Hello everyone. My name is Sushil
and i am about to share my experience of GRE and TOEFL exam. Be sure to comment
in the comment section. DO not HESITATE!
What
exactly is GRE and TOEFL O.o?
 |
| What the !!!! |
Basically these are two different
exams testing your skills in Quantitative , Analytical and Verbal sections.
Both are conducted by ETS, the governing body. These exams are primary criteria
to evaluate your performance before you take admission at an abroad universities.
Huge number of universities are listed, mainly from United States Of America.
Google them.
Not every university needs GRE
score but TOEFL scores are must. Hence you will have to write TOEFL even if you
write GRE. You can opt to take only TOEFL as well as few universities accept
only TOEFL scores and not GRE. Plan and do your homework regarding universities
first before appearing and preparing for exams. Because all the universities
check not only GRE and TOEFL scores but your overall Curricular, Co-curricular
and extra curricular activities.
Idea
about the exam pattern-
1.GRE:
According to the new August 2011 GRE
pattern, now the exam is out of 340 marks. Contains 3 different sections.
Verbal about 130-170 marks, Quantitative about 130-170 marks and 3 rd section
of Analytical writing which holds 6 grades (your essay is awarded grades out of
six depending upon your quality of essay). Verbal section contains
comprehensions,fill in the blanks,NO MORE SYNONYMS OR ANTONYMS. Quant section
is probably the easiest section with questions asked from your school math
level,though needs to solved within less time and with preciseness.Otherwise
might confuse you and consume your precious time,especially the graph
questions. In the analytical section, you face two different tasks.In the
first, you will be given a topic(about 4-5 lines) and you got to agree,disagree
or you can just stay neutral on the issue. The topics are more often like GD
topics. In the second task, a passage is given, you analyze it in a critical
manner and point out some errors,faults or some shortcoming from the
passage,article etc. And yes, you write the essay by TYPING if you're appearing
for Internet Based Test. The center provides you with required pencils, a
notepad etc. Don't worry about that. Scores will also reach your given address
within 15 shipping days. Keep tabs on it unless.
Books
to read-
Be sure you read a lot. I would
suggest you to work on your vocab. Barron's GRE is a good guidance book,not a
text book (actually you wont find a text book for GRE). It has the word lists,
verbal and quant section. Really helpful. There are many books out as well,
just google it. ETS will send you a sample copy of 'Powerprep' software helpful
to understand the GRE pattern.
At the end of the exam, you get your
score and you can report it to 4 different recipients (Universities) which
helps you to reduce your immense expenditure of application process. You can
report more universities as well through ETS and only ETS. Each reporting
charges you about $18 as by today's regulations.
2.
TOEFL-
Then you concentrate on TOEFL. This
exam is testing your skills on 4 different criteria s.
1.Listening
2.Reading
3.Speaking
4.Writing
TOEFL is about 120 marks. Each
section holding 30 marks. There are minimum TOEFL score requirements specified
by every university as they make sure that the candidate who is a applicant to
their university is having good abilities in the above mentioned 4 different
fields.
Listening section contains few conversation such as a doctor and a
patient or a conversation between students and a teacher in classroom etc. You
will need to put up a headphone on. You hear the convo and answer the questions
asked upon the convo you heard. Please be sure to take notes as you cant
remember the whole conversation.
Reading section is more like comprehension and questions asked on
it.
You get 10 minutes break here. Eat
your Snicker and drink water. Mumble your Hawan Mantras, if needed. Use washroom if you need.Take few long breathes.
Be confident and go again!
In Speaking section you get
to speak (Of course). But in ENGLISH. You will be given a task of speaking on
an issue,or you may listen a convo and then suggest a solution on the issue
heard in the convo and oogity boogity boo (means etc etc).
Last section is Writing. You
write an essay on the issue/passage. and your hear a convo and write about
300-700 words passage on it.
Here, you're done with the exam
thing. Next is application process,for which i suggest you to consult someone
who has a huge experience in this field. The rest will be taken care by the
consulting firm.
Books-
There are many out like iBT kaplan,
ETS etc. Online tests are also available.
Registration process-
Navigate through this link http://www.ets.org/?WT.ac=grehome_etshome_121017. Its ETS home page. You will find every information here about registration. Be sure you have Credit Card or a Debit Card. I did it with Axis Bank Debit for TOEFL, HDFC Bank Credit Card for GRE registration.PASSPORT IS MUST FOR BOTH EXAMS!!!
Your passport is MUST ! You will have to carry
the passport as your primary identity at the center on the day of the exam. You
will be declined to appear for exam otherwise. So make sure you keep your
passport ready or apply for passport at this very moment. Also you will get the
appointment confirmation regarding the test through mail. Print it. It acts as
your Hall Ticket. Carry that with you as well. For safer side, keep your driving
license or Aadhar card or some other id which typifies you as a unique solo
human being. And NO, your club membership cards do not validate the above
mentioned criteria, so they are useless!
What next?
Hit the ground running. Start preparing before 4-5 months if you
take my advice. Plan ahead of your
semester exam or after the sem exam. Make sure your GRE TOEFL exam dates do not
collide with your internal or external exams!
Better the score, better the university, better the
knowledge, better the job, better the $$$,better the salary, better the wife, better
the life! :D
GOOD LUCK!
