My Honest TOEFL at Home Experience: Scores, Challenges, and Tips

1. Introduction

• Sharing my TOEFL at-home exam experience.

• Took the TOEFL exam twice and will provide an honest review.

2. First TOEFL Exam Experience

• Scores:

  • Reading: 20

  • Listening: 26

  • Speaking: 24

  • Writing: 26

  • Total: 96

• Target: Above 25 in each section.

• Reading Section Mistake:

  • Spent too much time on early questions.

  • Ran out of time for the last 10 questions, leading to rushed answers.

  • Usually scored 24–25 in mock tests.

• Speaking Section:

  • Scored 24, but many universities require 25+ for teaching/research assistant roles.

• ProctorU Experience:

  • Smooth process.

  • Exam started at 1:40 PM and ended at 5:30 PM.

3. Decision to Retake TOEFL

• Aimed to improve Reading and Speaking scores.

• Hoped to achieve 100+ overall.

• Prepared heavily for Speaking during the one-week gap between exams.

4. Second TOEFL Exam Experience

• Technical Issues:

  • Exam terminated during the Reading section (around question 17).

  • Waited 50 minutes for support to fix the issue.

  • Restarted the exam but had to re-read passages, wasting time.

• Listening Section:

  • Went smoothly.

• Break:

  • Took a 10-minute break after Listening.

• ProctorU Issues Continued:

  • Proctor couldn’t restart the exam after the break.

  • Waited another 40 minutes for technical support.

• Speaking and Writing Sections:

  • Speaking went smoothly.

  • Writing was challenging due to physical discomfort from sitting for hours.

• Scores:

  • Reading: 20

  • Listening: 26

  • Speaking: 24

  • Writing: 21

  • Total: 91 (lower than the first attempt).

5. Key Challenges

• Technical Glitches:

  • Exam termination and long wait times.

  • ProctorU support delays.

• Physical Discomfort:

  • Sitting for hours without a fan (to improve audio clarity) caused sweating and pain.

• Unexpected Score Drop:

  • Writing score dropped from 26 to 21 despite feeling confident.

6. TOEFL MyBest Scores

• What It Is:

  • Combines best section scores from multiple attempts.

• University Acceptance:

  • Many universities do not accept TOEFL MyBest Scores.

  • Always check university requirements before retaking the exam.

7. Lessons Learned

• Time Management:

  • Practice pacing during the Reading section.

• Technical Preparedness:

  • Ensure a stable internet connection and troubleshoot potential issues beforehand.

• Physical Comfort:

  • Use a fan or air conditioning to stay comfortable during the exam.

• Retaking the Exam:

  • Only retake if absolutely necessary and after thorough preparation.

8. Final Thoughts

• The second TOEFL at-home experience was frustrating due to technical issues and physical discomfort.

• Despite challenges, stay calm and focused during the exam.

• Always verify university requirements for TOEFL scores before retaking the test.

9. Conclusion

• Shared my experience to help others prepare for the TOEFL at-home exam.

• Encouraged viewers to stay positive and not panic during technical issues.

• Announced my new Instagram account (@_yt) for YouTube audience engagement.

Shared by itsatishay