TOEFL score 105 enough?

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>My TOEFL score is available and as I was afraid, it is a huge disappointment.</p>

<p>I have scored an unexpected 105/120 on the iBT test. I fell sick midway through the exam, sneezed into the microphone a few times and couldn't answer the second/final writing prompt properly due to the same. I have a 57/60 in the sections before the interval (during which I fell sick) and a 48/60 after it.</p>

<p>I would be able to score a 115 or above if I took it again. So, my question is this, will a 115 have any difference whatsoever over a 105 in the admission process at a very selective university?</p>

<p>The exam is expensive but I am ready to take it if it will make even the slightest of difference.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>It’s good as long as it is over 100.</p>

3

<p>OP: stop speaking as if you “have excuses”, as if you’d need excuses, and stop worrying.
The TOEFL <em>only</em> matters if that’s the only test you submit, and for the schools that don’t ask for SAT/ACT a 105 would place you heads and shoulders above most applicants.
I assume you’re not applying to these schools.
For other schools (those in the top 25 National Universities/LAC rankings) your TOEFL score doesn’t matter as long as you’re at 100 or more. The TOEFL only verifies your ability to function in English in an academic setting. Once that’s verified, they move on to evaluating your transcript. It’s just a “cut off” system: if you don’t have the score, they won’t bother reading the rest. If you do, they discard the test result and move on to the rest of your application. Your SAT or ACT scores will be much more important. In addition, if you choose SAT Subjects, make sure to include one outside the sciences, since most Indian applicants take Math2 and two sciences - takeing Math2, 1 science, and 1 humanity/social science would show more well-rounded versatilty and would help you stand out a little (provided you don’t score like 430 on the humanity/social science test:p)</p>

4

<p>Phew, well thanks for clarifying.</p>

<p>I’m taking the ACT in a few days.</p>

<p>Btw you guessed it right! I’m taking M2, CH, PY in the subject tests. I thought it would be better as I’m looking to pursue CS, and only one of the Physics and Chemistry are required so if I messed up one of them, I’d have a fallback option.
Do you think I should replace one of them with something like world history?</p>

5

<p>

None whatsoever. Once you reach 100, colleges will check off that box and move onto other aspects of your application.</p>