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Taking the TOEFL, for studying in the US
Planning to study abroad? If you want to study in the United States, you have to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL is taken by around 900,000 people each year from all over the world. The TOEFL is an English language proficiency test.
If your native language is not English but if you have studied in an English-speaking country for about three years, then US colleges will probably ignore the TOEFL requirement. Nevertheless, before assuming that you don’t have to take the test, you must check it first with each institution.
Information: Firstly, get hold of the TOEFL information bulletin. Through this free booklet, you can get information on how to register for the TOEFL, fees and payment methods, registration forms, a list of test centres, what happens on the test day, scoring information and some sample questions. So, you need to do a thorough review of the bulletin in order to follow the registration procedures correctly and to have a clear understanding of the test. The bulletin is available on the TOEFL website at www.ets.org by mail from the test administrators or from their local representatives or from US educational information centres all over the world.
Test Format: In most countries, the TOEFL is offered as a computer-based test. This means that the test is taken by a number of people in the same time at secure testing centres in cities around the world. The TOEFL is a computer adaptive test, which means that the software will adapt the questions offered to the ability of the test taker, if you’re doing well, you’ll get harder questions, but if you’re not doing so well, it will feed you easier questions. You’ll get more points for answering the harder questions correctly.
The duration of the test will be of four hours. The computer-based test has an introductory tutorial session and four compulsory sections, which assess: Listening (30-50 questions), Structure (20-25 questions), Reading (44-60 questions) and Writing skills (you will be required to write an essay)
Still in some countries, the TOEFL is offered as a paper-based test only, and occasionally as a paper-based test. If you need more info, check the TOEFL Website and the TOEFL bulletin.
Registration: Registration can be done through mail, fax or telephone and currently the test costs 110 US dollars. In order to register by fax or by telephone, you need a credit card: Payments can be done in several methods, it’s given in the TOEFL bulletin. The fee includes sending official score results to you and four educational institutions of your choice.
Preparation: Firstly, you should make yourself acquainted with the test format, and practice some questions. The amount of practice you need will depend on your English language ability, the time you have available before you take the test, and how familiar you feel with the test format. The TOEFL information bulletin provides some sample questions, but there are also various TOEFL preparation materials available.
In addition, test training courses or private tuitions are offered by a number of organizations for a fee. US educational information centres can usually give you info about the list of test trainers and many trainers also put up advertisements on educational publications.
Test Scores: In computer-based TOEFL you will get three scores, each from 0 to 30, for the listening, structure/writing and readable sections of the test. An essay score from 0 to 6 is integrated in the structure/writing score. You will also receive a total score for the TOEFL from 40 to 300 which is equivalent to a range of 310 to 677 on the paper-based test. Around two weeks after you take the test, your official scores will be mailed to you and any educational institutions you have designated. For those candidates who can’t wait for the scores to arrive by post, scores are also available by telephone the day they are mailed, on payment of an extra fee.
What score do you need for entry into a US degree program?
Each college sets its own minimum score, it is usually somewhere between 133 and 250. For specific requirements, check each college catalogue or the university website. English language test scores are just one part of the admission process for colleges, but it is an important part. You should plan ahead, read the registration information thoroughly and give yourself time to prepare well for the test.
If your native language is not English but if you have studied in an English-speaking country for about three years, then US colleges will probably ignore the TOEFL requirement. Nevertheless, before assuming that you don’t have to take the test, you must check it first with each institution.
Information: Firstly, get hold of the TOEFL information bulletin. Through this free booklet, you can get information on how to register for the TOEFL, fees and payment methods, registration forms, a list of test centres, what happens on the test day, scoring information and some sample questions. So, you need to do a thorough review of the bulletin in order to follow the registration procedures correctly and to have a clear understanding of the test. The bulletin is available on the TOEFL website at www.ets.org by mail from the test administrators or from their local representatives or from US educational information centres all over the world.
Test Format: In most countries, the TOEFL is offered as a computer-based test. This means that the test is taken by a number of people in the same time at secure testing centres in cities around the world. The TOEFL is a computer adaptive test, which means that the software will adapt the questions offered to the ability of the test taker, if you’re doing well, you’ll get harder questions, but if you’re not doing so well, it will feed you easier questions. You’ll get more points for answering the harder questions correctly.
The duration of the test will be of four hours. The computer-based test has an introductory tutorial session and four compulsory sections, which assess: Listening (30-50 questions), Structure (20-25 questions), Reading (44-60 questions) and Writing skills (you will be required to write an essay)
Still in some countries, the TOEFL is offered as a paper-based test only, and occasionally as a paper-based test. If you need more info, check the TOEFL Website and the TOEFL bulletin.
Registration: Registration can be done through mail, fax or telephone and currently the test costs 110 US dollars. In order to register by fax or by telephone, you need a credit card: Payments can be done in several methods, it’s given in the TOEFL bulletin. The fee includes sending official score results to you and four educational institutions of your choice.
Preparation: Firstly, you should make yourself acquainted with the test format, and practice some questions. The amount of practice you need will depend on your English language ability, the time you have available before you take the test, and how familiar you feel with the test format. The TOEFL information bulletin provides some sample questions, but there are also various TOEFL preparation materials available.
In addition, test training courses or private tuitions are offered by a number of organizations for a fee. US educational information centres can usually give you info about the list of test trainers and many trainers also put up advertisements on educational publications.
Test Scores: In computer-based TOEFL you will get three scores, each from 0 to 30, for the listening, structure/writing and readable sections of the test. An essay score from 0 to 6 is integrated in the structure/writing score. You will also receive a total score for the TOEFL from 40 to 300 which is equivalent to a range of 310 to 677 on the paper-based test. Around two weeks after you take the test, your official scores will be mailed to you and any educational institutions you have designated. For those candidates who can’t wait for the scores to arrive by post, scores are also available by telephone the day they are mailed, on payment of an extra fee.
What score do you need for entry into a US degree program?
Each college sets its own minimum score, it is usually somewhere between 133 and 250. For specific requirements, check each college catalogue or the university website. English language test scores are just one part of the admission process for colleges, but it is an important part. You should plan ahead, read the registration information thoroughly and give yourself time to prepare well for the test.
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