Frequently Asked Questions About Testing
TOEFL: If
English is not your native language, you
must submit a TOEFL score. Many institutions
require a minimum score of about 80 on the
Internet-based (iBT) TOEFL, about 213 on
the computer-based version of the TOEFL,
or about 550 on the paper-based version
for both undergraduate and graduate students
to enter their academic programs.
A few schools may not require the TOEFL
if you completed high school or college
in the United States or if you graduated
from a four-year, degree-granting institution
where English is the language of instruction.
SAT®
I: The SAT I may be required
of undergraduate applicants. No standard
score is required; results are weighed with
secondary school grades and other elements
of the undergraduate application.
SAT II: Each
SAT II examination tests knowledge in a
specific subject area. One or more
may be required of some undergraduate applicants.
GRE®:
Most graduate applicants are required to
submit results on the Graduate Record Examination
general test and sometimes subject
tests as well. Some graduate programs
require a minimum 450 verbal score; others
may also have a 420 minimum required on
the quantitative section.
GMAT®:
Graduate applicants in business- and accountancy-related
areas usually must take the Graduate Management
Admission Test. (Applicants to programs
in such areas as public administration may
have a choice between taking the GMAT and
the GRE.) A minimum score of 500 is
often required, with a score of at least
25 percent on the verbal portion.
TSE®:
The Test of Spoken English may be required
for graduate students seeking teaching assistantships.
Are there tests other
than the TOEFL and TSE that may be useful
in assessing my English proficiency?
AMIDEAST regularly administers the following
English proficiency tests that will be useful
in assessing proficiency (though they are
not designed to meet U.S. university admissions
requirements):
Institutional Testing
Program (ITP) TOEFL: Based on past editions
of paper-based TOEFL tests and designed
as an assessment and learning tool for intermediate
and advanced students of English.
ITP Pre-TOEFL:
Based on past editions of paper-based TOEFL
tests and designed as an assessment and
learning tool for beginning and intermediate
students of English.
Test of English for
International Communication (TOEIC):
An English language proficiency test designed
for international workplace environments.
It is taken by more people than any other
English language test and is recognized
as a worldwide standard for English proficiency.
The College Level Examination
Program (CLEP) is accepted
by about 2,900 institutions in the United
States and overseas for undergraduate credit
or advanced standing. CLEP currently
offers 34 tests covering a wide range of
academic subjects.
When should I take university entrance
exams?
Begin your testing plan at least one year
before you wish to start your academic program.
The U.S. school year begins around the end
of August and ends in May. Many universities
have application deadlines in December for
school entry the following late August/early
September. Organized university applicants
take TOEFL and other exams in September,
a year before school entry.
International mail can be slow and unreliable,
and you will also need time to register
for and take standardized tests. This also
gives you time to take tests a second time
if you are not pleased with the results
and to request score report mailings.
Where do I find information about the
tests?
The test bulletins are your best source
of information. They can be requested from
the Educational
Testing Service (ETS) in most cases,
and AMIDEAST offices also maintain a supply
of bulletins for the public. Test bulletins
are also generally available online at the
Web site for the particular examination.
Take the time to read the bulletin completely
and carefully. When you fill out the
registration form, make sure your name,
address, telephone and other personal information
are entered correctly. Any inconsistencies
in your registration information will cause
delays in receiving your score report.
AMIDEAST can also provide information and/or
registration services regarding other academic
and professional tests. If you are interested
in taking such a test in the Middle East/North
Africa, please contact your nearest AMIDEAST
office to learn what support we can provide.
What if I have a disability?
Please check the test information bulletin
for procedures to request special accommodation,
if you have a documented disability.
Test takers with temporary disabilities,
i.e., a broken leg, should register or transfer
to a later test date.
What should I do on the day of the test?
- Arrive 30 minutes before the assigned
test time. Check-in procedures take
time. If you arrive late, you may
not be admitted to the test, and you will
forfeit your test fees.
- Bring identification, as listed in
the test bulletin.
- Bring your test confirmation.
How long is my test score valid?
The TOEFL score has a two year validity
period; GRE and GMAT five years. There
is no time limit on SAT scores. However,
any scores requested more than five years
after the test date will be accompanied
by a message from ETS explaining that the
scores may no longer be an accurate reflection
of your academic performance.
How can I prepare for the exams?
Beyond having studied English and a well-rounded
academic curriculum, there are a variety
of test
preparation materials available through
AMIDEAST. For further English language
and test preparation, check the courses
offered in AMIDEAST's English Language Program.
When should I receive my test scores?
Generally, scores are sent from ETS two
to three weeks after a computer-based or
Internet-based test and three to four weeks
after a paper-based test. If you are taking
a test with an essay and choose to handwrite
the essay rather than typing it on the computer,
you should expect to add another three weeks
to that time. With international mail,
a computer-based or Internet-based score
report may take six weeks to two months
to arrive at a home address. Score
reports from paper and pencil testing take
an average of two months.
What should I do if my test scores don’t
arrive in this time frame?
You should get in touch with ETS by telephone,
e-mail, or fax. Contact information
is listed below. Do not contact AMIDEAST
because we have no information about score
reports; we regret that we are unable to
help with this.
When you contact ETS with questions about
missing score reports, payment questions,
or requests for additional score reports,
you will need to provide your name, address,
birth date, and test registration number
in your correspondence.
How do I contact ETS?
TOEFL
- Telephone: 1-609-771-7100
- Fax: 1-609-771-7500
- E-Mail: toefl@ets.org
SAT
- Telephone: 1-609-771-7600
- Fax: 1-609-683-1234
- E-Mail: sat@ets.org
GRE
GMAT
- Telephone: 1-609-771-7330
- Fax: 1-609-883-4340
- E-Mail: gmat@ets.org
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