WHICH TESTS ARE COMPUTER-ADAPTIVE?
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), GRE general (Graduate Record Examinations), and GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) were switched to computer-adaptive tests. SAT I: Reasoning Test (Scholastic Aptitude Test), SAT II: Subject Tests and GRE Subject Test are remained paper-and-pencil.
WHAT IS COMPUTER-ADAPTIVE TEST?
In a computer-adaptive test, the computer screen displays one question at a time, which is chosen from a very large pool of questions categorized by content and difficulty. The first question is always of medium difficulty. The selection of each question thereafter is determined by your responses to all previous questions. In other words, the CAT adjusts to your ability level - you’ll get few questions that are either too easy or too difficult for you. The CAT requires you to enter an answer for each question, and you may not return to or change your response to any previously answered question. If you guess a correct answer or answered a question incorrectly by a mistake, your answers to subsequent questions will lead you back to questions that are at the appropriate level of difficulty for you.
WHAT COMPUTER SKILLS DO I NEED?
You can take the test even if you have no previous computer experience. You are required to complete tutorial section on the computer before the test begins. These sections teach the computer skills you will need for taking the test.
WHEN WILL THE SCORES BE SENT TO THE UNIVERSITIES?
The scores of the computer-adaptive ETS tests are sent to the universities approximately 14 days after the test day. The scores of the paper-and-pencil ETS tests are sent to the universities approximately 3-4 weeks after the test day.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE A COPY OF MY SCORE RESULTS?
You will receive TOEFL results approximately 14 days after the test date. If you have not received your scores 20-25 days after the test date, contact ETS directly to find out what happened. They will send your scores again if necessary.
HOW CAN I SEND ADDITIONAL SCORES?
In the bulletin are forms to request that additional scores be sent. With this additional score service, you can order either more score reports than the allotted number for your test or have scores sent on a later date. This is done for hard currency only.
FOR HOW LONG ARE THE SCORES VALID?
Two years for TOEFL and five years for GRE, GMAT and SAT.
DO UNIVERSITIES AND ETS KEEP RECORDS OF SCORES?
If you take an exam for a second time, ETS will send your first score as well as your second score to the universities.
CAN I TAKE A TEST MORE THAN ONCE?
You can take computer-based tests once a month; however, ETS says their students show that scores change very little. If you test more than once in a calendar month, you new cores will not be reported and your test fee will not be refunded.
CAN I SEND MY SCORES TO CANADA, UNITED KINGDOM AND AUSTRALIA?
There exists another English exam called IELTS. Contact the British Council or British Embassy for details. In general, if a university requests TOEFL scores and does not have a code listed in the bulletin, contact the university to find out their code.
CAN I SEND THE SCORES MYSELF?
American universities insist on official scores. This means that scores must come from ETS. This is why it is important to know to which universities you want to send your scores before you take the test. If you need to send scores to more institutions than allowed at the test administration, you must complete a ADDITIONAL SCORE REPORT REQUEST FORM for the test you need more scores for (located in the bulletin of that test), and include payment for each additional score report form.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH TESTS I NEED TO TAKE ?
In the library you can find this information. Each university has its own requirements. You can look in the general reference books, in the individual college catalogs, and in the application materials you receive from the universities.
WHEN DO I NEED TO TAKE THE TESTS?
Ideally, the latest you would want to take the test is December, if you want to enroll the following September. The scores take approximately six weeks to get to the universities. You do not want to take the tests too early. The GRE exam is very difficult even for native speakers. One should be prepared for the tests; that is, to be familiar with the format and have tried some practice tests.
HOW HIGH DO I HAVE TO SCORE ON THE TESTS TO GET ADMITTED?
There is no universal requirement for test scores. Each college or university sets its own requirements, which may depend on the level of study (undergraduate or graduate), major(you will certainly need a very high TOEFL score if you want to major in English or high math scores if you apply for, say, statistics) and of the amount of financial support needed (if you want to receive full financial support from college or university your test scores must be lofty).
If you have still got questions concerning ETS tests - mail them to truepoint@angelfire.com and we will answer them on this page.
