 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 TOEFL and 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.
Here are some TOEFL training centers in Bangalore:
*Rekha Gupta, No-S-36,
Golden Enclave, Murgesh Palya,
Airport Road, Near Kemp Fort,
Bangalore-560 017
Phone: 2526 9537
*Ms Sonia\Neeta, Career Plan,
15\3, Corniche, 2nd floor, Infantry Road,
Above Medinova Diagnostic Center, Bangalore-560 001
Phone: 2286 3051\2286 1504
*Mr Prasad, Shashi Consultancy,
No 4\1, 1st floor of Park Road,
Tusker Town, Near Harsha Hotel,
Bangalore-560051
Phone: 2209 5610\2209 5611
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