TOEFL--Is it mandatory???

[prachich1987]

Hello guys

I am a from a country where English is not a native language
I have done my undergrad education in English.
I read on web-sites of most of the non-US schools that if you have done your undergrad education from English then you need not take TOEFL.
But my counselor says that it would be an additional asset to my application packet?
Please share your views on the same.

[vineeshp]

Hi Prachi,

Most schools will ask for TOEFL. I think it is safer to take it anyway.

Don worry too much about it. It is a very easy test.

You just need to score around 100 to show you know English. All you need is a few days prep. Take it rather than worry too much about it.

[essaysnark]

Hi prachich1987,

Taking the TOEFL will not add value to your application if the school does not require it. If your undergraduate education was conducted entirely in English, than most bschools do not require the TOEFL. The major exceptions here are UC-Berkeley Haas and Columbia (there may be others too but these are the big names that have this unusual policy). These two schools require the TOEFL if your previous education was in a country where English was not the official language -- even if the education itself was conducted in English. What this means is that Indian nationals applying to these two schools usually have to take the TOEFL. If you had any further education beyond college in an English-speaking country -- for example, if you did a Master's degree in Canada -- then you probably would be exempt from the TOEFL requirement at these schools. You'll need to check with each school about its particular rules.

vineeshp is right though -- the TOEFL should be easy for you if you studied in English before. You should not worry about taking it though unless the bschool you're interested in requires it, as it does not add anything to your application for schools that do not need it. The essays and the GMAT test (verbal/AWA) will let the adcom know about your English skills.

Hope this helps!
EssaySnark

[hcueva]

I'm not entirely sure, and I'm sorry for not having a link, but I believe I just read on Columbia's website that they need the TOEFL if the official language (or national, or whatever) in your country isn't English unless you did your undergraduate in an English-speaking country. They explicitly mentioned the case of Indian students who frequently go to an English-speaking college in India, and they said they still have to take it.

[apphelp]

Hi Prachi,

While many US schools have in the past waived off TOEFL for Indian applicants these requirements keep on changing every year. Some now require TOEFL for Indian applicants and some want a recommendation from a native English language speaker to waive off TOEFL for Indian applicants.

we have done some research and prepared an chart on TOEFL requirement of US B schools for Indian applicants.

https://blog.apphelp.co.in/tag/us-b-scho ... r-indians/

Hope it helps.

[essaysnark]

To footnote this conversation: We just remembered that a very few schools literally do not require the TOEFL for anyone -- MIT is in this category. They take the AWA and verbal sections of your GMAT/GRE to suffice in terms of your English skills. They'll accept a TOEFL score if you have one, but they don't require it.

So be sure to study the requirements for each school you're interested in! Policies vary widely for this and many other matters.

Good luck!
EssaySnark

[Vorskl]

I honestly don't understand all that hassle about the TOEFL: in comparison with the GMAT, the TOEFL is not a test but rather a formality: you arrive at the test center, enjoy your time, get 100+ and continue your application process. I got 112 after just 3 evening of preparation right after the GMAT.

Reading is much easier than RC
Writing is same as AWA
Listening is simple: you either know english or you don't
Speaking is the only section that requires efforts as you need to learn templates. For those, there are great explanatory videos posted on youtube.