TOEFL really unnecessary?

<p>Hi! I’m from Argentina and will be applying as undergraduate to several universities in USA and other countries; TOEFL is waived for me in all those colleges because I scored 800 in the Critical Reading part of the SAT. I want to know whether TOEFL is really useless for me, or getting a high score would increase my chances of receiving financial aid. Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>as long as it's not required at any university you have your eye on, refrain from taking the toefl. it's a waste of money.</p>

<p>yeah I wasnt gonna take it either but I just got recieved a reply from a university that REQUIRED toefl - he said that even though I'm fluent in english, and have been living in an englsh speaking country for 10 years, and recieved good results for cr and w, he said that TOEFL will make me a stronger candidate.</p>

<p>So for universities that REQUIRE toefl, i think they really require it.?
I'm not sending and wasting money for the schools that 'recommend' toefl.
I recommend u do the same.</p>

<p>You got an 800 in CR, there is NO way any TOEFL score will INCREASE your chances. But, as they say, some universities REQUIRE it. So you have to take the test. The best way to know whether they actually require it is to send them an email. Sometimes the websites say they will waive the test if you get 650+, but thats not always true.</p>

<p>i think toefl scores generally don't decide our decisions.....its just a basic requirement for non-native english speakers...that's all</p>

<p>TOEFL is NOT required to study in US...(in most cases) for internationals....but some(very few...u need to check their respective sites).....I WONT make your app STRONGER in any sense!Dont waste money.....</p>

<p>Hmm - all the programs i'm applying to do require the TOEFL. Yep, every single one. I would recommend reading very carefully through the website of each program and university you are applying to because as far as I can tell, it is the norm for unis to require the TOEFL for international students.</p>

<p>As for a high TOEFL score, it won't help you get in I don't think. However if your score is low you may have to do remedial english classes, and if it's really low (you don't make the minimum score) you may be rejected on the basis of your lack of english skills.</p>

<p>*O m G *
I just went to the toefl website to register.</p>

<p>$165 USD?</p>

<p>I'm seriously contemplating whether or not I should even APPLY to those schools REQUIRING the toefl.
This is pure bs.
They're ripping us off.</p>

<p>165$!!!!!! that's bs indeed!!!!</p>

<p>better dont apply,just ask the ones u are applying through email,if they''recommend'' then dont go for it,if they REQUIRE then dont apply to them!</p>

<p>That price is discrimination to the poor! Why do they need so much money anyway? And they say they are non-profit...</p>

<p>LOL,ya I am wondewring that thing too...........how the hell they call themselves ''not for profit''....</p>

<p>the initial fee is nothing. sending scores costs a lot more</p>

<p>YES,thats another fact.....I hav given IELTS and now I need to pay for sending scores....it is a costly affair,I dont know who have given them rights to call themselves ''not for profit''/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/&lt;/p>

<p>my international student counselor in my high school (san jose, ca), told me that if i can score at least 600 in the CR, then i wouldn't have to take toefl.</p>

<p>Your counselor is wrong unless he/she is referring to specific universities that waive the TOEFL requirement based on your CR score. There are quite a few universities stating very specifically that TOEFL is required for applicants whose first language is not English.</p>

<p>I agree, the only way to find out for sure is to look at the websites of the colleges you're applying to or email them</p>

<p>Yes, Boston U, is one of the universities that REQUIRE toefl.
I asked them in an email whether I should or should not. I'll post a section of it here:</p>

<p>Thank you for your message and for your interest in Boston University. Although you have high done quite well on the reading and writing sections of the SAT exam, if your first language is not English you still need to take the TOEFL or IELTS exam and send us an official report of you exam scores. Taking the TOEFL exam will make you a stronger candidate for admission to Boston University.</p>

<p>They dont care if you have been living in an English-speaking country for your whole life. Ok so my first language was not english, but I've been living in an english speaking coutnry for over 10 years + obtained good CR and W scores, and recieved good results for english classes in school.</p>

<p>If I'm applying to boston, I'll probably pay over $250 for TOEFL, application fee ($75 - ridiculously high for some reason), sat scores and postage -- JUST for boston.
Now we're not financially in a hole, but we're not upper-class either.
I might just drop Boston, and couple of other uni's off my list :(</p>

<p>Ok I decided to take the damn toefl and waste more money on college applications.</p>

<p>I registered with ETS but I cant find the cost of sending to colleges?
I know that the registration fee is 165, but how much does it cost to send?</p>

<p>I think they send to 4 destinations for free, and every destination thereafter costs around 16 bucks each.</p>