104 TOEFL iBT (R=28, L=26, S=23, W=27)

[JOCATST]

Hi Guys,

 

I took the TOEFL iBT on July 11th and today I finally got my results on-line. I had to wait exactly 14 business days to view my Score. I got 104 (R=28, L=26, S=23, W=27) :grad:

 

I am so happy because I need at least a 100 Score to apply to a Top Business School. This was my first attempt and I prepared myself for a month and a half. I want to share with you a little bit of my experience during the Test :idea:

 

The Reading Section started and I felt quite nervous. Then, I remembered that the most important is to focus on the passage. I spent 60 seconds scanning each passage, reading the first line of each paragraph and the last line of the entire passage to have a general idea before answering the Questions. I found Questions that I could answer in 20 seconds, and also Questions on which I spent 2 minutes.

 

The Listening Section had a medium level. I understood all the conversations and lectures but I had few doubts when I was answering the Questions. Fortunately, I took notes and there were useful for me.

 

The Speaking Section was the hard one for me. However, I did not feel uncomfortable talking to the computer. I tried to speak as clearly as I could and with an average speed. Also, I repeated part of each Question when I started to talk, either if the Question is for a familiar topic or if it is for a lecture.

 

The Writing Section was not difficult. The Integrated Question was about a lecture that contradicted the passage and I took good notes since the audio was not so fast. The Independent Question was about a familiar topic about parents and their children. In both essays, I left at least 5 minutes to review each paragraph that I wrote and correct any grammar mistake.

 

Hope this helps you in your preparation. Let me know if you have any doubt or if you want more detail of any Section :tup:

 

Good Luck!!!

[Tseprep]

Very nice score! How long did you study before taking the test?

[JOCATST]

Hi Tseprep,

 

Thanks for your reply. You are one of the most collaborative members of this Forum. I appreciate that :)

 

I studied for about 6 weeks for the TOEFL iBT. Everyday, I practiced at least some exercises of Listening and Speaking and tried to practice Reading and Writing four times per week. Besides that Speaking was the more difficult for me as an International Student, I considered that Listening abilities are the most important in the TOEFL iBT (Listening is involved in 3 out of 4 Sections). So, I tried to improve my Listening even using headphones to listen news in English when I was working at the Office ;)

 

Cheers.

[fpgeepharm]

Hi Jocastst,

 

Nice score.What are the materials you followed? Can you give some tips on Integrated speaking and integrated writing.

 

Thanks.

[JOCATST]

Hi fpgeepharm,

 

I prepared at first with Longman (Book and CD) in order to understand how the TOEFL iBT works section by section and practice with the 8 Mini-Tests that the CD has. Then, I took the 2 Complete Tests of Longman CD and the 4 Complete Tests of Kaplan CD. Between these two softwares, I think that Longman seems closer to the Real Test but Kaplan is useful because all its sections are quite challenger ;)

 

For the Integrated Speaking, I tried to practice at least 2 Questions everyday. In each book I mentioned before, you will find many Questions to practice. It was important to take good notes in order to organize my response, not only for the short passage but also for conversation or lecture. I also used abbreviations when I took notes and focused my attention on the audio. Then, I tried to speak in a normal speed, to pronounce as clear as I could and to take care on my voice intonation.

 

A practical way that I found was using my Cell Phone to record my voice speaking in 60 seconds. Then I reviewed the MP3 Files with my English Teacher in order to identify and correct the grammar mistakes and the content of my answers. I took notes for each mistake in a notebook and, at weekend, I reviewed all my mistakes.

 

For the Integrated Writing, I tried to practice at least 2 Questions each week. As the Integrated Speaking, it was important to take good notes about the passage and about the lecture. My notes about the passage briefly summarized the idea of each paragraph in one line and my notes about the lecture were more complete in order to figure an idea of my response. I never paraphrase a sentence from the original passage in my Essay, instead, I tried to write the same idea but with different words. Moreover, I previously did a brainstorm of ideas in the same order that those ideas appeared in the passage and, after that, I started to write my Essay.

 

A good WebPage that helped me were English to French, Italian, German & Spanish Dictionary - WordReference.com, which I used to to improve my English Vocabulary, and also Dictionary.com, which I used to learn the meaning of words that I did not know before and also to listen their pronunciation.

 

Hope this helps you in your preparation. Let me know if you have any doubt :)

Cheers.

[fpgeepharm]

Thanks Jocatst.Hope this helps. I will definitely ask you if I have any doubt. May I have your email id please. Thanks.

[JOCATST]

Hi fpgeepharm,

 

Please send me a Private Message. I will be glad to help you if I can :)

According to Test Magic Policies, we are not allow to post our personal information here.

 

Good Luck in your preparation :tup:

Cheers.

[Slava]

Hi Guys,

 

I am so happy because I need at least a 100 Score to apply to a Top Business School.

 

Hi JOCAST,

 

Cogratulations! I have sone clarifying quesiton: what schools did you mean? For example, HBS requires at least 109, Wharton - at least 104.

[JOCATST]

Hi Slava,

 

Thanks for your reply. I am interested in Columbia, NYU Stern, Kellogg, Michigan and Duke.

Hope I can make it :)

 

Cheers.

[Slava]

JOCAST, one more question for you: did you see the text while responding in speaking sections 3-4, or it was hidden after you read it?

[maxmax]

Hi JOCATST

I would like to ask one question since you already appeared fro the TOEFL.Were there other students speaking while you were speaking for the speaking section? If yes did it distract you? How did you cope up with the situation? Can you suggest me some ideas to cope up with the situation if it comes? I heared that this kind of situation may come while taking the exam.

[JOCATST]

JOCAST, one more question for you: did you see the text while responding in speaking sections 3-4, or it was hidden after you read it?

 

Hi Slava,

 

Unfortunately, you will not see the short passages again in Speaking Section. For Questions 3 and 4, you will have 45 seconds to read quickly and to get an idea and then the short passage will dissappear. After that, you will listen to the audio, have 30 seconds to prepare your response and then 60 seconds to speak.

 

I recommend you to take notes for the main idea of the short passage, maybe in one line. It would help you to prepare your response.

 

Hope this helps you.

Cheers.

[JOCATST]

Hi JOCATST

I would like to ask one question since you already appeared for the TOEFL. Were there other students speaking while you were speaking for the speaking section? If yes did it distract you? How did you cope up with the situation? Can you suggest me some ideas to cope up with the situation if it comes? I heared that this kind of situation may come while taking the exam.

 

Hi maxmax,

 

I think that in all the Test Centers you will have other students speaking at the same time, because there are a lot of people that take TOEFL iBT. I know that this situation could distract you :(

 

In my case, there are 3 Test Centers that are allowed to manage the TOEFL iBT in Peru. I went to the each Test Center to take a look on the Lab and on the infraestructure. I decided to schedule my TOEFL iBT in the Test Center that has the bigger Lab and the better hardware on its computers. Hardware is important because it is suppossed that microphones should be sensitive and that they automatically adjust its volume to your voice, in order to record your Speaking without shouting.

 

Hope this helps you :)

Cheers.

[Tseprep]

Hi Slava,

 

Thanks for your reply. I am interested in Columbia, NYU Stern, Kellogg, Michigan and Duke.

Hope I can make it :)

 

Cheers.

 

 

I hope you make it. :grad:

[JOCATST]

Hi Guys,

 

I just want to say that I am glad that my posts help you. I receive Private Messages asking for Tips and refering to the posts. I am so glad that I could help :)

 

Good Luck for all :tup:

[afraid boy]

Mr. JOCATST

 

 

TERRIFIC

 

I hope to score as like as your score...........

[JOCATST]

Hi afraid_boy,

 

Thanks for you post. You can get even a better Score!!! Just focus on your preparation and on the TOEFL iBT format :tup:

 

Good Luck!!!

[susan2007]

can anybody please, help me ?

i have a big problem in the reading section can you tell me how can i improve my skills in the reading?

tank u

[JOCATST]

Hi susan2007,

 

In order to improve your Reading, I suggest you to practice with Longman (Book and CD) and with Official Guide for TOEFL iBT (only Book). These books have Tips for each type of question in Reading and also have many practices. In my opinion, their passages are similar to the Real Test, not only in extension but also in level of difficulty.

 

When I was studying, I used to scan the entire passage in 60 seconds to get a quick idea about the topic of the passage and, after that, I start to answer the first question. Remember that in TOEFL iBT the questions appeared in the same order as the passage, so you will have the chance to read deeply each paragraph when you are trying to find the answer :hmm:

 

Hope this helps you :tup:

Good Luck!!!

[afraid boy]

http://dl2.glitter-graphics.net/pub/667/667472vovdx6uwgr.jpg

[Amirha]

[clap]:tup:CONGRATULATIONS JOCATST.

VIVA EL PERU C.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JOCATST]

Hi Amirha,

 

Thanks for your post :D

It is good to know that other Peruvian is part of this Forum :p

 

Good Luck!!!

[ntkimvinh7]

Congrats Jocasts [clap], so great

Even that your score is higher than my dream.

I used Princeton Review's template for cast doubt question in two exams, and both of them are 2 fair & 2 good (independent) -> just 22 in writing.

I just wonder which template did you use to response the integrated writing?

[JOCATST]

Hi ntkimvinh7,

 

Thanks for your post :)

 

In Writing, considering all the suggestions that I read in TOEFL Books, I decided to make my own Template for the Essays.

 

For the Integrated Essay, in the first paragraph I tried to explain briefly the main idea of the passage as an Introduction. For example, "According to the passage, XXX. In addition, XXX". Then, at the end of the same paragraph I stated the position of the lecture that I heard. For example, "However, the professor in the lecture expresses different points of view that considerably contrast with the ideas of the passage." or "The professor in the lecture talks about XXX, which is related to XXX stated before in the passage." Then, for the Body of the Essay, I usually wrote 2 paragraphs supporting the position of the lecture. For example, "First, the professor mentions that XXX". "Second, the professor indicates that XXX". Finally, I wrote the Conclusion. For example, "In conclusion, while the author of the passage states XXX, the professor shows that XXX" or "In sum, the professor explains XXX and supports XXX stated by the author of the passage."

 

For the Independent Essay, it depends on the Topic. In the case of agreement or disagreement questions, I tried to show the positive and the negative position for the Topic briefly in the first paragraph. For example, "XXX is a controversial issue. On the one hand, XXX. On the other hand, XXX. Considering my point of view, I believe that XXX". Then, I used the same Body of the Essay that I mentioned before to support my belief. Also, I always included examples for each paragraph. At the end, I wrote the Conclusion and used to summarize each reason that I mentioned before for my point of view.

 

Hope this helps you :tup:

Good Luck!!!

[ntkimvinh7]

Thanks again for your sharing, Jocasts

I hope it'll help me out ;)