TOEFL IBT vs PBT

[betelgeuse1]

does anyone know what's the difference between IbT and PBT? I took the IbT 2 years ago and got 107 but I need to take the TOEFL again this year. In my city there is only PBT this year (don't know why... ) and I am not sure as to register for PBT or to go somewhere else and take the IbT...

[betelgeuse1]

I was not talking about the trivial difference: one is on paper and the other via internet... more like : one is easier, one is accepted by all the universities, things like that...
Thanks!

[pqortic]

if you have the experience of taking iBT, I strongly suggest you to retake the iBT. its more acceptable (Harvard or MIT only accept iBT) and easier to report scores. but somehow more difficult than pbt. but your previous score shows that you can ace the test.

[betelgeuse1]

Thanks!
Harvard & MIT I don't know why I think that the TOEFL score won't be the reason why I won't get there... but, hey, I can still dream...

[ali8]

I really advice you to stick with the iBt since you have an experience with it.

(personally , I think pbt is easier though i didn't tried iBt, however I got only 610 in pbt )

[mahar]

The MIT physics department does not accept the toefl. They only accept IELTS for some reason...

[physics_auth]

The MIT physics department does not accept the toefl. They only accept IELTS for some reason...

This was a deterrent for my applying there, since I saw this detail after having taken TOEFL exams. MIT probably has "strong collaborations" with english universities ...and this somehow may have led them to this decision. But all this sounds a bit preposterous! [Some students go to US through England, and one such destination of students is MIT ...]

[nathan12343]

Maybe it's a way for them to reduce the number of international applicants? That's a little cynical, but who knows...

[mahar]

Maybe it's a way for them to reduce the number of international applicants? That's a little cynical, but who knows...

I don't believe that. I cannot see how this prevent an international student to apply.Anyone can take the ielts test, so if you want to apply to MIT then you will take this test.
However, I decided not to apply to MIT physics before taking any test because I didn't want to take another test. 3 (gre g, gre physics, toefl) are more than enough...

Probably they have something like an agreement with the University of Cambridge or the British council, but who knows.

[Zburatorul]

I know some schools, like UCSB will waive the TOEFL if your Bachelor's is from a US university. Do you guys know if any of the other Top 20 will as well?

If nobody does, I will email the schools to ask.

[mahar]

I found that on the website of Stanford physics department (http://www.stanford.edu/dept/physics/ac ... sions.html)

TOEFL - required for applicants whose first language is not English. It must be taken within the last 18 months. The TOEFL is waived for applicants who have recently completed a Bachelor's degree, or a 2-year Master's program, in the U.S. or in another English-speaking country.

[Zburatorul]

I ended up not taking the TOEFL at all. I am international with a US degree applying to top 20 in physics.

[Fudge]

hanks!
Harvard & MIT I don't know why I think that the TOEFL score won't be the reason why I won't get there....

[montana111]

Are you good at grammar? If so, take PBT. The big drawback of PBT is that you really cannot make more than a few mistakes to score over 600.

[mikelynn77]

For speaking section, there are questions which the answers are students opinions, and in the IBT TOEFL book , there are topics in speaking which were used in the previous tests - which I believe TOEFL test study guides still use some topics. All you need to do is to give the speaking problems to some time (you speak the topics) there are numerous example given in there, give time for questions to think the answers (with allocated time by the test), and let them speak their answers (with allocated time). For all this activity, you need stopwatch.