Should I take the TOEFL?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi all, I'm a freshman undergraduate thinking about transferring to a different university. While browsing through some requirements, I noticed that many colleges say something along the lines of:</p>

<p>"if your native language is not English, you should submit your results from TOEFL"</p>

<p>I was confused by the ambiguity. I was born in Japan and immigrated to the US when I was 8. While Japanese is my first, native language (and I can speak it very fluently), I am also fluent in English, perhaps to the extent I feel more comfortable speaking English than Japanese.</p>

<p>So, do I still "qualify" as a candidate to take the TOEFL? If so, would it be to my advantage or should I just not take it at all?</p>

2

<p>If you read the details about what precisely is required to demonstrate English proficiency, you will find that many institutions offer several options. These normally include TOEFL/IELTS/Other exam scores, ACT/SAT/AP exam scores, or a given number of years of study in schools or colleges where English is the medium of instruction. You have been attending schools (and now a university) where English is the medium of instruction for approximately 10 years. It is highly unlikely that any college or university would require a TOEFL score. Don’t waste your time, energy, and money on that exam.</p>