Aiming for the stars? Want to fly off to the fascinating world
of Uncle Sam, the land of opportunities and top notch colleges?
Clearing the TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language
exam is the first step to gaining an entry into colleges in
the US of A. And if you are aiming at premier institutions,
you ought to have a very high score! Here's how to go about
giving a TOEFL exam.
For academic admission to US institutions non-native speakers
of English have to take TOEFL. This applies not only to students
from those countries where English is not the first language,
but even those whose educational system is based in English.
To do an academic course in the US you need to be adept at oral
communication in English, be prepared for extensive note making,
undertake assignments and research. A newcomer stumbles time
and again over American accents and cryptic jargons. So it is
imperative to have mastery over American English. TOEFL determines
your level of English language skills.
All the tests administered by the officials in the US Educational
Foundation in India are standardized multiple choice tests that
require a high degree of English proficiency. While some of
them require mathematical skills, some also demand in-depth
knowledge of content related to the applied field of study.
A Barron's or Fiskes guide is the best guide to American colleges.
These have a list of about 1600 American universities. These
books also give ranges of the score level required by the applicants
to be successful.
Though there are no stipulated grades to pass these exams, the
score a student gets will certainly have a bearing on the overall
competitiveness of one's application. Most institutes require
a score of 500 to 550 on this exam for academic admission. Scores
of 600 or above may also be the criterion in fields such as
journalism or literature which demand an above average ability
in the language.
To
prepare for TOEFL students can join English language programmes
in bi-national centres, cultural institutes, universities or
private companies. Self-study programmes involving tapes and
written material are also available. Audio CDs and CD-ROMs on
TOEFL and TOEFL preparation kits can also be of great help.
Cost of preparation will be definitely on the higher side, but
to reach high one has to spend money!
Students who have completed their twelfth standard need to write both TOEFLand SAT(Standardized Aptitude Test).
Those who want to pursue their Masters in Engineering or
Business Management have to write their GRE (Graduate
Record Examination) and GMAT (Graduate Management
Aptitude Test) to get an entry into American Universities.
A minumum of 50 percent and above is the requirement to send
an application for any of the above said exams and a minimum
score of 17,000\18,000 is needed to qualify.
It will take at least 3 months for the university you have
applied for to get back to you. If you are selected, you will
be sent a document called I 20. Then you will have to meet
the Consulate in Chennai. After a brief interview you need
to prepare for getting a visa. In order to be eligible for
a visa you have to show a minimum bank balance of 10-11 lakh
rupees (self-finance or scholarship).
For more information about SAT write to
Educational Testing Service, ATP Publications Orders CN 6200,
Princeton, NJ 08541-6200, USA.
To
prepare for TOEFL students can join English language programmes
in bi-national centres, cultural institutes, universities or
private companies. Self-study programmes involving tapes and
written material are also available. Audio CDs and CD-ROMs on
TOEFL and TOEFL preparation kits can also be of great help.
Cost of preparation will be definitely on the higher side, but
to reach high one has to spend money! 
