Freshmen Advising Information

Roadrunner Roundup (Orientation)

During the summer, Roadrunner Roundup at the 1604 Campus is an experience designed to help students learn about UTSA and enroll in fall classes.

At Roadrunner Roundup, you will have time to...

• meet faculty, staff, administration, and other new students
• become familiar with the campus, academic buildings, services, and resources
• meet in a small group with orientation leaders and learn about student life at UTSA
• take a campus tour
• meet with an academic advisor and select your classes
• register and complete on-campus business, such as financial aid, student ID

Students who have applied and been accepted to the Honors College also will attend a special Honors College orientation session and have a one-on-one advising session with an Honors College advisor to register for fall courses.

It is to your advantage to attend Roadrunner Roundup as early in the summer as possible. For instructions on when and how to register for Roadrunner Roundup, click here.

Placement Exams

Placement exams for math and chemistry are often required, depending on your major and the level of the course that you need to complete. Placement exams are offered through the Testing Services Center at UTSA throughout the year. A schedule of test dates can be found on the Testing website. The Testing Services website also explains how to register for placement exams and provides a checklist to help you determine whether you need to take those tests. If at all possible, you should complete your placement testing prior to Orientation!

National Test	Score
THEA Math	≥ 270
Accuplacer Math	≥ 85
Combined SAT (Crit. Reading & Math)	≥ 1070
SAT Math	≥ 500
Composite ACT	≥ 23
Combined Math & English Sections	≥ 19

Math Placement - Algebra

If you do not meet the score criteria listed in the box to the right, you will need to take the Algebra Math placement Exam and pass in order to take core-level math -- e.g., MAT 1023, College Algebra, MAT 1043, Introduction to Mathematics, or STA 1043, Introduction to Statistical Reasoning. Most Honors students do not need to take the basic math placement exam unless their SAT or ACT Math score is significantly lower than their Verbal score.

Math Placement - Pre-Calculus/Calculus

If you want to enroll in Pre-calculus (MAT 1093) or Calculus I (MAT 1214) in your first term, you must take the Pre-Calculus/Calculus Placement Exam and earn a high enough placement score to enter the desired course. If you plan to major in engineering, architecture, biology, computer science, chemistry, environmental science, or physics, or if you are pre-med you must take this test before Orientation!

Chemistry Placement

If your degree plan includes "General Chemistry" (CHE 1103) in the first semester -- which it will if you are majoring in engineering, chemistry, or biology -- you must take and pass the Chemistry Placement exam (and place into MAT 1093 or higher) to enroll in CHE 1103. If you plan to major in engineering, biology, or chemistry or if you are pre-med, you must take this test before Orientation! This test may be taken only once every two years, so come prepared! If you do not achieve the passing score of 31 correct out of 60 questions, you will be placed in CHE 1073, Basic Chemistry. You must earn a minimum score of 42 to place into Honors Chemistry: CHE 1143, Principles of Chemistry.

Placing out of Core Curriculum Requirements

• CLEP (College Level Examination Program) tests may be taken to earn credit for many required core curriculum courses. For details on which core curriculum requirements you may test out of and for a list of testing times and locations you can visit the Testing Services website.
• To ensure that you earn credit at UTSA for your Dual Credit course work from high school, you must have your high school send the community college a transcript, then have the community college send a transcript to UTSA's Office of Admissions.
  (A community college will not send a final transcript to UTSA unless it first receives a transcript from your high school. Please bring an unofficial copy of your community college dual credit transcript with you to Orientation.)
• If you attend "Roadrunner Roundup" in June or very early July, your AP scores will not yet be available. We will work with you to determine how to take your AP testing into consideration while planning your schedule.

Prerequisite Checking

A prerequisite is a course that must be taken before another course (e.g., "College Algebra" before "Pre-Calculus"). UTSA has an automated system of prerequisite-checking, which means that ASAP will not let you register for courses for which you have not taken the required prerequisite(s).

If you have received credit for any courses or tests taken in high school (e.g.: AP or Dual Credit), your credit will not be processed by the time you come to “Roadrunner Roundup.” Thus, you must bring an unofficial copy of your Community College transcript with you to Orientation. Doing so will allow us to help plan a schedule that keeps you moving forward in your degree.