Take the TOEFL any day? Almost any hour? In a classroom with only six other people? Get the score instantly? Right here in Newark?
Now all this is possible with the new TOEFL format. Instead of traveling to Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., ELI students can now make appointments on weekdays and some evenings to take the test in 007 Pearson Hall on the UD campus. The four terminals provided by the Educational Testing Service serve TOEFL takers, while other terminals in the same room can be used for other tests, such as the GRE and GMAT. Different tests can be taken simultaneously, according to Mary Ruth Pierce, site director. The listening section of the TOEFL requires headphones so other test takers will not be disturbed.
Another innovation is the instant scoring. Students receive an unofficial score at the end of the exam and can decide at that moment whether to send the score to a college of their choice. They receive the official score two weeks later.
The new version of the TOEFL contains a revamped scoring system and an essay which may be written with pen and paper or on the computer. All the international TOEFL tests given in the United States are now computerized, and within two years ETS plans to add several countries to the new system.
Pierce says international students appreciate registering at her office, where the new format can be explained more easily in person than on the phone. The improved access should make it easier for ELI students to test their English abilities conveniently in Newark. To register, contact Mary Ruth Pierce at 831-6717.