Many new points in TOEFL iBT and SAT tests from 2024

TOEFL iBT is scored simultaneously by human examiners and AI

Ms. Doan Nguyen Van Khanh - CEO of IIG Vietnam - said that from 2024, the TOEFL iBT will use AI tools to score simultaneously with examiners in the writing and speaking sections.

This is to minimize the subjectivity of the examiner, as well as shorten the time to return results to 4 days.

The reading and listening sections will display scores immediately after the candidate clicks the finish button.

The computer-based version of the TOEFL iBT test is now only 116 minutes long, making it the only standardized English test for all four skills that takes less than 2 hours to complete.

The new TOEFL iBT test format is designed to be more streamlined, eliminating unscored questions.

The reading section has one less passage and accompanying questions. The independent writing section has been replaced with an academic discussion section to increase practical application.

Candidates can register to retake the TOEFL iBT test to improve their score with a 3-day gap between the two tests.

A test taker's final TOEFL iBT score report will display a comparison table detailing the highest score in each skill achieved by the test taker across different test administrations.

Ms. Doan Nguyen Van Khanh - Executive Director of IIG Vietnam Education Organization shared at the workshop (Photo: Hoang Hong).

Educational Testing Service (ETS) offers free TOEFL iBT test preparation resources, including practice tests to familiarize test takers with the content and give them direct practice just like an actual exam.

Ms. Van Khanh said that the error between the mock test scores and the real test scores according to the survey is insignificant. The difference is only about 5 points.

In Vietnam, there are currently nearly 100 universities that accept TOEFL iBT certificates. The minimum score for this certificate is 35/120 at Hanoi University of Science and Technology and the highest is 80/120 at Hanoi National University of Education.

According to ETS statistics, worldwide, most universities in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany and Asia use the TOEFL iBT test in admissions.

Over 90% of schools in the US prefer TOEFL iBT over other English certificates. The reason is that this test more accurately assesses English proficiency in a learning environment.

Number of SAT test takers in Vietnam increased by 74% in 1 year

Data from the College Board - the SAT testing unit - shows that the number of Vietnamese candidates taking the SAT has increased sharply in the past two years.

The number of SAT test takers increased by about 6-17% each year from 2019 to 2022. However, by 2023, that number will be 74.4%. The College Board estimates that the increase in 2024 compared to 2023 will be about 63%.

Ms. Doan Nguyen Van Khanh added that from 2023, the number of exam seats will be continuously added to meet the increasing demand from Vietnamese students.

The surge in the number of SAT test takers is related to the increasing number of universities in Vietnam using the results of this standardized test in admissions.

Unlike foreign language certificates that are often considered along with other conditions such as academic records, high school graduation exam scores, ability assessment scores, and thinking assessment scores, SAT certificates are considered independently and account for about 2-5% of each school's enrollment quota.

In 2024, the benchmark score based on the SAT certificate will increase sharply. At the National Economics University, there are 9 majors that require an SAT score of 1500 or higher, and only 7/66 majors require a score of 1300. No major requires a score below this threshold.

9 majors of National Economics University have SAT benchmark scores from 1500 (Chart: Hoang Hong).

The College Board reports that 7% of test takers scored 1,400 or higher on the SAT globally in 2023. Notably, 25% of those test takers were Asian.

The College Board does not have detailed statistics by country.

According to the College Board report, candidates with high SAT scores also achieve outstanding academic results in college. The College Board's global survey data shows that candidates with SAT scores of 1400 or higher have a freshman GPA of 3.57 or higher.

Graph of correlation between SAT scores and freshman GPA according to College Board statistics (Graph: College Board).

For the SAT, College Board representatives recommend that candidates should not retake the test too many times. The ideal number of times should be 2.

The organization also advises that students who plan to apply to colleges using their SAT scores can prepare from middle school with the PSAT. The age group that can start taking the PSAT is grades 8-9. While the SAT should start in grade 12.

About 20 universities in Vietnam use SAT scores for admission. The vast majority are in the fields of technology - engineering, economics - commerce and the military.

Testing agency recommends not taking the SAT before high school

Paul Sanders, CEO of the College Board International Division, said his 16-year-old daughter, a 10th grader, took the PSAT last week instead of the SAT. Despite her advanced knowledge, many of the skills on the SAT require a certain maturity based on age.

In addition, the PSAT test's objectives help point out weaknesses that students need to focus on to best prepare for the SAT test.

Therefore, College Board representatives advise parents not to rush. If candidates plan to take the SAT in March next year, from October this year, candidates should only take the PSAT to have a comprehensive assessment of themselves and have an effective SAT preparation direction.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nhieu-diem-moi-trong-bai-thi-toefl-ibt-va-sat-tu-nam-2024-20241022221324660.htm