<p>When I registered for the TOEFL iBT last week, I was invited to participate in an ETS trial that allows students to take the exam on their own laptop computer (under supervision in a test center, of course).</p>
<p>Security issues aside, would you prefer to take the exam on your own laptop or a computer that is provided for you?</p>
<p>Off topic: Someone is asking you to take the TOEFL after graduating from our college? Wow! Banging my head against the wall a bit here on this one. Can I tell the story at the DC Alum. fall party? They’d love it as one more piece of evidence that ETS is the devil’s own spawn!</p>
<p>On topic: While it would be nice to be able to use one’s own equipment, what my ESL students want is more space at the testing centers so that it is easier to schedule their exams.</p>
<p>Most graduate programs seem to accept a degree from an American university as evidence of English proficiency, but - lucky me - the programs I am the most interested in insist on TOEFL scores from all non-native speakers. I suspect that they are paying close attention to the speaking subscore, given that most students are funded through teaching assistantships.</p>
<p>Checking the speaking subscore would indeed make sense. I hadn’t thought of that. Good luck with the exam!</p>