Difference Between TOEFL and GRE with Proper Definition and Brief Explanation
TOEFL vs GRE
If you want to pursue higher education in the US and English is not your native language, there are two international tests that you can request and that you pass to be eligible at the universities you have applied for. These tests are a prerequisite for admission to universities in the United States. While TOEFL is more of a graded test that assesses your English language skills, GRE is a graduate registration test that is designed to assess candidates’ skills in verbal, quantitative, and analytical reasoning. It is not enough to qualify for one or the other, and a student needs to pass both exams to await admission to US universities. In this context, it becomes necessary to understand the differences between TOEFL and GRE.
What is TOEFL?
TOEFL is a test of English as a Foreign Language, and is designed to test foreign students’ abilities to understand and speak the language. There are sections on reading, writing and listening to check your proficiency. This is a test that the country’s universities attach importance to, since it guarantees that the student who is applying for admission has accepted levels of proficiency in the English language. The importance of TOEFL can be judged by the fact that more than 6000 institutions (colleges) in more than 130 countries accept scores obtained by a student in this test.
The first section of the test consists of questions based on a passage read by an American speaker, and candidates must answer these questions (50 in total). The second part of TOEFL consists of 40 questions that assess the candidate’s knowledge of written English. The third part again contains 50 questions that make candidates write in English. There is a time limit to complete all sections. The test result is valid for two years or else you need to take the test again.
What is GRE?
The GRE test is a test that rates an individual on their reasoning, analytical, and quantitative skills and informs universities about the average intelligence of students. As the name implies, it is for students who want to apply to graduate courses, and colleges want to make sure they don’t get candidates with below-average intelligence. It is a computerized, adaptive test. This is unique in that the computer adjusts according to the candidate’s previous answer and presents the next question. This system makes the completion of the test short, ending quickly.
GRE is a test that provides a level playing field for colleges and universities by allowing them to compare the grades obtained by students and set a cap to limit the number of students.
What is the difference between TOEFL and GRE?
Speaking of the differences between TOEFL and GRE, while most colleges and universities request the scores obtained in both exams, TOEFL scores are considered only as scored, while the highest cut-off values are set in GRE. If a university has set 80 as a TOEFL qualifying score, it will automatically reject applications from all students who fall below 80 on TOEFL, regardless of high scores on GRE. TOEFL is considered an easier test for both students and universities.