SK2 TOEFL high-score stories

Hi everyone, we're SK2 TOEFL ☺️

Applying to study abroad is a long, hard road. We want to help students who dream of studying abroad have a smoother time preparing for the TOEFL!

❤️ SK2 link to book a trial class or a course consultation: https://forms.gle/5Feye428WuHdSwyk9

🔔 Two months of intensive prep while working full time: 102 on the second attempt, R29 L29

Listening

Before taking the TOEFL I thought my listening foundation was strong, because I'd gotten almost perfect listening scores on every test I'd ever taken, and I had never taken notes even once; I answered entirely from short-term memory. Then the first time I heard a TOEFL question, I froze. My brain simply didn't have enough capacity: listening passages that used to be one minute at most were now five times longer, over 5 minutes or even 6. So I started seriously learning how to take notes.

The SK2 teachers taught me a very useful note-taking method, and while practicing I kept looking for more efficient ways too. In the end, my note-taking order was this: if I had time, I'd write down the subject, verb and object; if I didn't, I'd at least write the verb. I also often drew pictures in my notes. After doing a lot of questions, I also became sensitive to certain key words, like preconditions or transition words. The teachers taught me a lot about what to watch for, and with a large amount of practice on my own, I ended up scoring 29.

Speaking

If I had to say which part of SK2 I recommend most, it would definitely be the speaking class! Like most Taiwanese students, all I did in school was memorize vocabulary and do multiple-choice questions, with no chance at all to speak (the sad state of Taiwanese education), so I went into the class as a completely blank slate.

But the teachers gave us a direction to work toward, starting from zero: from preparing content at the very beginning and using a word bank to build an all-purpose template, to adjusting speaking speed and intonation later on. Besides plenty of examples to refer to, the teachers also gave me one-on-one advice.

Practicing speaking with other students in class was also something I found really valuable. In particular, you have to get used to giving your answer calmly and fluently while a bunch of people are chattering right next to your ear. The speaking section actually also tests your listening and note-taking; if you don't understand the question or your notes are poor, there's basically no way to get a high score on that speaking question.

Prep resources

I still remember that after my first attempt, the screen showed 28 in reading and 24 in listening. When I saw that, I thought I had it in the bag and would definitely break 100, so I happily went off to do other things (read: started goofing off). When the score came out and I saw 99, it was a bolt from the blue. How could I fall exactly 1 point short of 100!

Even though 99 meets the minimum requirement for most US graduate programs, many schools still recommend scores over 100. Short on time, I kept up steady practice in speaking and writing while going all out on reading and listening, the two sections with fixed correct answers.

In the end my strategy proved right. The SK2 community helped me a great deal, from sharing test discount codes to answering questions. Not only were the teachers willing to answer, but other test takers who had taken the course were also happy to share their ideas. This prep school gave my study-abroad applications a big boost.

SK2 TOEFL will keep sharing its high-score stories series

Stay tuned for more ❤️