The TOEFL is a test that shows your level of English. Basically, the university wants to know that you know enough English to understand your courses and do well in school. Almost every university in the USA requires a certain TOEFL score. For example, if you want to go to a great school, like Harvard or Stanford, you need a really TOEFL high score, like 280 (650 on the paper test). But there are also schools that require a TOEFL score of only about 133 (450 on the paper test).

Your TOEFL score is valid for only two years. In other words, two years after you take your TOEFL, your score will be deleted from the official TOEFL database and they will not send you another report of your score. If you still have a copy of your original score, you can ask the university whether they will accept it, but most universities will not accept a copy from you; they require a score directly from TOEFL.

The highest TOEFL score that you will need is probably about 630. The lowest TOEFL score that you will need is probably about 450. In general, better universities require higher TOEFL scores and worse schools require lower TOEFL scores. Some schools require no TOEFL score, but, be careful! These schools are not good schools!

After you take your test, you will get a range of your score. For example, you might see something like this: 207-270. Your final score depends on your essay score. Each point on the essay will raise your final score about ten points. So, for example, if you get a 1.0 on your essay, your final score would be 217. Or, if you get a 5.0 on your essay, your final score would be about 260.

Some people can raise their scores by speaking and watching television and American movies, other people can raise their scores by studying the TOEFL. The answer really depends on the student

• This is usually the first question that people ask. It is extremely difficult to say--each person is different. Some people learn languages very quickly, others need more time. Learning a new language is very similar to learning any other skill, like ballet dancing or painting--some people learn very quickly because they have a natural ability in that area, others need more time
• However, in general, most people need from two to six hours of study for each point

• The TOEFL is getting harder and harder all the time. You will need to have a good understanding of English. You will need to be able to listen, read, and write for the TOEFL. Right now, the TOEFL does not require you to speak
• Most of the English on the TOEFL represents the kind of English that you will hear if you go to college in the US, so you should study English that is academic. For example, if you are studying for the TOEFL, you should read Newsweek or Time instead of reading Batman comic books! Similarly, watching documentaries about wildlife or space is much more helpful than seeing Hollywood action movies

If we type the essay, TOEFL will mail the score about two weeks after the test. If we handwrite the essay, they will take longer. Sometimes, TOEFL takes up to five weeks to mail the scores since it is easier to lose a handwritten essay. Sometimes they "misplace" a handwritten essay and it takes them longer to find it. One of my students didn't even get her score--TOEFL lost her essay! This is one reason to type our essays instead of handwriting them.

• There are many differences between the CBT TOEFL and the paper TOEFL
• The biggest difference between the CBT TOEFL and the paper TOEFL is that the CBT TOEFL requires an essay
• Also, the CBT TOEFL has some new question types that we have not seen before on the paper TOEFL

Most people agree: the paper TOEFL is much easier than the CBT TOEFL. For example, the listening on the CBT TOEFL is much harder than the listening on the paper TOEFL and the CBT TOEFL has an essay that you have to write

The Institutional TOEFL is the TOEFL that is given by a place so that they can measure the English level of the people who take the test. The score you receive from this test is NOT good for every university in the world. However, many colleges will accept a TOEFL score from the Institutional TOEFL. If you want your TOEFL score to be accepted at every university in the world, then you need to take the International TOEFL