The iBT TOEFL: A Test of Real English Abiility

One recent change that is effecting most international applicants to graduate programs (1) who did not graduate with a bachelors from a university where English was the primary method of instruction and/or (2) are not native English speakers, is the new iBT (Internet Based TOEFL).

For high level English speakers, especially those with less than perfect grammar, the new test is probably no harder and, may in fact be easier than the old CBT, but for everyone else, IBT (see below) appears to be much more difficult.

Since I first taught TOEFL in 1995, it has gone through significant changes in an attempt to make it a real test of English. From 1997-2001, when I marketed US residential English language programs at UC Berkeley and for the international division of a major US testing company, the TOEFL course was part of an integrated English language program, a program that combined typical English language study with test preparation. Such courses made the correct assumption that there was a disparity of some degree between learning English and studying TOEFL. I think the situation has changed quite a lot with the development of the iBT because it was clearly designed to be a test of real English ability:

The TOEFL iBT emphasizes integrated skills and provides better information to institutions about students' ability to communicate in an academic setting and their readiness for academic coursework. With Internet-based testing, ETS can capture speech and score responses in a standardized manner.

I have not taught or sold the iBT, so my knowledge of it is limited to the public domain, but based on what ETS says about it, it is clearly more difficult than the old CBT, not to mention the PBT:

Is the Internet-based test more difficult?

• The TOEFL iBT Reading and Listening sections are not dramatically different from those on the current TOEFL test.
• The integrated tasks on the TOEFL iBT Speaking and Writing sections may be considered more challenging because they are new to test takers. However, to succeed academically in English-speaking colleges and universities, students need to be able to combine their language skills in the classroom.
• The integrated tasks in the new test will help learners build the confidence needed to communicate in the academic environments they plan to enter.

Summary: The iBT is more difficult because it is a more realistic measure of English ability.

According to Longman, the major educational publisher:
Preparation for the Next Generation iBT requires a lot of different components. It requires lots of language skills, some academic skills, test-taking strategies, realistic test practice on the computer, and good basic computer skills.

I wanted to provide some analysis about how long it will take to improve scores, but I was unable to find anything that clearly answered that (If anyone knows, please email me). Regarding English language acquisition in general, I think the following statement by TOEIC Europe is worth considering:
Improvement in overall English ability generally takes a considerable amount of practice and study. There are many things that affect an individual’s progress in learning English such as motivation, amount of practice, the number of hours or weeks of classroom study, previous exposure to English, and the type and quality of instruction. It is difficult to say exactly how much learning time is needed before a significant improvement in English proficiency is seen.

I know this is not much of an answer, but what it means to me is that since the iBT is a better measure of English ability, it will take longer to study for. For those MBA applicants who must take GMAT and other applicants who must take GRE, this will indeed be added pressure.

Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com.
-Adam Markus
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MBA留学, LLM留学, 大学院留学

Rule #1 Play the Admissions Game On Your Terms

In my previous post on test preparation, I suggested the importance of knowing enough about your own learning needs to determine how best to prepare for the TOEFL, GMAT, or GRE. This points to what I consider to be the heart of the admissions game: Play the game on your own terms.

To get accepted to the school(s) you are applying to you will have to follow formal application rules, but the manner in which you follow them is your choice. Let's be honest, the application process can be annoying:

Who likes to take expensive, time consuming standardized tests?

Who likes to spend time and money preparing for those tests?

Who likes to complete endless applications?

Who likes to ask other people, especially their supervisors and professors, for recommendations?

Who likes to devote much of their time for six to twelve months or more to apply?

Who likes waiting for an admissions committee to make a decision?

I am sure there is someone who does, but I have never met such a person. All of the above and more are part of the admissions process that you can't control. Now here is what you control:

Timing
While some applicants will have to apply during a certain year because of sponsorship, many applicants have control over the timing of their applications. If you control timing, apply when you are ready to apply to the schools you want to attend. Some people need two to three years to prepare, while others can do it in a matter of a few months. The important thing is that you work at the right pace for you. Professor Tara Kuther's Timetable for Applying to Graduate School is one good attempt to map out a schedule, but is clearly intended for US applicants. International applicants would be well advised to start earlier than she suggests, especially if TOEFL is a consideration. Make a schedule that is realistic and keep yourself to it. If you can't keep yourself on your schedule, consider either altering the schedule or getting an admissions consultant (also known as an application counselor, admissions counselor, or admissions adviser) who will provide you with sufficient coaching to keep you on your schedule.

School Selection
Unless you are specifically limited to choosing particular schools because of sponsorship or scholarship criteria or because of geographic limitations, look carefully at a variety of schools to decide which to apply to. Think about such things as the school's reputation, what impact you expect your graduate education to have on your career, the time and cost involved in studying, and the impact that a particular school's location will have on you personally. If you can't work through these issues yourself, seek advice from mentors, peers, family and/or an admissions counselor. While you should be realistic about your chances for admission, don't compromise on selection. Apply only to schools you want to attend.

Your Story
You control your story in your application. Your story is what you write about yourself in your essays, resume, and even in your answers to some of the little questions on the application. It is also what you say in an interview or in any interactions with admissions people. Controlling and developing your story is absolutely critical. If you can't do it alone, seek the advice of a professional counselor if you can afford to do so.

Enjoy it!
If you are going to spend the next six months or more focused on getting into school, make it as pleasant for yourself as possible. See it as a learning opportunity and above all treat it like a game that you will be committed to win.

Passion
Your motivation, your desire for study, for your future, and for a particular school is something admissions committees care about. I like Linda Abraham's formulation of this: Passion = Action + Dedication. Passion is not just for MBA essays, but even for those pursuing a PhD in particle physics, an LLM, or any other degree. Passion or the lack of it is detectable by other people. Sometimes it can be found in the application, sometimes in an interview, and sometimes not until school starts. If passion is connected to reason, it simply acts as a powerful force for application success, not to mention success in the rest of your life.

Bottom Line:
Take what you control, use it to your advantage, and play the game to win.

Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
MBA留学、LLM留学、大学院留学

No back-up schools please!

In general, I don’t believe in the concept of back-up graduate schools. A back-up school (or safety school) is where you go when you have no alternative. For me, a back-up is like a spare tire or the flashlight you keep in your house if the electricity stops working. That is to say, a back-up is a substitute for a school you wanted to go to. Unless you must get into school, you should not apply to schools that you will not be happy with. The time and money involved for an MBA, not mention a PhD, is simply too great to spend on something that you really don’t want.

Only apply to schools you want to attend. That school may or may not be your first choice, but should be a school that will provide you with the educational experience, skills, connections, and/or ROI you want to obtain.

However, sometimes it takes a couple of years to get what you want. Getting the right advice from counselors, books, friends, mentors, and/or teachers combined with sufficient effort on your part can speed this up considerably. However, some people simply require longer because of work or family commitments, the necessity to obtain prerequisite knowledge in their field, the need to improve English skills, and/or, of course, standardized tests. For instance, the TOEFL iBT’s speaking section may very result in a longer period of preparation for those with very weak speaking skills. Those with weak math skills may find the GMAT or GRE a serious challenge that will require relearning math that they may not have studied for a decade or more. If you need that time, take it. Leave the back-up schools to those who are too lazy to work for what they want, prefer a quick-fix to a real solution, prefer safety to risk, and were born to compromise. Life is simply too short to settle for a spare tire or a flashlight.
-Adam Markus
MBA留学、LLM留学、大学院留学

My LL.M. Resources Links

My LL.M. Resources links merge my professional interest in LL.M. admissions with my personal academic interest in legal theory and history. I will be adding more links and would be happy to take any requests (write comments or email me at adammarkus@gmail.com).

Get Associated!: My Higher Education Association Links

My Higher Education Associations link list (law related associations can be found in my LLM Resources links) is a good place to start if you are thinking about what to do study or simply trying to determine where to study.

One advantage of looking at an education association's website is that it contains information designed to give you an overall picture of an academic discipline. For instance, if you are thinking about a degree in public policy (MPP, MPA) you would be well advised to visit the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and in particular take a look at the For Students Section.

My list of associations is far from complete, but includes links to the associations related to degrees in such diverse disciplines as arts administration, electrical engineering, and political science. When I applied to graduate school, I found reviewing materials from the American Political Science Association to be very helpful. It has become so much easier now that everything is on the internet.

If you have any suggestions for additional links, please write comments or email me at adammarkus@gmail.com.
MBA留学、LLM留学、大学院留学