Placement Testing Information (ESOL)

2. But, I already took the TOEFL. Why doesn’t this exam count? Why do I still need to take the English Placement Test?

You may have already had to take the TOEFL exam to become accepted to BGSU. If so, the TOEFL served the purpose of getting you admission to the university but does not exempt you from taking the English Placement Test once you arrive here. Different departments have different requirements about the TOEFL; some departments require a higher score than others, and some departments don’t require the TOEFL at all. Therefore, the English Placement Test upon arrival at BGSU ensures that everyone is being assessed in the same way for their English skills.

Additionally, around the world, there are different versions of the TOEFL being given. In some countries, the new IBT TOEFL is being used, but in other places, the paper and pencil version of the TOEFL is still given. It is difficult to compare these very different tests with each other and to come up with fair analysis of what the results really mean. Furthermore, in the older version of the test, there is no speaking component to the exam.

Most importantly, the TOEFL is a standardized form of assessment that does not necessarily reflect the academic demands of BGSU. Some students score very high on the TOEFL but have a difficult time understanding their professors, colleagues, and course expectations. On the other hand, there are students who don’t score as high on the TOEFL and who succeed in their academic programs without much outside support. BGSU’s English Placement Test is designed specifically for BGSU students. It assesses the specific skills that BGSU students need to succeed in their given field of study.

For all the above reasons, the TOEFL is not a substitute for the English Placement Test upon arrival at BGSU.