TOEFL and you.

TOEFL, the test of English as a foreign language, is required for entrance to 2400 American Colleges and Universitys.  Additionally, many government agencies, scholarship programs and licensing certification agencies use this score to evaluate the English speaking abilities of non-native English speakers. A test this pervasive requires careful, thoughtful preparation for International Students to complete with success. With the TOEFL looming so significantly in your academic future - entering ' TOEFL' into the search engine of your choice will return thousands of sites-  becoming aware of  a few basic facts is helpful. Here they are.

The TOEFL is administered in two separate forms.  One is paper, The TOEFL PBT. The other is through the Internet, the TOEFL iBT.  You must take the the TOEFL at an authorized testing center. The cost of the TOEFL ranges from US $160.00 to US $225.00 depending on where you take the test.

The TOEFL is divided into four sections. Those sections are Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening.
Each section is evaluated and scored by both a computer program and a human.  For each section there are time allowances, usually between 60 and 100 Minutes.  Each section is scored separately and the separate section scores are then totaled to arrive at the students cumulative score or total score. There is no passing score for the TOEFL.  The significance of your TOEFL score depends on the score required for admission to the school or schools of your choice.

Due to the significance of the TOEFL for so many students Planet College reminds you that the basics of preparing and completing an examination apply to the TOEFL as well as any other test.

For useful hints to achieving your desired score use this link, a previous Planet College post.