wolga

To improve your reading skills just do practicing. Kaplan's CD have 4 full tests, Longman's CD have 2 full tests. You can get some free tests on line. Do them over and over. Some tricks I used were: a) Do not read the passage before answering questions it takes a lot of time; b) Use elimination technique, eliminate two obviously wrong answers and them make you best choice; c) Do not spend too much time on one single question. When you do not know the answer just make the best choice and move on to the next. And practice, practice... My first time R was 18, and second 28, so you can see it helped. Also it depends on topic how you answer (at least for me). Reading skills are easier to improve then speaking.

It is a little bit strange the way they rate the speaking part. I have already posted that 4 times I got 23 in speaking. I think it is really odd. My best persormance for speaking was on September the 23d (I believe), but I got 23 again. I did the same (in terms of performance) for October the18th test, and did not feel that I did better. I got good, good, fair, and that was 26. Three months ago I got fair, fair, good, and it was 23. So, it is really depends how they feel. I should say that for my last (finally) test I was recording myself a lot. Basically, for two days I did not do anything, but recording. I think it is very helpfull because you get use to speaking into a microphone. If any more question I would more then happy to answer.

I am so happy! I got the score I need for FPGEE on my 5th attemt. I got R-25; L-29; S-26; R27. To be honet I did not do anything different from my previous Toefl test . I believe I answered questions at the same level, but I got 26. If anybody interested I can sell all my preperation material (Longman with CD, Barron's book for essays, ETS guide. Also I have Kaplan's CD, and one more paractice CD for the IBT that it has two complete tests on it).

Dear friends, we have to give our feedback to NABP. As far as I know none of the organizations and schools requires specific score in each part in TOEFL ibt. They all require overall score, which can be high like 102 or 105. Now we have 89, which is not that high. However, ETS knows that only foreign pharmacists need specific score in each part. Not much can be done with reading and listening because human factor is not involved to rate them. Writing is also pretty fair even though it rated by people. So, speaking is the part that they can do whatever they want. I believe that it is not big difference in speaking ability between them who got 26 and 24; however, the ones who got 24 can’t be pharmacists, and ones who got 26 can. By giving 25, 24, or 23 in speaking they know that we are going to come back and retake it several times, so they can have money coming constantly. It is monopoly and they know that. It is my opinion, but NABP can ask us to have overall score like up to … I do not know but NABP has do decide, and in this case ETS doesn’t have that much opportunity to make us take it again because we are missing 1 point in speaking part. Even FPGEE gives us over all score, and they do not ask us to have 65 in basic science and 85 in pharmacology, and so on. FPGEE desperate do not take it personally, but no one is bagging for license here. FPGEE is our professional exam and it is bazaar to ask for lower score. According to my opinion, it is reasonable that they do evaluation for so long. There were people who send fake diplomas to NABP, so there is a good reason for such long and careful evaluation. We have to keep in our minds that NABP and ETS are different organizations, and ETS just got a great opportunity to make money on us. If we won’t bring to NABP our opinion, they will think that everything is fine with TOEFL ibt. Again, it is my personal opinion and I can be wrong in some points. Thank you guys for bringing up that discussion.

Fafy, there was result. WE do not have 2 years limitation to pass the TOEFL. WE have to come up with something. Why we have to be good (exellent)speakers and writers, intermediets readers, and even worse listeners in order to be pharmacists?

I am taking toefl ibt on October 18th in upstate NY

KHADIJA, Do I have to tell you that using the forum? Go ahead and try, just do you best (I told you several times). As it was said before, it is very valuable experience. You can't get it from anywhere. You know that you can stay at my place without any questions asked. If anything you can book you next exam in NY( which I am sure you are not) and I will buy a ticket to NY from my place and hotel for you. Please, do not think about postponing, just study and study. You know that thought like this are distructing. Always remeber hard work pays back. Yours, Olga

Pim, I faced the same problem. I have taken the new TOEFL IBT three times and my scores jump up and down, except speaking part. My speaking score remains the same-23. The most descouraging is the fact that it is doesn't matter how I feel after the exam , bad or good, the score stays the same. So, it depends very much on people who rate our responses. Just do your best and study harder! Always remeber that hard work pays you back. We need a little bit of luck and we will make it. My best wishes, Olga

Thank you, Tino and pharmindo. I will keep taking the test. I think in my case it is the best way to get the score for FPGEE. I read and write in English a lot, and speak as well.

Thank you very much. The thing is that I was following Longman's book pattern for integrated essay, but I do not think that is what they are looking for. They ask 150-225 word and I had something over 200 words. Some other toefl ibt materials I have show different examples when you do not have to summarize the reading section, just mention how it disagrees with listening. May I ask what was your score? How was you speaking part? I even took toefl ibt course and my teacher said that she didn't see problems with my language. Of course, I have an accent and mistakes here and there, but we are foreidners... It is very depressing when you do not see the way how to improve.

Hi guys, I have been fighting with the toefl ibt and no luck so far… My English is OK, not perfect. I do not have any problems with the reading and listening sections, but speaking and writhing are my weakest parts. I had already three attempts and speaking score stays the same 23, doesn’t matter I was studying for it or not. My writing score goes very slowly up (17, then 20, and now 22). So, my question is how to write integrated writing task? Anyone who got high score in writing did you convey the reading part also in the essay? Everybody focused on independent essay, but nobody mentions integrated essay tips. I would be very thankful for any comments.

Yes, Khadija that is me! Gerls, if you study hard, FPGGE is ok to pass.

I passed my FPGEE last summer and now I stuck with TOEFL ibt. Khadija, I also graduated in 1997. May be you are the one I knew in Pyatigorsk? Where are you now? Did you know Tollal and Billal from Libanon, they were in my group as well?

Hi Khadija, I am also graduated from Pyatigorsk and I had a friend from Marokko named Khadija. What year did you graduate?

I don't have CFR, but you can get it in a regular book store (the newest edition). But I have rest of things you want. E-mail me and I can tell you the ditales.