In this article you will understand the difference between GRE, TOEFL, IELTS GMAT Exams, the purpose of taking these exams, test formats, scoring patterns, exam fee and who needs to take what exam.
Difference between GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, GMAT Exams
If you are looking to pursue higher education abroad or migrate? If so, you have likely heard of the GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, and IELTS. Notably, the GRE and GMAT are used for academic objectives, while the TOEFL and IELTS are incredibly versatile, being useful for a variety of professional, academic, immigration purpose.
In particular, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is gaining popularity as a requirement for admissions and immigration purposes, despite the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) being the oldest language assessment test and is widely recognized as the gold standard for measuring English language proficiency worldwide.
Difference between TOEFL and IELTS
Both the (IELTS International English Language Testing System) and the (TOEFL) Test of English as a Foreign Language assess a candidate’s command of the language in all four skills, assuming that the candidate is not a native English speaker. These test evaluate a student’s language comprehension skills across four subtests: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. This ensures that the prospective student has the background knowledge to complete high school and college-level coursework in an university overseas.
Details of the GRE
The full form of the GRE is the Graduate Record Exam. It is a prerequisite for acceptance into most Master’s degree programs mostly in the USA, Germany some of the popular universities in Canada. The GRE is the most popular among engineering graduates who are looking at furthering their education with a master’s degree abroad.
About the GRE Exam
The GRE Exam is available online and the duration of the exam is 3 hours. Specifically, the GRE has three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing, with each section having a specific time period for completion and analytical writing being the first section you will face in the GRE Exam. Consequently, test-takers must allot their time wisely and work efficiently in order to finish within the allotted time frame.
The GRE tests their ability to understand complex English texts and to apply that understanding to a set of questions designed to probe their analytical reasoning skills.
Who should take the GRE?
The GRE test score is one of the most popular test for graduate school admissions – especially in Germany and the USA – and is a gateway to pursuing higher studies abroad. Consequently, anyone with an undergraduate degree can decide to take the test, as it is a pre-requisite for those wishing to further their education in a foreign country after having completed their undergraduate studies from their home country.
The GRE Exam booking process.
To apply for the GRE test, first and foremost, you must create a GRE account on the official website. Moreover, there is no need to rush towards the exam booking as it is available all year round, barring national holidays. Lastly, the cost of the GRE Exam is USD 205.
All About the GMAT
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a standardized test whose scores are for business schools and MBA programs across the globe in over 1200 B-Schools and is an integral part of the admissions process. The purpose of the GMAT is to assess a student’s aptitude level including analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning. The score from the GMAT is one of the most important factors considered when evaluating a student’s application for admission.
GMAT Exam Fee, duration and exam centres.
The GMAT exam scores you on a scale of 200-800 points and is divided into four sections: Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Quantitative, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning. The exam typically takes about three and a half hours to complete. The GMAT Exam fee is $250 and the exam is available online at any of the Prometric Centres.
How to book the GMAT Exam.
You’ll need to create a GMAT account on the official website and register – there’s a registration fee of USD 250. Plus, you’ll get access to official preparation material from MBA.com. Moreover, you can take the exam up to 5 times a year with a minimum of 16 days between each attempt, and registration is open all year round. Just remember that you can only attempt the GMAT 8 times in your lifetime.
Difference between IELTS and TOEFL
All about TOEFL
The fact that the test is focused on the US makes it very popular with schools and graduate schools in the US. However, it is accepted in many more countries, including the UK and Australia. In other words, this test isn’t just for US universities. Universities all over the world accept it as well.
Scoring
The TOEFL exam, available online and at Prometric Examination centers, tests you on four language skills – reading, writing, listening, and speaking – and yields a total score of 120, with scores ranging from 0 to 30 on each of the four modules.
The TOEFL exam fee is $195.
All about IELTS
The IELTS scores range from 0 to 9 Band, where 9 denotes an expert user. Generally, a score of 6.5 or higher will get you into a university on the IELTS Academic. However, the minimum score for the IELTS General is 7.5, although this may vary depending on the type of application. Furthermore, the fee for taking the IELTS Exam is Rs. 16200.
GRE Scores for Business Program Applications
Business schools in the US accept either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for a Masters in management program. Even though the GMAT is usually for business school applications, if you have taken the GRE and have a valid score, you may use your GRE score as a substitute for the GMAT score for Business school applications.
Scoring on the GRE and GMAT
If you’re considering taking the GMAT or the GRE, you’ll need to assess your skill level and read through each exam’s material to decide which one is better suited to you. Although the two tests both have online components and share some common topics across their sections, there is one major difference between them: the GMAT has a total score of 800, while the GRE has separate quantitative and verbal scores with a total score of 340.
Therefore, if you’re not applying to business school, then you must take the GRE as the GMAT is not an appropriate substitute for the GRE; Notably, most of the questions on the quantitative sections are similar on both tests. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which exam will suit your needs best. If applying for Master’s program in science take the GRE and if you are planning for a management program go with the GMAT.
