Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Done with TOEFL

Will I???
Wont I???

What is this about? This is the recurrent question running in my mind! One side keeps saying that the answer will be a "Yes you will". But the other side says "No - it might not happen". So, what really am I worried about. Whether I will get a Perfect 300 in TOEFL :)

Yeah folks! Got done with TOEFL CBT and this is what I got

Listening: 30
Structure/Writing: 14 - 30
Reading: 30
Total: 243 - 300

So here we go again "Will I???" ;)

A very long PS: I need to particularly complain about the total lack of professionalism in the Prometric center I visited today. When I compare this with my GMAT test center, today was way below expectations.

To begin with, the whole setting is like a fish market. The place is so cramped for space. They gave me a locker key with a diff code (they handle 3 tests and hence have three test centre codes) and I actually belonged to a test center with a diff code. I was actually sent to a different ID proof verifier and was sent to the right person later. While Pearson check finger prints each time I come out, here I just need to sign a white paper. Nothing to complain about w.r.t the testing equipment - fast paced HP (Pearson had machines from DELL) machines.

The real pain began when the time to report scores came. I just wasn't able to locate Harvard from the long list the software threw out. I called up the "support" staff and she came back and said "We don't know sir. We will not be able to help you with this. You will have to fill it out somehow!" Within the Harvard University, there were like 15 different schools. The shortened version of Harvard occupied almost the entire allowed limit, allowing for only 2 characters for the school type. Ar, Bu, Ce, Dn are some of the shortened versions I remember. And to add to my problem, there were two "Bu"s :) I hope I reported my scores to the right place.

I also wrote the school names in the Report Request Doc they gave. Hope that helps :)

6 comments:

A said...

Congrats Dude!

HBS doesn't require TOEFL if you have completed your undergrduate degree from an English speaking school.

Iday said...

Thanks scarecrow.
I know HBS doesnt require TOEFL scores. neither do Stanford, Wharton, Columbia or Chicago. I decided i'd send the scores as i'm taking the test anyway.

rungee582 said...

Hey... great job... sounds like you aced it. :)

Iday said...

thanks rungee582.
Now i WANT that 300 :D

Anonymous said...

I'm not familiar with the scoring system of the TOEFL, but if you're happy with what you got congratulations!

My understanding of B-schools treatment of the TOEFL is that you just need to meet their minimum requirement, but they won't necessarily think you're a better candidate if you perfect it?

Iday said...

@asiangal
thanks!
there r 3 sections in the TOEFL CBT - Listening, Structure/Writing, Reading, each of which has max score of 30. The writing part is decided by one essay and the remaining are scored by our responses to multiple choice questions. And based on these scores, one can get a max 300.

I agree with ur statement on the treatment of TOEFL scores.