by Mia Della Pietra
Congratulations! You have decided to take the TOEFL. More importantly, you have decided to study for it! The TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) can be quite intimidating. The test preparation books are huge, and the test score is incredibly important for your academic career. But don’t worry! Here are some tips to get you through studying for the TOEFL with as little stress as possible!
DO research.
The maximum score on the TOEFL is 120. However, the TOEFL does not have a “passing” or “failing” score. There is only the score that you need to get in order to apply to the academic program at the college or university of your choice. The first step is to find out what the required score is. Some students need a 60, some students need 100, and there is a huge difference between those two scores. Find out what score you need, and tell your teacher! Only then can they give you a more accurate assessment of how much studying you will need to do.
DO practice realistically.
The TOEFL is done on a computer, so the essays are typed. The speaking section involves students recording themselves for a short, specific amount of time. Therefore, while handwriting an essay for 2 weeks or speaking for hours to your friends might improve your overall English ability, it might not help your TOEFL score. When you practice writing your essays, actually write the essay in the amount of time given on the test (20 or 30 minutes), and don’t use any programs that have autocorrect or spell check! You won’t have those tools on the real test. For the speaking section, record yourself with your phone speaking for 45 seconds or 1 minute. Then play it to a friend and see if they can understand you. Practice like you are really taking the test.
DON’T memorize.
If you are considering memorizing phrases, paragraphs, examples, passages, or ANYTHING for this test, STOP. Do not memorize! This will not help your score and it will actually prevent you from improving your English. The graders can recognize a memorized response immediately, and it will significantly lower your score. Your own ideas will always be much better than anything you can memorize on the internet, I promise!
DON’T worry.
Stressing out about the test will not help improve your score; in fact, it might make it worse! As long as you are studying and are familiar with the test format, you have nothing to worry about. The test is hard, but it is not impossible! With the right support and study techniques you can achieve your goals and get the score that you need.
If you remember these tips, you should be well on your way to success in the test and in your college application. Good luck on your preparation, and we hope you easily get the TOEFL score that you need when you take the test!
Mia teaches TOEFL Preparation at NYLC's Upper West Side location. She enjoys meeting students from a wide variety of countries, cultures, and backgrounds on a daily basis and takes pleasure in putting her students at ease by finding the humor in the challenges of learning English.
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