English Language Tests

I was waiting for a long time to type this post.So here it comes


Experience on TOEFL DAY
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Worst. Trust me it was worst than even any mock test I would have ever taken for GMAT.The waiting hall was far better than the testing site. The testing site appeared to me like a haunted place and more of a call center than a test center. There was no AC in the computer testing lab. Yes, there wasn't and I gave my exam in Chennai (one of the hottest cities in India). That is not all , there was not even a proper washroom.

Okay chuck all of these. The registration begun. The first question by the center manager - Is this you ? Oh, well ofcourse yes it is me. How am I supposed to look same in 2003 and 2010?Anyways I showed him another ID for proof. I was allocated a seat and I just began reading the instructions. Guess what ? My headphone was not working Okay I am shifted to another seat. Again instruction going on. Oops now the speaker is not working . Oh hell yeah! change the seat again. After all that finally I logged into a system where in I was able to start my reading section. I was done with the boring long 1st passage and then the system hanged. And guess what it hanged for everyone in the room. And each one out there was equally annoyed. They worked on restoring it and took around 15 mins. Considering the fact that the test itself is 4 hrs long, i came to the test center 1 hour before the test started and all these mess took almost 45 minutes to settle , at the very beginning of my test I was all pi$$ed off. Anyways , the systems were restarted and I began the test from the passage I left . Thank God it didnt start all over or else I would have smashed the system.Okay finally done with reading section. Not that bad. Okay now the listening section started. One conversation done. Ooopsssssssssie ..Hell yeah my system throws up another error.. and this time its new one. Firstly, no one else has it . Secondly, I am able to hear the lecture but not mark my responses. Raised my hand for help. Oh please common not again. And this time I was more worried that I will forget the lecture by the time they allot me a system which is working fine

Okay another system .. loading 56% .. loading 60% okay stuck up again for 10 mins .. raise hand - No sir its not working. Can you tell me if I get to hear the lecture again? Oh yes don't worry. Now, how the hell am I not supposed to worry when I heard the lecture but was not able to respond in the blank screen? Anyways another system. Yeah the headphone working, oh yes speaker working . Holy shit ! now what. The mouse ..its not working properly. Sir, I am not able to choose the answer. Oh oh .. Just move it slowly and see if it works. Anyways these all carried on in between my exams and I finally was done with my listening section. Went for a break and came back quickly. I wanted to get over with the test, but guess what you cannot login to the system until the break time is over. So , sit and chill. Anyways , waited for the break to be over and started with speaking section. I was seriously not able to concentrate. How can someone concentrate when some 25 other students are speaking on the same topic and you are able to hear them loud and clear?
anyways I tried hard and was done with it finally.

I just wanted to shut down the damn computer.Anyways then the writing section came up. I just remembered Dana's tips on them and wrote accordingly and I completed well before time. Before I could start writing the next essay, the center head came in and said meet me before you leave for the exam( He wanted me to write the Accept the terms and conditons page again . Well was it so important to be told in between the exam ???) Anyways I was so upset that I just made my face and was back to my writing task at hand.They asked about the integrated task question. Then there was a topic given and thats all. I was done with this. I AM SERIOUSLY SORRY but IF THIS IS HOW SOME EXAM OF SUCH A HIGH STATURE IS CONDUCTED, I DON'T WANNA BE A PART OF IT.


Oh yes I got my scores today. Guess what ? I didnt expect any scores as I was unsure if my voice would have been recorded in such a chaos. Anyways , I got 105/120
Reading - 28
Listening -29
Speaking-23
Writing -25

Yeah I know pretty disappointing. But all I hope is the schools I apply to don't judge me by this score. I don't wanna be judged by any such exam

Dana, Please tell me if this is an okay score? I don't wanna go through the pain of retaking TOEFL. Not even if I am given a chance to give it free.