Five-minute guide: TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, GMAT, GRE, SAT

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TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Careers360 brings to you a list of 10 entrance exams which can fulfill your dream of studying abroad.

Reach Score accepted by 7,500 institutions & agencies in over 130 countries; nearly 1 million individuals appear annually at 4,500 test centres in 165 countries; 30-40 test dates; 73 test centres in India, usually held on Saturdays & Sundays. For more info visit:www.ets.org/toefl Test Support ETS offers a variety of free preparation materials to help you get ready for the TOEFL test

Versions & Format Two formats: TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) and TOEFL PBT (paper-based test)

About Test iBT test has four sections, all given in one day and takes about 4 hours; you can retake the test as many times as you wish

Conducting Authority ETS (a private non-profit organization also administering TOEIC tests, GRE General and Subject Tests and Praxis Series assessments

Cost of Test iBT fee in India ranges from US$160 to US$250 which includes examinee score report and up to 4 official score reports

Test Scores No pass/fail test score. Score requirements set by each education institution; for iBT: total score is between 0120. Scores posted online within 2weeks of the test date

Validity ETS reports scores for two years after the test date; one can request a rescore up to 3-months after your test date.

Remarks Most most widely available test; most commonly used test among American institutions; uses American English for academic environment simulation

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

Reach Score accepted by 6000+ institutions in over 135 countries; over 1.4 million candidates appear every year at more than 500

Versions & Format Two versions: The Academic module and The General Training module

About Test Four parts that takes 2 hours 45 minutes. Listening, Reading & Writing tests are done in one sitting while Speaking test may be on the same day or in

Conducting Authority IELTS is jointly managed by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL

Cost of Test Academic and General Training tests cost the same: around Rs. 7600 in India. It will increase to Rs 8000 from October

test centres; available on 48 fixed dates a year up to 4 times a month; 39 test centres in India, held usually on Saturdays & Thursdays. For more info visit:www.ielts.org Test Support The Official IELTS Practice Materials explain the test format in detail and gives you practice tests and answers Test Scores There is no pass or fail. IELTS uses a 9-point scoring system-the Overall Band Score (OBS) where total score varies between 0-9. Candidates receive their Test Report Form in 13 days after the test date

7 days. No limit on Examinations 1,2011 sitting in the tests. (Cambridge ESOL) Usually paper-based but more centres have started the computerbased test (CB IELTS)

Validity Scores are valid for two years. One can apply for an enquiry on results procedure within 6 weeks of the test date. You pay an enquiry fee, which is fully refunded if your band score changes

Remarks More common in countries with strong connections to the UK: Australia & Canada, has lately moved into the US; uses British English for academic environment simulation

Pearson Test of English

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Versions & Format

About Test Computer-based test held in a single 3hour session. Has 4parts, Introduction is not timed but Part 1 is on Speaking & Writing (7793 minutes); Part-2 on Reading (32-41 min); Part 3 on Listening (45-57 min) with an optional schedule break of 10 minutes Validity

Conducting Authority PTE is part of Pearson and endorsed by Graduate Management Admission Council

Cost of Test PTE Academic costs Rs. 8000 in India; one can send free score reports to unlimited number of institutions.

Recognised by 1780 Two formats: PTE programs in 719 Academic and institutions but largely in PTE General UK (323 institutions), USA (232) & Australia. Has 155 Test centres in 44 countries, 15 in India; exam can be scheduled. For more info:www.pearsonpte.com/

Test Support PTE Academic Test Tutorial is a free resource that gives an overview of

Test Scores Overall Score Range is 10-90 points. One also

Remarks

PTE Academic Can be scheduled on short notice, scores are valid for promises scores within 5 days; scores two years. You may sent to unlimited institutions; uses so

test. PTE Academic Practice Tests enable you to practice all skills

knows scores in Communicative (Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing) & Enabling Skills (Grammar, Oral Fluency, Vocabulary etc). Results within 5 business days, scores are notified by email to the test taker and available online

request a rescore within 14 days. Only spoken responses and openended written responses are rescored

called 'international English' for academic environment simulation; claims a superior security protocol

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

Reach Available in almost 100 countries, it is the most widely used assessment for graduate management admissions, by over 1900 graduate business schools around the world. For more inforemation please visit: www.mba.com/

Versions & Format Computer-based test.

About Test GMAT consists of four separately timed sections namely Analytical Writing Assessment, Quantitative section and the Verbal section. Quantatitive & Verbal sections are in the Computer-Adaptive Format. Total time limit is 3 hours. For more info: www.mba.com/

Conducting Authority The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is an organization comprising leading graduate business schools around the world and is the owner and administrator of the GMAT exam.

Cost of Test Fee for GMAT exam is US$250 globally and up to five (5) GMAT Programs to receive your Official Score Report.

Test Support GMATPrep testpreparation software is available to help you prepare for the Computer-Adaptive GMAT exam.

Test Scores For each of your scores on the GMAT test (Verbal, Quantitative, Total, and Analytical Writing Assessment) you will receive a percentile rank. Total GMAT scores range from 200 to 800. Two-thirds of test takers score between 400 and 600.

Validity GMAT score is valid for five years. Requests for GMAT rescoring must be made within six months of your test date.

GRE (Graduate Record Exam)

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Versions & Format

About Test

Conducting

Authority More than 600,000 prospective graduate school applicants from approximately 130 countries take the GRE General Test. For information about institutions please visit:www.ets.org/gre Computer-based test. It is offered at paperbased test centres in areas where computerbased testing is not available. The computer-based GRE General Test was revised in August 2011. All the three sections of Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections will be revised. Use of calculators would be allowed. Grading scale would be from 130 to 170. Total testing time is three hours, not including the research section. Test Scores Three scores are reported on the GRE General Test: a Verbal Reasoning score reported on a 200 800 score scale, in 10-point increments, a Quantitative Reasoning score reported on a 200 800 score scale, in 10-point increments, an Analytical Writing score reported on a 0 6 score scale, in half-point increments ETS (a private nonprofit organization also administering TOEIC tests, GRE General and Subject Tests and Praxis Series assessments

Cost of Test For the revisedGRE General Test forma, the fees in India is $190 which includes Evaluation Report and up to 4 official score reports

Test Support ETS offers a variety of free preparation materials to help you get ready for the GRE test Like POWERPREP, General Test Practice Book (PDF) & Math Review (PDF).

Validity GRE scores are valid for 5 years. One can request a rescore up to 3 months after your test date.

SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)

Reach Each year, SAT conducted by the College Board serves seven million students, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges. For more info:www.sat.collegeboard.com/

Versions & Format Computer-based test.

About Test The SAT tests the skills youre learning in school: reading, writing and Math. Reading 200-800 points (70 Minutes), Math 200-800 points (70 Minutes), Writing 200-800 points (60 Minutes). Total test time: 3 hours and 45 minutes. Test Scores

Conducting Authority The College Board founded in 1900, is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations.

Cost of Test

Test Support

Validity

The SAT Reasoning Test costs $47, whereas the SAT Subject Tests cost $21 as a base price with additional cost depending on which type of test one takes.

College Board offers free question of the day, sample practice questions & free practice tests. Visit: http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice

Each section of your SAT (Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing) will be scored on a 200 to 800 point scale, for a possible total of 2400. Youll also get two subscores on the writing section: a multiple-choice score from 20 to 80, and an essay score from 2 to 12.

SAT scores are valid for 5 years. One can request a Question-andAnswer Service up to five months after your test date.