Get Ahead international education expert Karan Gupta draws up a preparation schedule for these two tests.
Follow this schedule and pave the path to your studies abroad.
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TOEFL |
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Week 1 |
Go through the ETS TOEFL Practice Tests, to understand the TOEFL format. |
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Week 2 |
Most students who have studied in an English medium school or college, do not have any problems with the TOEFL. If you want to prepare anyway, go through the TOEFL Cliffs, which is available at any Crossword Bookstore. |
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Week 3 |
The TOEFL has a listening section where you have to listen to people talk and then answer questions. Use the TOEFL Cliffs and the TOEFL sampler (ETS) to practies this section. The TOEFL Sampler is free when you register for the exam. |
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Week 4 |
The next section of the TOEFL is structure. This is a basic grammar section which you can practise from the Cliffs. |
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Week 5 |
Practise the reading and comprehension section from Barrons TOEFL. The TOEFL sampler CD has practise questions as well. You can get the Barrons TOEFL from any Crossword Bookstore. |
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Week 6 |
For essay preparation at the TOEFL, you can look at topics in the Cliffs. |
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Week 7 |
Dedicate this entire week to writing essays. |
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Week 8 |
Now you can finish all the questions from the TOEFL sampler CD. |
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Week 9 |
You can now take a full-length computer TOEFL test. Powerprep software has two full-length tests. Take one test this week. |
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Week 10 |
Take the second Powerprep test and complete your TOEFL preparation. |
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IELTS |
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Week 1 |
Go through the IELTS tests provided by the British Council and ascertain the format of the exam. |
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Week 2 |
Most students who have studied at an English medium school or college will not have problems with the IELTS. But if you want to prepare, go through the Macmillan IELTS Testbuilder. |
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Week 3 |
For the listening section, prepare with CDs from the Macmillan Testbuilder. |
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Week 4 |
Practise the reading and comprehension section this week |
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Week 5 |
For the essay and an analysis of a chart/ graph preparation, look at sample essay topics from the Macmillan Testbuilder. |
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Week 6 |
Dedicate this entire week to writing essays. |
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Week 7 |
The IELTS has a special speaking module for 11 to 14 minutes consisting of a personal interview and a two-way discussion on a general topic. Check out the samples in the Macmillan Testbuilder. |
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Week 8 |
Now you can practise full-length tests this week and you are ready to take the exam. |
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Karan Gupta is the founder of Mrijay International Education Consultants, which coaches students to study abroad. He studied at Ithaca College and the University of Texas at Austin. He worked at the Office of Admissions, Financial Aid office and the International Office, which gave him firsthand experience in the workings of the admissions process for American Universities. Karan is now the honorary study abroad college counsellor at Jai Hind College, Mumbai. He has written several articles on education abroad, loans, scholarships, visas and admissions.