What do you think about language proficiency tests like the TOEFL or the GRE General test?
451635
You be the judge, I'm Mexican I have never taken English lessons (only in high school but only the usual stuff, my pencil is red, my house is green...) and I scored 610 points in TOEFL.\nI'm certain that TOEFL is an excellent tool to measure a person's capacity to speak English.
491929
TOEFL ( Test of English as a foreign language)
451240
Try these links for more help:\n\nhttp://www.time4education.com/gre_toefl.asp\n\nhttp://etsis4.ets.org/tcenter/cbtfrlst.cfm
506435
The best practice are those emulators that simulate the test. Books are good for general vocab review and math review, but they don't simulate the actual testing environment well.\n\nThe trick to the GRE is that your first few questions are critical. From there, your score is narrowed down with right answers getting you harder questions and wrong answers getting you easier questions, until a score is decided by the computer.
608211
You'll need to score well on the TOEFL.
1065735
besides the GRE,GMAT scores, you need to have a good academic background, overall achievements (like attending seminars,paper presentations,conference etc etc)they also scrutinize your essays,SOP (statement of purpose) and recommendations...\nthe SAT is basically for doing your UG (which you are already doing)..so its not necessary...since our first language is not english, you may have to write the TOEFL..check that out with the university website as to which exam they want you to appear,,sometimes they may ask you to take some other exms also...you can check the officilal sites for GRE,GMAT,TOEFL \nexams..\nwww.gre.org\nwww.mba.com(GMAT)\nwww.toefl.com\n\ni dont think there is any minimum requirement for you..(i believe you wud have crossed 18)its advisable to attempt any 1 exam..if you want to do higher education in technical, go for the GRE..if its management,do the GMAT..plan very well...the entire process requires lot of planning...\n\nwish you all the very best..
1073853
I'm in the same situation as you. I want to take my GRE in August, so I am going to start studying now. I bought Kaplan's prep book and it is starting to freak me out. I've always done really well in my classes, but I couldn't even answer half of the verbal test questions. I talked with some of my friends who took the test last year and they suggest making vocabulary flashcards or looking at different websites for help with the vocab. They said give yourself at least a month or two to help practice.
533241
TOEFL Score Interpretation\n\nD.W. McKeon, Director, ESL & GTA Training Programs \n\nExecutive Summary \nI. Introduction\nII. Overall Scores and Subscores \nIII. Other Factors Affecting TOEFL Scores \nIV. The Old GRE Verbal Section and the TOEFL \nV. The New GRE Analytical Writing Section and the TOEFL \n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nExecutive Summary\n\nThe Test of English as a Foreign Language, TOEFL, developed in the early 1960’s, has become the main instrument of measuring English language proficiency for international students around the world. A total score (range of 310-677) was determined based on the scores of three subsections: Listening, Structure, and Reading; (note: an optional essay was administered at every other international testing date, the Test of Written English, TWE, with a score range of 0 to 6). \n\nIn the late 1990’s, the TOEFL Board produced a computer-based test (CBT; range: 40 to 300. Other than the supposed ease of electronic test-taking, the CBT TOEFL made a few notable improvements on the paper-based test (PBT); to mention two: (1) it includes linear testing (from easy to difficult) and computer-adaptive testing (tailoring to the proficiency level of the individual test-taker); and (2) it includes a compulsory essay, whose score is factored into the Structure section and is reported in a separate Essay Section, equivalent to the former TWE. A Concordance Table was published in 1998, providing equivalences between the familiar PBT scores and the new CBT ones. Since the CBT is not administered at every site where the PBT was, the PBT continues to be used in various parts of the world. \n\nGraduate School admissions committees have generally used a 550 (=213 CBT) cutoff score, but often without consideration of the total profile of subscores. In light of their near magical aura to the aggregate TOEFL scores, below are some recommendations on the use of TOEFL (either form) for admissions committees:\n\nRegardless of the total score, subscores must be taken into consideration \nListening subscores should not be below 50/16, regardless of the total, aggregate score \nEssay Writing subscores should not be below 4.0 (same rating as TWE scores) \nSince neither PBT nor CBT TOEFL versions measure one’s speaking ability, admissions committees considering offering teaching assistants with teaching duties should not use TOEFL scores alone in such decisions (certainly Listening scores should be a factor) \nThe number of times (and length of intervals) a prospective student has taken the TOEFL should be considered as a factor (read, test-wiseness as an issue) \nDate of last administration and activity in using English since then should be factored in the decision to accept an applicant or not \nFinally, TOEFL scores have never meant to be predictors of academic success. \nReturn to top \nI. Introduction\n\nHaving been developed in the mid 1960’s, the TOEFL has become the major standard of measuring proficiency in English as a second language throughout the world . Because of its widespread use in determining admissions into colleges and universities, TOEFL scores have taken on a sort of magical aura to them. One rather unfortunate consequence is the emergence of innumerable TOEFL preparation courses—not to mention TOEFL preparation centers—throughout the world: the tail is indeed wagging the dog. Even more unfortunate is the temptation to view one’s TOEFL scores as an indicator of general intelligence or as a predictor of academic success, despite the TOEFL Board’s insistence to the contrary. \n\nAlthough the TOEFL Board introduced a computer-based version in 1997 to replace paper-based testing, the latter is still prevalent in many parts of the world. Thus, in general, TOEFL scores in the 310-677 range (paper-based test) are still more familiar than those in the 40-300 range (computer-based test).\n\nLike the paper-based test (PBT), the c
789830
The problem with this question is that no one has personal experience at learning a language in two different ways, so no one has the ability to compare two ways of learning a language in personal experience and see which one was more effective.  If we believe a certain thing helps language learning, we will think that thing helped us inasmuch as we believe that we are good language learners.  Imagine that I believe that standing on one leg is helpful for language learning, so I take a German class and make sure to stand on one leg while I take my class and do my assignments.  If I learn German later, I'll say, "See, I knew that standing on one leg helped."  But in reality, it was probably other things I was doing that helped.  Therefore, it's important not to just do what people say from personal experience, but to follow what research says on the topic.\n\nAnd, since you asked, I'm a linguist and I study second language acquisition, so here are some things that I think work, based on my knowledge of linguistics research:\n1. Get as much exposure to language that you understand as possible.  Read in the language, watch movies in the language, watch television programs, listen to the radio, etc.  Try to choose materials that you will understand.  For example, you can choose books or magazines on topics that you already know well, so your general knowledge of that topic will help you to understand the material in a new language.  Part of going to a language class is doing this too, because when your teacher talks to you in the language, he/she should do things that help you understand more of what he/she is saying, such as use pictures and gestures, repeat, and slow down.  The more you understand, the more your mind has to work with when it's trying to figure out how to speak that language.  Therefore, songs, games, listening to other people, and many other activities are all helpful, because they help you get exposure to meaningful material in the new language.  By the way, a site that has radio stations from all over the world is www.mikesradioworld.com.\n\nWhatever you do, don't do a lot of work that involves your native language.  It's okay to explain grammar in a person's native language once in a while, but don't watch a movie with English subtitles, for example.  If your brain has subtitles to read, it won't have to pay attention at all to the language that you are trying to learn, and you won't get that much out of it.  Likewise, exercises where you translate to and from your native language aren't always that helpful.  Also, don't try to practice something before you've been exposed to it.  This would be like trying to do long division before you know how to do subtraction -- the material just isn't in your brain.  The good news is that, if you've been exposing yourself to authentic materials in the target language, you'll be exposed to a lot of things.\n\n2. I think that most researchers and language teachers nowadays believe that some type of practice is important.  So, find a willing conversation partner.  This could be a classmate (a non-native speaker) or a native speaker.  Research has shown that non-native speakers don't learn "mistakes" from each other, only good things.  So speak away!  (And don't forget to write, if you want to learn how to do that, too.)\n\n3. Have realistic goals for what proficiency level you want to get, what kinds of things you want to learn, and how long it will take.  Language learning is sometimes hard work, and it can involve discipline to expose yourself to the target language if you aren't in an environment where it is used all the time.  Likewise, it's not realistic to expect yourself to be fluent in a new language if you only study it once a week for about a year.  Finally, consider exactly what you want to do with the language, and focus on learning that.  I don't really need
1847
If you register for the GRE you are offered free testing materials from ETS.  These include a number of practice problems, two sample tests and some additional suggestions all on a CD-ROM.\n\nA free flash card service like www.flashcardexchange.com also has innumerable sets of vocabulary word flash cards.
1014425
Try TOEFL on-line test at http://www.toefl.ru/m_test.shtml\nor\nhttp://www.esl.com
738173
While you can get information on-line about the GRE, you're not going to be able to take it on-line.  Educational Testing Service (ETS) requires that these things be proctored, meaning you take the exam at a specific time with one or more people watching over the proceedings to make sure that nobody cheats.  You might find some proxy services that will administer the test in foreign countires, but it's something that you're going to have to sit for.\n\nGood luck with it!\nmz
188174
If you're an Indian, I would suggest IELTS (British Council India).\n\nhttp://www.britishcouncil.org/india-exams-ielts.htm
375141
I teach English in Japan.  Here's a good one:\n\nhttp://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/default.php\n\nAnd my students love this one:\n\nhttp://www.englishpage.com/
426984
There is the TOEFL online but not all schools accept it.\nIf you want to practice there are books (i think in Barnesand nobles) where there is the practice book (different levels) with audio tapes or cd´s.\n\n   Remember, the TOEFL lasts one year and be sure to get your recipie !
122224
get very very good GRE and TOEFL scores.
573576
First of all it is TOEFL which means Test of English as a Foreign Language. Now would like to know where you are basically from and why do you want to take TOEFL? \n\nIf you intend to study in US or Canada then it is the right decision. You should study before taking the test, here in North America the paper based test is gone and now you can only appear for TOEFL iBT. Detailed Information about TOEFL can be obtained from. www.ets.org.