IS A TOEFL INTENSIVE COURSE USEFUL?
Have you just been told that you have 1 month to get a 90 on the TOEFL? Do you want to take advantage of your vacation time to prepare for the TOEFL? Have you decided at the last minute to sign up for a master’s degree? If you have little time and you are wondering about the usefulness of a TOEFL intensive course, this article is for you. We tell you everything you need to know before deciding if an intensive course is a good option for you. Also, if you are short in time, you can read the conclusion section at the end of the article.
Table of Contents
What Do You Give Up in Exchange for Speed?
Companies have accustomed us to receiving simplified versions of products to make it easier for us to consume them. The problem is that they don’t always manage to maintain the level of quality we need. The question to ask yourself as a TOEFL candidate is, can I afford to slow down my preparation to speed it up? The answer is yes and no at the same time. How can it be yes and no at the same time? Very simple, the times can be shortened, as long as we do not reduce the minimum effective time required by each candidate. In other words, a company with real experience should be able to estimate the minimum number of class hours you will need and create a course that fits them.
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Can Anyone Teach an Intensive TOEFL Course?
After having prepared thousands of students, there is one thing we can assure you…intensive courses are the ones that require the highest level of teacher. The main reason is that when you compact, significantly, the preparation period, you have less reaction time. That is, the teacher needs to identify your strengths and weaknesses almost immediately so that your work plan evolves with your progress. This implies a lot of experience in TOEFL preparation, so it requires that the intensive TOEFL course be taught by a true specialist. A TOEFL intensive specialist must also be able to handle the dynamics of the course. Remember that the workload is condensed, so it is important that he or she knows when he or she can, and should, tighten or relax the sessions. The objective is that the candidate arrives prepared and confident of his or her possibilities, never exhausted or frustrated.TOEFL Intensive Online or Face-to-Face?
TOEFL preparation is all about efficiency. When we talk about a TOEFL Intensive Course, the objective is no longer effectiveness but efficiency. That is, we seek to obtain the necessary score in the time we have available. As a candidate, you can obtain results with an online course as well as with a face-to-face course. However, in terms of efficiency, the online course is significantly better since:- It optimizes study time. A face-to-face course forces you to travel and that consumes time. In a context where you have little time until the exam, you will need to minimize time loss. Let’s imagine a candidate who, on average, takes 30 minutes to travel (putting on his shoes, moving around, greeting colleagues, …). This means that for each session he loses 1 hour that he could devote to studying. If you have 3 weeks to prepare, you will spend 15 hours on a task that, objectively, does not add any value to your preparation. Remember, if you have a deadline coming up, look for courses that allow you to optimize your preparation time.
- Gives you access to the best courses: we have already seen in the previous point that good intensive TOEFL courses are not available at all preparation companies. If you are looking for real experience and knowledge, intensive online TOEFL courses will give you access to the highest quality without having to restrict yourself to those near you. If you are short on time, don’t gamble – put yourself in the hands of the best.
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Conclusion
- A good TOEFL intensive is not about decreasing the hours but about quantifying the hours you need and delivering them in the time you have available. Less is more does not apply to intensive TOEFL courses.
- A good intensive course will have a strong teaching load in addition to the classroom hours. Don’t be fooled by empty promises, the hours of work on your own are necessary to accelerate your preparation time. You must practice until your level reaches your goals.
- Make sure your teacher is a specialist in TOEFL preparation. You can’t use just any English teacher. You need him or her to have a lot of experience because he or she must detect, faster than usual, your strengths and weaknesses and needs to know how to adapt your work plan according to your progress.
- You need a teacher who knows how to manage the TOEFL intensive course timings. The intensive compacts the training process so you need to understand the rhythms of the individual and/or the group. Knowing when it is time to tighten or relax is of utmost importance. This knowledge is only acquired when you have spent many hours teaching TOEFL intensives.
- Online intensive courses are a better option, as they allow you to optimize your study time and access the best provider wherever you are.
- An online course allows you to relive classes, track your progress through dashboards, interact outside class hours with your teacher, … Make sure your school has the infrastructure to do so and that online is not synonymous with pdfs and video conference links.
At EPIC, we have been preparing students like yourself for the TOEFL since 2010. Our successful methodology has made us a national reference in TOEFL preparation. If you have any questions about your TOEFL preparation, we will be happy to help you. However, if you prefer to continue reading, here is a link that may be of interest to you.
