PBW – Patrick’s Blog World

Hi folks !!

Today is a good day to celebrate. I have finally received my TOEFL scores and luckily they are above the 100 which are required for my master.

Even if I have screwed up the writing part I’m happy to meet the requirements.

Thanks to all people who have helped me.  Have a look at the TOEFL section in my blog to learn how I prepared for my success…..click here

The IBT is an English proficiency test which measures your ability to understand English as it is common at universities in the USA. It is a requirement for any application if your are a non-native speaker of English. The universities require a certain score dependent on whether you are applying for undergraduate studies or postgraduate studies. Undergraduate level is usually between 65-85 point and postgraduate between 90-110 points. The “better” the school is the higher the score they require.

The test itself is divided into 4 parts: reading, listening, speaking, writing. You have about 4 hours to complete the test which is carried out by ETS (http://www.ets.org) at local centers around the globe. Before you can complete the test you have to register for it. The costs are 185$ and can be paid by credit card. It is recommendable to register early enough since the tests are booked solidly. Additionally, it takes about 2-3 weeks to receive your scores. So, just be prepared to no risk your application deadline .

Reading section

Don’t take that much notes. You have to read the sections anyway once again if they ask some detail questions. Try to figure out what is the main topic of the passage. You will be asked everytime what is the main topic in the passage. Focus also on questions where you have to fill in some lists like a summary. The last 2 questions are worth more than 1 point! How can you prepare for that section?

–> Read read and read…newspapers, books and internet sites. Especially recommendable are sites like National geographic or BBC. They contain “academic” language which is tested in the TOEFL. During your preparation disarticulate a lot of texts and make some flash cards. They are very valuable and can be used later on as well. Make sure that you don’t jot down only words but sample sentences as well. Otherways you will not be able to use the words in an appropriate context.

Try to read faster…there are a lot of sources on the Internet about text skimming etc. Make sure that you are reading at a speed of >110 words per minute. This ensures that your are through the text in less than 10 minutes. So you have more time for answering the questions. Time yourself when you are preparing. Don’t allow you to take more than 10 minutes to read the passage.

Listening section

Take good notes. The better your note taking abilities are the better you will answer the questions. Do not think about missed details while listening otherways you will miss more information.  How can you prepare for that section?

–> Listen to as much academic content as possible. Youtube is a really good source but there are a lot of other helpful tools out there. I used the CD’s of my Barrons book “How to prepare for the TOEFL IBT” as well. It is also helpful watching movies with English subtitle. Check your DVD’s, most of them have English subtitles.

Try to listen for the main reason. Everytime when you hear some key points like: First, Let us talk about etc…you should be ready to adapt this to your notes. If it is a conversation between two people then make 2 sections where you fill in what has been said by whom. It helps to keep your notes organized.

Speaking section

Speak as much as you can to natives. Use channels like chat, face-to-face etc. Additionally, read as much as you can. You will see how this improves your English all over. How can you prepare for that section?

–> I have used a fantastic source on the Internet: Jason Renshaws IBT tipps and tricks combined with Voxopop where you can record your answers to hear how they are perceived. Jason also rates your answers for a small amount of money. You will quickly figure out how much additional effort you need once you have listened to the answers of your peers. I really have to thank Jason very much for his remarkable work. It is one of the best available sources I have known on the Internet.

Go through all the sample topics and record your answers. Make a kind of “frame” for your answers. This gives you the safety you’ll need on the test day.  If you follow all tipps from Jason you’ll be able to obtain 25 points at least.

Writing section

For the reading part you have to follow a certain kind of format. Introduction with your statement, Body with the explanations and examples, Conclusion with all mentioned points. How can you prepare for that section?

–> I have to repeat what I said in the speaking section. Go to Jasons site to find out more about how your essay has to be developed. All his tipps are very true and extremely helpful.

Writing is one of the “easier” parts as long as you practice writing. Write as much essays as possible to reinforce the knowledge how to structure your essay. You will be able to reach a good score, even if you miss some details, if your essay is well formatted.

On the test day

So, you are perfectly prepared and ready to score above the hundreds….pay attention to the test day.  Make sure that you get a good portion of sleep the night before.  Sounds silly but the breakfast is also important since your are not allowed to eat during the test. If your stomach is rumbling all the time you will maybe loose some concentration. 4 hours can be long.

You should arrive a bit before time. Dependent on the quantity of test takers it could take more time until you’ll get a seat (they have to identify you first). My test was scheduled at 12.00 but I started at 12.30 am. Take into account that there will be a delay.

Try to relax once the test has started. Focus on the text passages and the earphones. At my center there was a lot of background noise (computer fans, air condition, train station behind the building). Even the neighbours at my desk were disturbing. So it is very crucial to not loose your concentration. Don’t get angry about the setting, just take it as it is….it’s the same for all of them. Maybe you should consider that during your preparation. Turn on some background music or open up the windows to get accustomed to background noise. It’ll help you for sure.

Use the explanation texts as time to relax. Before every section they introduce you to the section content and what is required. If you are prepared you have already heard these explanations on your materials, so you don’t need to listen to them. Breath and lay back. Adjust your concentration again.

So, thats pretty much all of it. As Obama would say: Yes we can……Yes you can. Prepare, focus, do it.

You’ll get your score within 2-3 Weeks (I got mine in 2 weeks).

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to come back to me. I’ll help wherever I can.

Good luck….

P.