Preparing for GRE and TOEFL: Essential Tips for Indian PhD Applicants to US Universities

Pursuing PhD in the USA for international students programs often requires them to submit different test scores. These scores are of two types: 1) Tests to judge your academic abilities (GRE and GMAT) and 2) Tests to judge your English language proficiency (IELTS and TOEFL).

Applying for PhD in the USA for international students can be hard as they need to prepare simultaneously for both of these exams. Not to mention, you’ll need to simultaneously research the available courses, universities, and financial aid to cover your tuition and living costs. To get help regarding choosing your PhD subject and university, can contact our team at Imperial Education Overseas Consultants. Read on to learn more about preparing for GRE and TOEFL.

PhD in the USA for International Students- An Overview of GRE and TOEFL

GRE

The GRE comprises GRE General and GRE Subject tests. The GRE general test is a 3-hour 45-minute test with sections to test your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. It evaluates your critical thinking, analytical, and quantitative skills needed to complete your PhD. The GRE subject test evaluates your aptitude in your preferred subject.

TOEFL

The TOEFL exam asses your English language communication skills and whether you can use it in an academic setting. The test consists of sections on reading, listening, speaking, and writing. TOEFL exams primarily analyze the language skills necessary to study PhD in the USA for international students in an English-speaking environment.

Preparation Tips to Ace the GRE and TOEFL

 Measure Your Skills

• Diagnostic Tests: Start with problem-solving tests for GRE and TOEFL tests to recognize your strengths and weaknesses for each exam.
• Testing Language Skills: To check and continuously improve your English language proficiency levels, focus on your weak points. Be it vocabulary, grammar, listening comprehension, or academic writing, ensure that you maintain your strengths and gradually minimize your weak points.

Plan Your Studies

• Goal Setting: A key step while preparing PhD in the USA for international students is to set realistic goals for each exam based on their target scores and application requirements.
• Time Management: Another important step while preparing PhD in the USA for international students is to allot time to study for each exam based on their respective test dates and your proficiency level.

Combined Test Prep

• Combine Your Skills: Students need to understand the skills that are required for both GRE and TOEFL. These include reading comprehension, fluency, grammar, and analytical writing. You can reinforce your efficiency on both tests if you study these areas concurrently.
• Practice for Both Tests: Practice with GRE-style reading comprehension tests and analytical prompts that need higher English proficiency levels to simultaneously practice for both tests.

Study Materials and Resources

• Students need to focus on building a strong vocabulary for both TOEFL and GRE tests using flashcards, apps, and appropriate reading materials.
• Preparing for PhD in the USA for international students must also include using official GRE and TOEFL guides and practice tests to acquaint themselves with the format and types of questions.
• Students can utilize online resources such as online forums, practice questions, and study groups tailored to test their GRE and TOEFL preparation.

Develop Test-Taking Strategies:

• Students should learn and exercise time management skills for every section to ensure they complete all sections within the allotted time.
• Additionally, you can attend online and offline workshops and sessions that teach test-taking strategies to succeed in the GRE and TOEFL.

Practice Mock Tests for PhD in the USA for International Students

• Practice full-length GRE and TOEFL mock tests and time each section of them to mimic the actual test-day experience.
• After every test, evaluate your performance, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and adjust your studies accordingly.

GRE Specific Preparation

• Enhance your quantitative reasoning skills for PhD in the USA for international students by reviewing elementary concepts of mathematics and practice solving GRE practice problems.
• Improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills while preparing for PhD in the USA by regularly practicing GRE-level tests.
• To improve your analytical writing skills, practice outlining and writing analytical essays on a variety of topics.

 TOEFL Specific Preparation

• Practice outlining main points, understanding details, and recognizing organizational patterns in educational texts and lectures to augment your reading and listening skills.
• Practice responses to TOEFL practice speaking prompts, record them and analyze them to enhance your fluency and pronunciation reasoning.
• To ensure your writing style is clear, organized, and adheres to TOEFL academic guidelines, write timed essays on TOEFL-based topics to mimic test conditions.

Along with the above tips, ensure that you get adequate rest, sleep, and nutrition to stay focused and minimize stress. Also, ensure that you’ve got all the necessary test-related documents and that you’re familiar with the test center location.

Need more guidance regarding PhD in the USA for international students? Schedule a meeting with our team at Imperial Education Overseas Consultants Kolkata today. We can guide you in the process of studying PhD in the USA.

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