Student Success Center

Academic Advising Services

Academic advising is the process of providing and exchanging information between an advisor, who represents the institution, and a student, who attends the institution. This system is designed to help students reach their educational and career goals in the most effective and expeditious way if and when advisor and student share equal responsibility in the process. At the College, all students are required to meet with an academic or faculty advisor at least once a semester prior to the registration of their courses. Advisors provide students with guidance in assessment score interpretation, course placement, course recommendations, degree evaluations, review of institutional policies, and review of the transfer process. Specifically, students who have not met requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) and/or who are pursuing an Associate of Arts or Science (AA/AS) degree must meet with an academic advisor at the Student Success Center to seek guidance. Students who are pursuing a workforce program, such as a certificate or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, must meet with a faculty advisor at the department of their declared college major for assistance.

The Student Success Center offers academic advising in two forms, in person and online. Students who prefer to seek advising services in person are welcome to visit the Student Success Center at either college campus. Appointments are never required, and walk-ins are welcomed and encouraged on a daily basis. Students who are unable or prefer not to visit with an academic advisor may opt to seek online advising, which is facilitated via email and virtual chat room.

Career Exploration Services

Career exploration is the process of examining and learning about oneself, identifying careers and/or occupations that best fit the individual, and developing an effective plan of action to accomplish career and/or occupational goals. At the Student Success Center, career exploration is a student-centered process that primarily requires the time and effort of the student since it is the individual student who must conduct the research needed to find very personal answers about the future. The academic advisor guides, mentors, and directs the student to the appropriate resources that will provide information student seeks. Career exploration services are typically facilitated through the use of computer-based interest, skills, and career exploration inventories and a variety of internet-based resource libraries. All findings the student is able to collect are reviewed and discussed by both student and advisor so that together they can begin developing a realistic and attainable academic and career plan.

Guidance Counseling Services

Guidance counseling is the process of helping students adjust from a secondary to a post-secondary or higher education environment while fostering and promoting the intellectual, emotional, social, and cultural development and well-being of individual students. By employing a variety of campus services, community services, and online resources, counselors can coordinate referrals to appropriate sources that will provide individual students with the support and guidance needed to ensure a healthy and enriching college experience.

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.

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.