For many international students, graduating from an American or British university is a cherished dream. However, one major road bump on the way to achieving that dream is taking one of two major standardized tests for non-native speakers of English - either the TOEFL or IELTS.
Now, many of you might be wondering which test (and thus which prep course) is right for you. While both TOEFL and IELTS exams are accepted around the world, there are some key differences. The TOEFL test is exclusively academic, whereas IELTS offers both an academic and general test. As a result, those not planning to study at the university level may be interested in the IELTS exam. It should also be noted that even the academic IELTS test has a more “real world” feel than the TOEFL and that the IELTS speaking portion will take the form of a 1 on 1 in person conversation. This difference also translates to the grading systems. TOEFL uses a scaled score of 0-120, but IELTS section and total scores are calculated on a “9-band scale”, the 9th band classified as “expert user”. Lastly, the TOEFL is an American test designed by a US company (ETS) while the IELTS exam uses British English.
The new year is just around the corner, and with it ISAL is proud to announce our new Test Preparation Program! We will be offering both TOEFL and IELTS courses starting early 2019. Each course will focus on preparing you for the 4 key exam sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Additionally, each week you’ll work on mastering specific question types and applying that knowledge to practice test given on Fridays. The courses can be completed in 4 weeks, but can be taken again if necessary because every new session will have different materials! Each course follows a 20-hour intensive schedule.
Regardless of which exam you ultimately take, here are two pieces of advice:
1. No score is permanent--you can always take it again!
2. Every institution has its own minimum score standards--your progress should be measured based on the schools you’re applying to.
Good luck and happy prepping.
For more information: ISAL International School of Advanced Learning
