You studied for the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) exam, but unfortunately the results weren’t what you expected. No need to worry. Now, you can fast track your college career with corequisite courses which pair developmental education courses with English and mathematics courses. You can receive the help you need to pass the TSI and simultaneously receive college credit. From the outside looking in this may seem like a lot to take on, but student Ella Luckey believes that anyone can do it.
Born in the Philippines, Luckey came to the U.S. her freshman year of high school. Like many students, she initially found easing into college classes a little challenging. Luckey, who is now pursuing a business degree at Texas Tech University, wants students to understand the value of the new corequisite courses.
“The classes save you time and allow you to advance into more challenging courses while allowing you to understand the subjects in depth,” Luckey said.
According to Dr. Tina Jackson, Collin College district director of Developmental Education, all students have the ability to be successful.
“It’s just a matter of putting them in the right environment and providing the right resources,” Jackson said. “However, not all students learn the same way, which is why the corequisite courses offer various instructional formats (computer-based, lecture and online). Students may also choose express and Weekend College self-paced classes which allow them to complete a certificate, A.A. or A.S. degree. Collin College also offers courses in languages such as Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Farsi and Vietnamese, allowing both native English speakers and international students to choose the format that works best for them.”
The corequisite courses offer far more than just the tools to pass your TSI. According to Luckey, taking the opportunity to enroll in these new courses can instill “confidence in students,” giving them the affirmation that they are “ready to take on college courses and pursue the next step in getting their education.”
The college also offers AIM (Accelerated Integrated Math) centers to assist developmental education students. According to Jackson, currently all AIM centers across the district offer supplemental instruction and one-on-one tutoring.
Are you a developmental education student who needs help passing the TSI? Dr. Jackson advises that all developmental education students should speak to an advisor as soon as possible. Advisors will be able to discuss the best corequisite courses for your degree plan.
For more information on AIM and Collin’s Fast Track corequisite courses visit, http://www.collin.edu/academics/programs/DevEd.html.
Article by Kona Momoh, student reporter