Why it is Important to Choose the Right Standardised Test

The number of students taking admission in foreign universities is increasing day by day, and therefore, competition for a limited number of seats has stiffened. Since taking a standardised test is an essential pre-requisite to studying abroad, high scores on a reputable exam are a good way to stand out among lots of other applicants. An academically oriented standardized test gives you a head start and helps you to reach your dream school with an advantage over your peers. Additionally, in some cases, test scores are key in determining whether an applicant will be offered a fellowship or a scholarship, which can help defray the cost of an overseas education.

How important are standardized test scores?

Standardized test scores are just one factor among many that admissions officers and faculty consider during the admissions process, but they can become essential when deciding between two candidates who seem equally attractive for a particular programme. Just think about an education officer, who has to shortlist candidates from a pool of thousands of students from around the globe. Now realize that these students are from different backgrounds and diverse academic environments, and they bring a range of achievement profiles. Given this sheer diversity, how does the institution compare and contrast candidates to make an informed decision?

This is where the standardized test comes into play, as the only truly objective measure of a student’s skillset, and the only input that enables institutions to make direct comparisons between applicants from different backgrounds. So doing well on such a test can be the key to getting into your desired study programme.

Why it is important to choose the right test

While everyone understands that standardized tests are an essential part of the application package, what many don’t realize is that preparing for the right tests can give you a head start over your peers because these tests help students develop superior proficiency in the areas that truly matter in the classroom and the workplace. If a test is an accurate measure of the skills you will need to be successful in your desired programme, your investment of time and energy in preparing for that exam is, in fact, an investment in your collegiate journey, even before arriving on campus.

TOEFL and GRE tests as gold standards in admissions exams

The globally acclaimed TOEFL iBT test and GRE General Test are developed and administered by ETS, the world’s largest nonprofit educational assessment and research organization. The TOEFL test is the oldest and most respected test of academic English proficiency needed for undergraduate and graduate-level programmes and is designed to measure how well you combine your reading, listening, speaking and writing skills to perform academic tasks in English. The GRE test — which measures students’ verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills — has been trusted as a proven measure of readiness for success in graduate programmes including STEM and business programmes for 70 years. Both tests are recognized as global benchmarks in the standardized testing universe because these tests are designed with a scientific approach in consultation with educational institutions and academic experts to ensure

• They can accurately measure whether students have the desired academic and language skills for success once enrolled in a programme.
• They enable applicants to be considered and selected in a more scientific and fairer manner than other tests.

Preparing for the TOEFL and GRE tests can give students the confidence to engage with faculty and other accomplished students from around the world.

Broad-based acceptability

A key question that students consider when selecting an exam is the universal acceptability of standardized tests across major global education hubs. For Indian students, the first-choice destinations to study abroad are typically English-speaking locations, namely the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. However, our interactions and experience with the student community in India suggest that many may not be aware of the broad-based acceptance and popularity that TOEFL and GRE enjoy across the globe.

For example, while it is well known that TOEFL is the English proficiency test to take to apply to US and Canadian universities, it’s perhaps not as well known that the TOEFL test is accepted by more than 10,000 institutions in 130 countries around the world. This includes Australia and New Zealand, where TOEFL scores are accepted at every university and for immigration. Similarly, while the GRE test is a must for graduate school applications to the U.S., the GRE is also accepted by thousands of institutions around the world, including in increasingly popular destinations like Canada, Australia, the U.K., and Germany.

The broad spectrum of acceptability of these tests spans disciplines as well as regions. For example, there is a misconception that the GRE is typically oriented towards STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) courses, while the GMAT is best suited for the MBA programmes. The truth, however, is far from this misconception. It’s perhaps not that well known that over 1300 business schools accept the GRE, including the top-ranked business schools, as recognized by QS World University Rankings. These include the business programmes at Stanford, Harvard, Penn, Yale and the University of Chicago in the United States; Cambridge, Oxford and London Business School in the U.K.; and Université de Montréal and the University of Toronto in Canada.

The US remains a preferred choice and a welcoming destination for Indian students

Another key issue which has often been spoken about in India is the immigration environment in the United States today. I have personally seen a lot of commentary around this. However, as somebody who keenly watches this space, it’s a fact that the US remains a preferred choice among aspiring students, especially from India. More than 300 colleges, universities, and organizations in the United States are using the hashtag #youarewelcomehere on social media, which has become a synonym for acceptance of diverse strands from across the globe, and we at ETS wholeheartedly support and have eagerly contributed to this initiative.

While we are closely watching the landscape, fundamentally, we strongly believe that being the world’s foremost economy and having thousands of top-notch colleges and universities, the US will continue to retain its attractiveness as a top-flight destination for higher education and will continue to attract top-rung talent from across the globe. Over several years now, our data have shown that Asian students, especially from India and China, have taken the TOEFL and the GRE tests as a route to securing admissions in the institutions of their choice in the US and around the world, and we expect that trend to continue.

The importance of test scores in the admission process varies from college to college and depends on an institution’s admission approach and policies. The first consideration in selecting an admissions test is checking with your desired programmes to see which admissions exams they accept. After that, it’s up to you to determine which exam is most likely to best showcase your skills and help you stand out amongst your peers in the competitive admissions environment.

Disclaimer: The article has been written by David G. Payne, Vice President and COO, Global Education, ETS and published by the in-house team.

Educational Testing Service is the world's largest private non-profit educational testing and assessment organization.