The TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, is your first stop in the journey to study abroad, particularly in the United States. The test, administered by ETS (the same crew behind PRAXIS) prepares thousands of foreign students and migrants for US assimilation each year.
However, it’s a challenging test. One you’ll have to be on your game for! If you’re not sure whether you’re up for it, it’s time to consider whether you even want to study abroad. As it turns out, there are several reasons to do so. In the following article, we’ll be examining the eight most common.
The TOEFL can guide you to a more marketable future.
Your Marketability Increases
Studying abroad improves your prospects. It makes you more attractive to potential employers. It does this in a number of ways and for many reasons.
Firstly, it shows you are capable of functioning with one of the most widely adopted languages in the world. This is particularly meaningful in a global marketplace.
Secondly, it exposes you to many other types of experiences and viewpoints that can then be translated into new business models and opportunities.
Finally, it enables you to work remotely and communicate effectively across personality types and cultures. More on that in a bit!
You Can Go Anywhere
English is spoken perhaps more than any other language in the world. It is spoken because Americans and UK residents comprise a large percentage of the population. They particularly comprise a large portion of the affluent and traveling population.
Therefore, no matter which country you’re in, the odds are good you’ll have a use for English at some point. This is true whether referring to personal or business relationships. That means you can go to any English-speaking location in the world and find a tribe and a job.
Form Deeper Connections
Speaking English makes it much easier to study abroad in the US. In so doing, you have access to a number of interesting people who’ve gone through the same language-learning and testing process as you.
That creates a shared bond that’ll enable you to enjoy deeper connections with those individuals. You can also make even more friends and connections by combining forces, so to speak.
Enjoy Cool Experiences
The US is a place with many great experiences in plain sight. From professional and collegiate sporting events to a melting pot of delicious places to eat, rural beauty and other breathtaking landscapes, there are significant chances to make memories that’ll last you for a lifetime.
Learn More About Human Nature
The melting pot term we just referred to is true of the way Americans think. Caught between being a culture of immigrants, a turbulent past, and a struggle for its own unique identity, the US offers incredible insight as to what the cultures of the world are capable of doing together, as well as the differences that impede their growth.
These insights can help you in life and relationships as you finish studying abroad and contemplate returning to your homeland.
Try Your Hand at Capitalism
Capitalism is the great American experiment. It has received criticisms over the years from people who cite the growing economic inequalities that it tends to proliferate, but few other systems throughout the world have enabled a path from poverty to wealth inside of a single lifetime.
As with any economic structure, it has strengths and weaknesses, but only by seeing it and participating in it will you have a clear idea of whether it’s good for you. America is the place to see it in action and to flex your entrepreneurial muscles.
Become a Better English Speaker
Studying abroad and taking exams like the TOEFL will provide you with opportunity. One of the biggest is just to sharpen your English-speaking skills. English-speaking skills are so valuable. The value only increases the more proficient you are at it. Proficiency is achieved more usefully through total immersion.
In other words, living and communicating daily in the environment where that is the prima language. The US now has other languages finding their niche within certain communities. But English will continue to be the dominant language, and there’s no better place to learn it! Finally…
Improve Your Testing Skills
TOEFL is unique when compared to the battery of tests out there. It focuses on every element of working with the language and interacting with others. That means reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It’s one of the best exams for covering language from every angle to ensure that you know how to operate within a multitude of contexts.
This offers peace of mind to your schools of choice that you will be capable of thriving in their environment. It also gives you the confidence needed to take on a new challenge!
Is a Study Abroad in Your Future?
If so, let the TOEFL guide you in the way you should go. It’s a challenging test but one that does the job of helping you assimilate to the US, as well as other English-speaking countries. Good luck as you grapple with this decision, and let us know if you have any specific concerns with regards to the test. We’re always looking to answer questions you may be having, so be our guest in the comments section below.
Aric Mitchell's work appears regularly here at 4tests.com and across the web for sites, such as The Inquisitr and Life'd. A former high school teacher, his passion for education has only intensified since leaving the classroom. At 4tests, he hopes to continue passing along words of encouragement and study tips to ensure you leave school ready to face an ever-changing world.
