Today we’re meeting Jiyeon, a student whose goal was to pass the TOEFL in 2 weeks with a 80 or higher. After studying on TestGlider, she got an 87!
We’re revealing all of her TestGlider study records to motivate everyone studying for the TOEFL on this blog post.
Meet today’s TOEFL graduate, Jiyeon
- 22-year-old undergraduate at “D” University in South Korea studying economics.
- Plans to study abroad in the United States for the 2022 fall semester.
- Since psychology programs are limited in her university, her goal is to apply to one abroad.
TOEFL Habits: Classes, Vocab, and Reviews
Jiyeon’s only experience with TOEFL was with the few TOEFL Junior exams she took in elementary school, so she decided to look for better ways to study with a more realistic testing interface.
But taking 4-hour English classes and working part-time as an English tutor’s assistant took a toll on her TOEFL study times. She managed to study by memorizing vocabulary lists and reviewing her practice answers on the weekends.
Here’s what her daily schedule looked like:
Then, She Practiced for 2 Weeks on TestGlider
To find a better TOEFL test practice besides classes and test booklets, she searched for TOEFL study recommendations online.
She found positive reviews for TestGlider as an affordable TOEFL grading and practice service and hasn’t looked back since.
Realistic TOEFL Interface
Jiyeon realized the real TOEFL exam was more than clicking “Next” to progress through the 4 sections.
The most difficult part about the TOEFL for Jiyeon was reading from a computer screen.
Being able to practice reading straight from the computer screen (just like the real TOEFL iBT) helped her figure out the best way to skim passages before the exam day. She says, “I had to finish the TOEFL in a short amount of time to apply for study abroad programs, and I could gain practical experience really quickly. For 2 weeks before my TOEFL exam date, I practiced religiously on TestGlider. It really helped me get a sense of what the real test would feel like.”
Compare Answers for Fast, Practical Feedback
Because she had to finish the TOEFL in a short amount of time to apply for study abroad programs, she needed to gain practical experience really quickly.
Jiyeon’s TOEFL Study Advice:
“In the case of TOEFL speaking, I really liked the [Other Ways to Answer] feature where I could see how other users answered the same question I was working on.”
Boost your score by listening to Other Ways to Answer and compare pronunciation and organization to other people’s answers!
[You can see Other Ways to Answer by completing a practice test and clicking “Review”]
Best TOEFL Motivation: My Study Record
Some days, all we want to do is forget about all the studying.
But to Jiyeon, her own study track record kept her motivated.
Clocking in 3 hours 7 days before the exam, 6 hours 6 days before, and 5 hours 5 days before, she says,“I really liked that I could check my practice records. I’d think, ‘Wow, I did 2 hours today,’ and feel really proud. This kind of satisfaction helped motivate me to keep studying.”
[You can check your own study records in the Analysis page!]
Let’s Check How Jiyeon’s TOEFL Studied on TestGlider
(This is Jiyeon’s real TestGlider usage record)
After checking her scores, Jiyeon’s lowest score was in the speaking section.
She practiced with short speaking pop quizzes until the day of her TOEFL exam and has studied for 18.9 hours in total with TestGlider.
Jiyeon scored an average of 88 on TestGlider.
Compared to her practice scores on TestGlider, she got a highly accurate score of 87 on her actual TOEFL exam.
Conclusion
Currently, Jiyeon has been accepted to her top pick university program in the United States!
Congratulations to Jiyeon, and the TestGlider Team sends our warm wishes for her upcoming semester 🙂