Do the application forms of graduate schools have both TOEFL and GRE in their requirement list, and now you are confused about what to do or which test to take? What is the purpose of both tests, and what will their format or test content be?
The GRE and TOEFL are standardized tests that students need to take before applying to a graduate school. Neither of them is less important. Both have their purpose, scoring and evaluating criteria. This blog guide gives a complete overview, purpose, and comparison chart of both tests to help you figure out and pick the right exam for you.
Our blog guide has five parts:
In this part, we will give you the complete information of both TOEFL and GRE to understand what’s on these tests exactly and why graduate schools consider their scores.
TOEFL full form is the Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is an English proficiency high-quality and high-standard test, and it is produced by ETS (Examination Testing Service). Many graduate and undergraduate institutions take this test to measure students’ English speaking, reading, understanding and listening skills and assure their readiness for school and courses.
The TOEFL has four sections to solve within 3 hours. You can take it at home or at a testing centre. Some countries also offer a Paper Edition test; however, the rest take it on computer systems. How you want to take the TOEFL is your choice. Its preparation materials and courses measure only four academic English skills so that you can practice them from free ETS resources or an expert. And if your English skills are already good enough, then you can prepare for it on your own.
Following is the TOEFL test structure:
| Section | Total Questions | Allotted Time |
| Reading | 30 – 40 questions | 54 – 72 minutes |
| Listening | 28 – 39 questions | 41 – 57 minutes |
| Speaking | 4 tasks | 17 minutes |
| Writing | 2 tasks | 50 minutes |
You will be allowed to take a break of 10 minutes after the listening section. You have to read, listen and then speak or write to respond to a question and read and then speak in response to the questions.
GRE full form is Graduate Record Examination, and ETS also produces it. Graduate schools or universities take the GRE to measure the students’ analytical and argumentative writing, critical and logical thinking, problem-solving, quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning skills and assure their preparedness for high-level academic programs.
The GRE has a total of three major sections to solve within 3 hours and 45 minutes. You can take it at home or a testing centre, and the choice is yours. However, the terms and conditions are different for both. Moving to its preparation materials and courses, one should start studying for it almost four to five minutes before the test day. Taking help from a GRE expert or tutoring platforms is encouraged.
Following is the GRE General test structure:
| Section | Number of Questions | Time Limit |
| Analytical Writing (Two Tasks) | Analyze an Issue Analyze Argument | 30 minutes per task |
| Verbal Reasoning (Two Sections) | 20 questions each | 30 minutes per section |
| Quantitative Reasoning (Two Sections) | 20 questions each | 30 minutes per section |
These six sections of GRE always appear in order; therefore, you should prepare well as each question score counts.
TOEFL is taken to measure the English communication skills of students from over 160 countries, and more than 11,500 schools and universities accept it.
English speaking schools administrators consider TOEFL scores to check if students are best for them or not. And the GRE is taken to check if the students can handle the high-level and graduate-level courses or not. GRE is taken in more than 180 countries, and it is a doorway to get into top competitive graduate schools.
In short, the TOEFL is the English proficiency test, and the GRE is the entrance test for graduate schools. However, the high score of both tests is mandatory to be part of your targeted schools or universities.
You must have understood the structures and purposes of both TOEFL and GRE. It is clear that both tests are entirely different, and they also test different skill sets. If a graduate school asks for both, then be well-prepared to excel in both tests and prove your skills. However, for native English speakers giving TOEFL is not mandatory for admission.
Here are a few key differences which are essential to understand between the GRE and TOEFL:
Both tests have writing sections, and you have to read, understand passages to give answers, and write two essays to prove your argumentative, analytical, and written skills.
The Reading and Writing sections of TOEFL are easy as their main focus is to measure the English comprehension skills of the students. However, the GRE tends to be complex and challenging as AWA sections of GRE require students to read, analyze and give a well-focused, influential and argumentative essay.
The verbal reasoning tasks of GRE are more challenging than TOEFL as their text is mostly from graduate-level while the reading texts of TOEFL are from undergraduate-level. The GRE, by comparison, is more challenging than TOEFL. If you prepare for the GRE first, then you are ultimately preparing for TOEFL. And if you can crack the GRE Verbal Reasoning and Analytical Writing sections, then the Reading and Writing sections of TOEFL are comparatively nothing for you.
The GRE doesn’t have speaking or listening tests as English communication skills are not their primary focus. The TOEFL, on the other hand, tests speaking and listening skills. The reason for designing these sections is to check the students’ English command and how quickly they respond.
The Speaking section of TOEFL has four tasks. The first task is the independent speaking task, and students have to respond with their own opinions, ideas and experiences. The other three tasks are called integrated speaking tasks, and they test a student’s English language skills like listening, reading and speaking. The response time of each will be 45 or 60 seconds, and preparation time will be 15 to 30 seconds only.
The Listening section of TOEFL has 28 to 39 total questions. The questions will be asked in the form of 3 to 4 lectures and 2 to 3 conversations. The language of both will be campus-based. Students will be allowed to take notes while listening to answers later. 41 to 57 minutes will be allotted to listen, understand and answer the questions. The accent of the Listening sections will be according to the specific country’s native-English speakers style.
The TOEFL has no math section, and on the contrary, the GRE has a Quantitative Reasoning section. Students with command on data analysis, geometry, algebra, word problems, and geometry can ace all questions. An on-screen calculator will be accessible during the test. Most of the questions will be in MCQs form, where you have to select the correct option, and the rest will be numeric entry questions.
The following chart is to overview the comparison between GRE and TOEFL quickly:
| Categories | GRE | TOEFL |
| Time Allowed | 3hours and 45 minutes | 3hours |
| Total Sections | 6 | 4 |
| Total Essays | 2 | 2 |
| Total Speaking Tasks | 0 | 4 |
| Total MCQs | 80 – 100 | 87 – 90 |
| Score Range | 260 – 340 | 0 – 120 |
| Test Fee | Varies by country | Varies by country |
| Total Free Score Reports | 4 | 4 |
| Test Type | Computerized | Computerized |
| Test Validity | 5 years | 2 years |
As given above, the difference between TOEFL and GRE is clear. So now the question is whether you should take the GRE or TOEFL while applying for graduate school. You must know which test score is mentioned in grad school’s application from basic guidelines to know the answer.
Most graduate schools that offer specialized and research-based graduate programs strictly require a good GRE score. On the other hand, the TOEFL is recommended to students who are not native English speakers or whose academic background is not from English curriculum institutions. Make sure to check the requirements and choose the test needed to get admission to your desired program or graduate school.
By now, most of your queries must be resolved. The purpose of taking any of these tests is different, and now the question is can one take both tests for admission, and the answer is yes. It happens in one case only when the graduate school requires GRE and native English-speakers, and if you are not a native English speaker, you have to take both.
Again, before registering for any test or applying to any school, make sure to figure out admission requirements. Choose wisely.
The GRE and TOEFL are both taken to get into a grad school, and both serve different purposes. The TOEFL measures the academic English and communication skills that will more likely be used in classrooms or for instruction purposes. The GRE is just like an entrance test that measures different skill sets of students and checks their readiness for programs like business or law.
Understanding their difference, format and why you should pick one is the first step towards your higher education. Don’t rush; explore everything and also make sure you know each school’s test score requirements. It will also help you in preparation and goal-setting.
Make a smart move, prepare well and show the grad school that you are the best.
