continued

Classification of Students

Undergraduate students are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors based on the number of semester credit hours accumulated and accepted by the University, whether or not the hours are applicable toward a degree. Semester hours used to determine classification include coursework completed in residence, transferred credit, and credit by examination, extension, and correspondence. A student is a freshman until thirty hours have been accepted, then a sophomore until sixty hours have been accepted, a junior until ninety hours have been accepted, then a senior until graduation. Freshmen and sophomores are referred to as lower-division students, juniors and seniors as upper-division students.

Texas Academic Skills Program

The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) is a state-legislated program designed to improve student success in college. [1] The two components of the program are: (1) the TASP Test, to assess basic skills in reading, mathematics, and writing, and (2) developmental instruction, to strengthen those academic skills needing improvement.

Effective the fall semester 1998, all students entering Texas public colleges and universities are required to take the TASP Test or show proof of exemption prior to enrollment. Transfer students must submit official documentation to the TASP Office showing compliance with TASP regulations before registering at the University. Temporary students pursuing degrees from private or out-of-state institutions are not required to take the TASP Test, including transient students, reciprocal exchange students, students fifty-five years of age or older, and non-degree-seeking students who are not U S citizens.

Nonexempt students who score less than 230 on the reading or mathematics subtests, or less than 220 on the writing subtest (including omitted subtests and canceled scores) are required to enroll in developmental studies each semester until their skills reach the state standard in all three areas. Students who have below passing scores may not enroll in upper-division courses if such enrollment would give them a total of sixty or more semester hours of credit, including transfer credit.

Students who qualify for exemption from TASP requirements must provide documentation of any one of the following criteria to claim exemption:

1. The student earned an exempting score on the ACT, SAT, or TAAS in a single administration. Exemption standards are:
   1. SAT I (taken in April 1995 or later): Total score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on both the verbal and the mathematics tests.

   2. SAT I (taken prior to April 1995): Total score of 970 with a minimum of 420 on the verbal test and 470 on the mathematics test.

   3. ACT: Composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on both the English and mathematics tests.

   4. TAAS: Scaled score of at least 1770 on the writing test and a Texas Learning Index (TLI) of 86 on the mathematics test and 89 on the reading test.

2. The student earned three semester hours of college-level credit, including credit by examination, prior to Septmember 1989.

3. The student has a bachelor's degree or the equivalent of a U S bachelor's degree.

4. The student is a blind or deaf person who earned three semester hours of college-level credit, including credit by examination, prior to September 1995.

An exemption may not be based on SAT or ACT scores earned more than five years ago or TAAS scores earned more than three years ago. Exempting scores must be obtained in a single test administration.

Students seeking Texas teacher certification are required to pass all three TASP subtests unless exempt on the basis of SAT, ACT, or TAAS scores. Nonexempt blind students are required to take the TASP Test with appropriate accommodations; nonexempt deaf students are required to take the Stanford Achievement Test.

TASP Test Schedule

The TASP Test is offered six times a year at test centers throught out Texas, including the University of Texas at Austin. Alternative tests prescribed by The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may also be made available on campus prior to registration. A computer-administered TASP Test (CAT) is typically offered several times a week at some test centers in Texas for a fee of $85.

Test Date	Postmark Deadline for Regular Registration[2]	Late Registration Period[3]
November 14, 1998	October 16, 1998	October 19-November 4, 1998
January 9, 1999	December 11, 1998	December 14-18, 1998
March 6, 1999	February 5, 1999	February 8-24, 1999
May 8, 1999	April 9, 1999	April 12-28, 1999
June 19, 1999	May 21, 1999	May 24-June 9, 1999
July 24, 1999	June 25, 1999	June 28-July 14, 1999

To register for the TASP Test, an official registration form must be mailed to National Evaluation Systems (NES) with a check or money order. The TASP Test Registration Bulletin is available from most Texas public high schools and colleges. Late and emergency registration must be initiated by calling NES at (512) 927-5398. Information about the computer-assisted test is available at (512) 927-5101. For information about accommodations for students with disabilities, consult the TASP Test Registration Bulletin or contact the UT Austin TASP Office. Registration materials may be obtained on campus from the TASP Office, Flawn Academic Center, Room 33; the Measurement and Evaluation Center, 2616 Wichita Street; the General Information and Referral Service, Main Building, ground floor; and the Office of the Dean, College of Education, George I. Sanchez Building 216. Information is available at http://www.utexas.edu/academic/tasp, and inquires may be directed to the UT Austin TASP Office P O Box 7636, Austin, Texas 78713-7636, (512) 471-8277, fax (512) 471-4990, or tasp@www.utexas.edu by email.

Contents  |  Next File  |  Previous File

General Information catalog

Contents  |  Chapter 1  |  Chapter 2  |  Chapter 3
Chapter 4  |  Chapter 5  |  Chapter 6  |  Chapter 7
Appendixes  |  Statistical Summaries

Related information

Catalogs  |  Course Schedules  |  Academic Calendars
Office of Admissions