explainers Archives • Page 2 of 3 • Online GRE Prep Blog by PrepScholar

What Is the TOEFL Test? Why Do You Need It?

Courtney MontgomeryDecember 23, 2016February 15, 2017TOEFLets, explainers, getting started, international students1 Comment

If you’re a non-native English speaker and you’re thinking about studying in an English-speaking country, you may have heard about a test called the “TOEFL.” But what is the TOEFL test, exactly, and what do you need to know about it?

If you’ve got questions about the TOEFL, then you’ve come to the right place! This guide will take you through what the TOEFL is, how it works, whether or not you’ll need to take it, and how to prepare for it.

So let’s get started.

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What Is a Good TOEFL Score? A Bad One? An Excellent One?

Christine SarikasDecember 22, 2016July 24, 2017TOEFLexplainers, getting started, toefl scores

What’s a good TOEFL score? Is it enough to just get above average or do top schools require more? If a school lists a minimum TOEFL requirement, can you meet that score and still get in, or should you aim even higher? And how do you find this information anyway?

This guide will explain everything you need to know about what a “good” TOEFL score is. First we’ll go over what great, good, and poor TOEFL scores are based on average exam results. Next, we’ll go over each step you need to take to figure out your personal “good” TOEFL score based on the schools you’re interested in, as well as where to find all this information. At the end of the guide we’ll also go over the next steps to take once you figure out what your personal TOEFL score goal.

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Retaking the GRE: Should You Actually Do It?

Christine SarikasDecember 12, 2016July 11, 2017GRE General Info, GRE Prepexplainers, gre scores, preparing for the gre, retaking the gre

Going through all the effort of taking the GRE and then not getting the score you want is hard. You’re likely to be left with a lot of questions: Should I retake the GRE? Will I be able to raise my score? Will it make a difference for grad school admissions? Deciding whether or not to retake the GRE can be a challenging decision, but, luckily, we’re here to walk you through it.

In this guide, we’ll explain when you’ll be able to retake the GRE, what grad schools think of GRE retakes, the questions you should ask yourself when deciding whether to take the test again, and how to ensure you’ll get a higher score when retaking the GRE.

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Who Takes the GRE? Should You Take It?

Christine SarikasDecember 12, 2016July 11, 2017GRE General Infoets, explainers, grad exams, graduate school

Are you thinking about taking the GRE but aren’t exactly sure what it is? Who takes the GRE? What is it used for?

For anyone wondering “should I take the GRE?”, read this guide to learn exactly why people take the GRE, who takes the test, and how to decide if you should take the exam.

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How to Get a GRE Fee Waiver: Simple 4-Step Guide

Christine SarikasDecember 12, 2016July 11, 2017GRE Logisticsexplainers, finances, gre cost, rules and regulations

Have you seen the cost of registering for the GRE and aren’t sure how you’re going to pay for it? Maybe you’ve heard that you might be able to get a GRE fee waiver. It’s true; there is a GRE Fee Reduction Program, but trying to understand how it works can be confusing.

This guide walks you through exactly what the program offers, who is eligible for it, and each step you need to take in order to receive a GRE voucher. We end with other tips for keeping the cost of the GRE to a minimum.

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How Is the GRE Essay Scored?

Laura StaffaroniDecember 12, 2016June 15, 2017GRE Analytical Writingexplainers, gre scores

Your GRE Writing score is a kind of cyborg measurement that averages together both human and machine ratings and melds them into an Analytical Writing score on a scale of 0-6. But how does a human grade the essay? Is the computer grader trustworthy?

In this article, we’ll explain the details of the GRE essay scoring process and the rubrics used by the human graders to derive your two essay scores.

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GRE Calculator: 4 Top Tips for How to Use It

Laura StaffaroniDecember 11, 2016August 17, 2017GRE Quantitativecalculator, computerized test, explainers

Can you use a calculator on the GRE general test? Absolutely, but you cannot bring your own calculator to use on test day. If you take the computerized test, you’ll be able to use the simple, on-screen GRE calculator for the Quantitative Reasoning sections; if you take the paper test, a similar calculator will be provided to you.

Make sure you’re using the right kind of calculator in your GRE studying! Learn more about the calculator that’s provided to you on the GRE general test with this guide. I’ll cover exactly what all the buttons do and how to use the GRE calculator to improve your score.

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What Is Graduate School? Why Go? Master’s and PhDs

Ellen McCammonNovember 1, 2016July 13, 2017Grad Schoolexplainers, graduate school

If you’re nearing the end of college or you’ve completed college, you’ve probably heard the term “graduate school” thrown around by your peers and teachers. In fact, you’ve probably heard all kinds of graduate-school related terms, like “graduate degree,” “Masters,” “PhD,” and more.

But what is a graduate degree? What is a PhD? What is a doctoral degree? What’s a doctorate? We’ll demystify it all here. (Hint: those last three are all the same thing.)

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The Real Answer: When to Take the GRE

Christine SarikasNovember 1, 2016July 11, 2017GRE Logisticsexplainers, getting started, test dates

There are a lot of GRE test dates every year, which is great for giving you options, but it can make choosing the best test date a challenge. When should you take the GRE? How long does it take for schools to receive your scores? How long will you need to study?

Keep reading to learn the answers to all these questions and more.

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Is the GRE Actually Hard? Expert Analysis of 10 Key Factors

Christine SarikasNovember 1, 2016July 11, 2017GRE Prepexplainers, getting started, study tips

Are you taking the GRE soon and are worried about the difficulty level of the test? Just how hard is the GRE, really?

In this guide, I’ll compare the GRE’s difficulty level to other standardized tests you may have taken to give you an initial sense of how tough it is. I’ll then explain each of the aspects of the GRE that make it challenging, as well as those that make it easier than you may think. Finally, I’ll end with some tips to help you be prepared for the GRE on test day.

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