay motivated
and sometimes things work themselves out.
 Tackle It- Stress does not have to define our existence.
Stress Management
• Breathe: Take some deep breaths. Deep
breathing causes your nervous system to calm
down.
• Power of Positive Thinking: Before you start
your day silently repeat a positive self
statement
• Allow yourself time to enjoy life.
• See article- Help Your Student beat the Stress.
www.collegeparentcentral.com
Stress Management
continued
• www.collegeparentcentral.com
• SOAR Study Skills-by Susan Krueger,
• The Secrets of College Success by Lynn F.
Jacobs and Jeremy S. Hyman
• www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org
Resources