Some U.S. colleges and universities require or recommend that international applicants submit proof of their English language skills, usually in the form of a standardized test score.
- 如有疑问，请联系电邮
- contact@eetcgroup.com
USNEWS：雅思和托福：有什么区别？
斯坦福在线高中（Stanford Online High School, Stanford, CA）
2019年1月16日
范德比尔特大学（Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN）
2019年1月20日By Kelly Mae Ross
可以这样说，美国排名前1000的高校，基本上全部需要英语语言成绩方可入学，尤其是留学生们，因为他们需要专门的语言考试才行。这个语言考试就相当于一个行业标准，大家应该明白它的重要性吧。USNEWS很重视的把雅思与托福比较了一次，毕竟托福才是美国的亲儿子，也是美国精英们树立的标准之一。而雅思是英联邦国家的语言标准考试，它代表了谁的意志？所以，大家在报名时，一定要看清楚学校的招生简章，到底需要提供的是什么语言考试成绩才行，不要到报名跟前才注意，那可就没有时间后悔了！
Two of the more popular English language proficiency tests out there are the IELTS and the TOEFL.
Some schools prefer one test over the other, while others accept scores from either test – plus a few others. Prospective international students should make sure they research the preference of the schools they want to apply to.
If a school doesn’t have a preference, students should consider whether the TOEFL or the IELTS plays more to their strengths as they decide which to take.
TOEFL’s structure and language is more academically focused, test prep experts say, while the IELTS has a more real-world communication feel. However, this doesn’t mean the IELTS is easier, says Eliot Friesen, IELTS curriculum manager at test prep company Magoosh. “It’s still challenging, but it’s not that sort of in-depth academic material that you get on the TOEFL,” he says.
Another difference is that students take the IELTS on paper, while most test-takers face the TOEFL on a computer. According to the TOEFL website, 97 percent of people who take the TOEFL take the iBT, or internet-based test, as opposed to the paper version.
Students with strong typing skills may find the TOEFL to be a better fit, while those who prefer hand writing their responses might lean toward the IELTS.
Prospective international students can use the table below to compare and contrast the IELTS Academic test – the version of the IELTS meant for those applying to colleges and universities – and the TOEFL iBT test. The average minimum scores information comes from U.S. News Best Colleges data.
| IELTS (Academic) | TOEFL (iBT) | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned by: | British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment | ETS |
| Test delivery format: | Paper-based | Computer-based |
| Cost: | – Varies by country – In the U.S., the test costs $215-$245 |
Varies by country between $165-$300, with most countries under $200 |
| Length: | 2 hours and 45 minutes | 4 hours |
| Test sections (in order): |
– Listening: 30 minutes – Reading: 60 minutes – Writing: 60 minutes – Speaking: 11-14 minutes (section can also be taken before the other three sections) |
– Reading: 60-80 minutes – Listening: 60-90 minutes – Speaking: 20 minutes – Writing: 50 minutes |
| Speaking section format: | In-person with an examiner | Computer-based (students speak into a headset microphone) |
| Breaks: | No breaks during the listening, reading and writing sections, but the speaking portion can be taken up to a week before or after the rest of the test | 10-minute break between listening and speaking sections |
| Accents test-takers might hear: | Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S. | Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S. |
| Where the test is offered: | More than 1,100 locations in some 140 countries worldwide | Offered around the world, though ETS couldn’t provide an exact count of test sites |
| How frequently the test is offered: | 48 test dates per year | More than 50 test dates per year |
| Where scores are accepted: | Accepted by more than 9,000 organizations globally, including around 3,000 U.S. institutions (see test website for searchable list) | Accepted by more than 10,000 organizations globally, including more than 5,000 U.S. institutions (see test website for searchable list) |
| Results timeline: | Results are issued 13 days after the test | Results are issued approximately 10 days after the test |
| Scoring scale: | zero to 9 | zero to 120 |
| Average minimum score required by ranked National Universities (fall 2015): | 6.3 | 78 |
| Average minimum score required by ranked National Liberal Arts Colleges(fall 2015): | 6.5 | 82.2 |
