Group course vs 1:1 tutoring — which is more effective for the TOEFL?

1:1 tutoring is, without question, more effective — but it's also 3–5 times more expensive. A group course (8–12 students) gives you structure, a schedule and a predictable price (around $400–800 for 30 hours), but the pace is set to the group's average — so if your weak spots are Speaking and Writing, it's unlikely the course will devote more than 25% of its time to them. A 1:1 tutor ($40–80/hour) builds the plan around your specific gaps: if a practice test shows you're losing points on inferential Listening questions, two sessions will fix that. The optimal combination for 90+: a group course for the fundamentals (12–16 hours), then 8–12 one-on-one sessions on the productive sections (Speaking + Writing). A group course on its own is rarely enough if you're aiming for 100+.

Do I need a tutor, or are PrepClass and Khan Academy enough?

It depends on your starting level and your target. If your practice test is already 85+ and you're aiming for 95–100, an online platform with AI feedback (PrepClass, Magoosh) plus the ETS Official Guide will do the job — though Speaking and Writing still need human assessment, which Khan Academy doesn't provide (Khan has limited TOEFL material; it's better suited to the SAT). If you're starting at 70 or below, or aiming for 105+ for Harvard/MIT, a tutor is close to essential — especially for Speaking, where on your own you won't catch recurring pronunciation errors, weak answer structure and poor pacing. A hybrid usually works best: 90% self-study on a platform + one 1:1 session a week for Speaking and Writing feedback.

How many hours a week do you need for TOEFL preparation?

According to ETS, the average candidate needs 80–150 hours of study in total to raise their score by 10 points. A practical rule of thumb: 8–12 hours a week over 2–3 months gives you solid preparation from a B2 level to 95–100 points. Fewer than 6 hours a week isn't enough to keep momentum — the TOEFL rewards a daily habit of contact with academic English. More than 15 hours a week leads to burnout after 4–6 weeks, especially if you're juggling it with school. The optimal split: 4 sessions × 2 hours + 30 minutes a day of listening to podcasts (NPR, BBC, TED). Once a week, a full practice test — it costs you 3 hours, but it builds stamina and pacing better than any single drill.

A 1-, 3- and 6-month TOEFL plan — how should you pace it?

**1 month (a sprint, and a risky one):** needs 20+ hours a week, realistic only for those starting at 90+. Weeks 1–2: two full ETS Official Practice tests + analysis of your weak sections. Weeks 3–4: drilling weak sections + 4 practice tests. **3 months (the sweet spot):** Month 1 — academic vocabulary foundations (the Academic Word List, 570 words) + the format of each section. Month 2 — section-by-section drilling, one test a week. Month 3 — 8 practice tests, polishing your Speaking/Writing templates. **6 months (comfortable, low-stress):** Months 1–2 — raising your overall level of English (reading The Economist, watching MIT OpenCourseWare lectures). Months 3–4 — TOEFL-specific strategies. Months 5–6 — practice tests and finishing touches. The six-month plan produces the highest scores because it builds a language foundation, not just test technique.

ETS Official Practice Tests — how many should you do, and how should you analyse them?

The ETS Official Guide contains 5 tests; TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) offers another 8. The minimum is 6 full tests under exam conditions — no breaks, no dictionary, on the timer. Do the first 2 at the very start of your prep (diagnostic), then spread the other 4 across your final 6 weeks. The analysis matters more than the test itself: after each one, spend 90 minutes on review — categorise your errors (vocabulary? inference? pacing? a misread instruction?) and keep a spreadsheet of error types. If you get author's-intent questions wrong three times in a row, the problem isn't your English — it's your reading strategy. Score Speaking and Writing against the ETS rubrics (publicly available at ets.org/toefl) or send them to a tutor. Tests without analysis are wasted time.

TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) vs free materials — how do they compare?

TPO (paid, ~$45 per set) is the gold standard because it uses real questions from past ETS exams — the scoring algorithms are authentic, and Speaking and Writing are graded by certified raters. Free materials (TestPrepReview, BestMyTest, YouTube channels) are useful to start with, but they vary in quality — the questions are often easier than the real thing, and Speaking feedback is frequently generic AI. A practical recommendation: start with free materials (40 hours), then move to the ETS Official Guide (a book for about $25, the best value for money) and 2–3 TPO sets before the exam. Magoosh and E2 Language are good middle-ground platforms ($60–250/month) with better quality than free resources, but lower than official ETS. Never study from free materials alone if you're aiming for 100+.

Do Cambridge and Oxford materials work for the TOEFL?

No — and it's a common mistake among test-takers. Cambridge English (FCE, CAE, CPE) and Oxford materials are designed for **British English and the Cambridge format**, which differs fundamentally from the TOEFL: a different accent in Listening (RP rather than American), a different question format (multiple choice in Cambridge vs note-taking + integrated tasks in the TOEFL), and different Writing assessment criteria (Cambridge grades register and range, the TOEFL grades organisation and development of ideas). Cambridge materials are excellent for **raising your general level of English** (B2 → C1), but they won't teach you TOEFL-specific strategies. If you're preparing for 6+ months, months 1–2 can use Cambridge Advanced Grammar in Use or Vocabulary in Use — but from month 3, everything has to be TOEFL-specific (ETS Official Guide, TPO, Barron's TOEFL, Kaplan TOEFL).

Section by section — which part of the TOEFL needs the most work?

Statistically, non-native speakers lose the most points in Speaking (average 22/30) and Writing (average 23/30), while Reading and Listening go better (25–27/30). The reason: many school systems teach grammar and passive comprehension, but not the productive use of English under time pressure. Reallocate your study time accordingly: 35% Speaking, 30% Writing, 20% Listening, 15% Reading. Speaking demands the most because it combines three skills: understanding the question, forming an opinion in 15 seconds, and speaking for 45–60 seconds without faltering. Writing means learning templates (the integrated task has a fixed skeleton) and a rich academic vocabulary. Reading and Listening are mostly about pacing and spotting the traps (negative facts, inference questions). The most common mistake: polishing sections where you already score 26+ instead of fixing the ones stuck at 20.

TOEFL Preparation — Course, Tutoring, Online 2026

You get the requirements from your dream university: TOEFL iBT, 100 points minimum. You take a practice test on our TOEFL app — 78. A gap of 22 points doesn’t sound like much, but on the TOEFL every point is sweat and tears. Reading and Listening went okay somehow, but in Speaking the words deserted you (literally — 45 seconds of silence recorded on the microphone), and in Writing you produced an essay that reads like a machine translation. You have five months until the application deadline. How do you close that gap without losing half a year of your life?

TOEFL preparation isn’t a question of “whether” — it’s a question of “how.” On your own, with a textbook? A group course? 1:1 tutoring? Or an online platform with AI? In 2026 there are more options than ever — and that’s exactly why it’s so easy to choose badly. In this article I compare every path honestly, with concrete numbers, timeframes and a recommendation that works best for international students aiming to study abroad. If you’re wondering whether TOEFL or IELTS is the better choice, we have a separate guide for that — here we focus on how to prepare for the TOEFL and pass it with a score that opens the door to Oxford, MIT or Cambridge.

The TOEFL iBT in a nutshell — what you need to know

The TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test) is the most widely accepted English-language exam in the world — recognised by more than 12,000 universities in 160 countries. Since January 2026 the exam has undergone a thorough overhaul: it now lasts 85 minutes (down from the previous ~3.5 hours), is fully adaptive, and is graded partly by AI. The new format runs on a Band 1–6 scale, but during the transition period (until the end of 2027) ETS also converts scores to the old 0–120 scale in parallel — and that’s the scale most universities still use in admissions.

The exam has four sections. Reading tests comprehension of academic texts — excerpts from textbooks, research articles, lectures transcribed on paper. Listening covers lectures and conversations in an academic context. Speaking requires you to record short answers into a microphone — from summarising a lecture to giving an opinion on a set topic. Writing is two tasks: one integrating reading and listening with writing, the other a short email or message (which replaced the traditional essay in the new format).

What should concern you most: university requirements. Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge — all expect 100+ points (or Band 5+ on the new scale). Most top European universities (ETH Zurich, EPFL, Sciences Po) require 80–100 points. This isn’t an exam you “just pass” — it’s an exam where a specific number of points decides whether your application is even considered.

TOEFL iBT — score requirements at top universities

Minimum TOEFL thresholds for the 2026/2027 academic year (0–120 scale)

Harvard University

100+

Minimum TOEFL iBT

Recommended: 105+

University of Oxford

100

Minimum TOEFL iBT

Listening/Reading: 22, Speaking/Writing: 24

Stanford University

100

Minimum TOEFL iBT

No formal minimum, but <100 is risky

MIT

Minimum TOEFL iBT

Recommended: 100+ for non-native speakers

University of Cambridge

100+

Minimum TOEFL iBT

Min. 25 in each section

ETH Zurich

Minimum TOEFL iBT

English-taught programmes (MSc)

University of Amsterdam

Minimum TOEFL iBT

Min. 20 in each section

Sciences Po Paris

Minimum TOEFL iBT

English-taught programmes

Copenhagen Business School

Minimum TOEFL iBT

English-taught BSc programmes

100+ points

90–99 points

80–89 points

Source: official university websites, 2025/2026 admissions data. Thresholds can change — check the current requirement before you apply.

Three paths to preparing for the TOEFL

Anyone who has searched “TOEFL preparation” on Google has run into three options. Each has its strengths and its pitfalls — and none is universally the best. It all depends on your starting level, your target score, and how much time (and money) you’re willing to invest.

Path 1: self-study. You buy the official ETS guide, download free materials from the internet, do practice tests and study after hours. Cost: minimal ($0–50 for materials). Upsides: flexibility and a pace you set yourself. The problem: no feedback. In Reading and Listening, self-study works — these are sections where answers are objectively right or wrong. But in Speaking and Writing? You record yourself, play it back and… you don’t know what to fix. You have no idea whether your intonation sounds natural, whether your essay structure meets the ETS criteria, whether your “academic vocabulary” is good enough. The average improvement from self-study (per ETS data): 5–10 points in 2–3 months. For someone at 90 aiming for 100, that may be enough. For someone at 70 aiming for 100, it’s too little.

Path 2: group course. A language school, 10–20 people in the group, classes twice a week. Cost: $400–1,000 for a course (8–12 weeks). Upsides: structure, regularity, some level of interaction. The problem: no personalisation. The course moves at the group’s pace, not yours. If your Reading is at 28/30 and your Speaking at 18/30, the course spends equal time on both — because it has to serve everyone. You practise Speaking in a group, which means you actually speak for around 3 minutes per hour of class. Written work comes back late and with vague feedback. Average improvement: 8–15 points in 2–3 months.

Path 3: 1:1 tutoring + the College Council App platform. An individual tutor who diagnoses your weak points, builds a personalised study plan and works with you section by section. Between sessions you practise on the College Council App TOEFL platform — full practice tests, section drills, progress analytics, AI feedback on Writing, and Speaking recordings to analyse. Cost: from $40/hour (at College Council the first consultation is free). Upsides: 100% of the time devoted to your weak points, live Speaking practice with native-level feedback, detailed Writing correction. Average improvement: 15–25 points in 2–3 months. For international students aiming for 100+, this is the most effective path — and the only one that systematically addresses Speaking and Writing.

Comparison of TOEFL preparation paths

Self-study vs group course vs 1:1 tutoring + College Council App

Criterion	Self-study	Group course	1:1 tutoring + College Council App
Average score gain	5–10 pts	8–15 pts	15–25 pts
Time to a 100+ score	4–6 months	3–4 months	2–3 months
Total cost	$0–50	$400–1,000	from $650
Personalisation	None	Low	Full
Speaking practice	Alone with a mic	3 min/class	30+ min/session
Writing feedback	None / answer key	Vague, delayed	AI + tutor, detailed
Practice tests with analysis	Limited (ETS free)	2–3 as part of the course	Unlimited on College Council App
Best for	C1+ aiming for 90	B2 looking for structure	Anyone aiming for 100+

Indicative figures based on College Council's experience with 500+ families (2018–2026) and ETS statistics.

The biggest challenge: Speaking and Writing

Here’s a truth few people say outright: for most non-native speakers, Reading and Listening on the TOEFL aren’t the problem. If your English is at a solid B2/C1 level, you’ll understand an academic text and pick out the key information from a lecture. Maybe not at 30/30, but 22–26 points — comfortably. The trouble starts when you have to produce the language, not just consume it.

Speaking is the section where non-native speakers lose the most points — and at the same time the section hardest to practise on your own. The format is merciless: you get a question, you have 15–30 seconds to prepare and 45–60 seconds to record your answer. There’s no second attempt. There’s no time to gather your thoughts. You have to speak fluently, logically, with correct grammar and pronunciation — under time pressure, into a microphone, in an exam room where you can hear other people delivering their answers right next to you.

There are three typical problems here. First: pauses and fillers. Instead of a fluent answer — “uhm… so… basically… uhm” — because in your head you’re translating from your first language. Second: lack of structure. TOEFL Speaking grades not only fluency but the organisation of your answer: claim, argument, example, summary — in 45 seconds. Without training, you ramble. Third: pronunciation and intonation. It’s not about accent — a non-native accent is perfectly acceptable. It’s about word stress, sentence stress, and rising vs falling intonation, the features that classroom English often never drills.

The only way to improve Speaking: talk to someone who gives immediate feedback. Not to a wall. Not to an app that says “good job!” after every answer. To a living tutor who’ll tell you: “You lost 3 seconds there on an empty ‘uhm’ — open with your topic sentence” or “Your answer has 4 arguments and none of them developed — limit yourself to two and develop each one.” At College Council our tutors — themselves graduates and students of top universities who have sat the TOEFL personally — run mock Speaking sessions where you record, play back, get a score against the ETS rubrics, and repeat until your answer is at the 26+ level.

Writing is the second killer. The new TOEFL 2026 format swapped the traditional essay for a shorter form (an email, a message), but the assessment criteria remain strict: organisation, coherence, precision of language, range of vocabulary. Non-native speakers tend to write grammatically correctly but predictably — the same construction patterns, the same linking words (“firstly, secondly, in conclusion”), the same basic academic phrases. The ETS AI scoring catches this instantly. The College Council App offers AI-powered writing feedback that analyses your response against the ETS rubrics and points out specific weaknesses, while a 1:1 tutor shows you how to fix them.

College Council App — the TOEFL platform from College Council

Our TOEFL app is a TOEFL preparation platform we built specifically to solve a problem we ran into over 8 years of working with students: the lack of a tool that combines realistic practice tests with intelligent feedback and progress tracking. The ETS materials are good, but static — you take a test, you get a score, you don’t learn why. TOEFL prep apps are either too simplistic, too expensive, or both.

The College Council App works differently. The platform offers full TOEFL practice tests in a format identical to the exam — adaptive, timed, with a realistic interface. After each test you get detailed analytics: not just your score per section, but a breakdown by question type (detail questions, inference questions, purpose questions in Reading; lecture comprehension vs conversation comprehension in Listening), with patterns of error identified. If you regularly lose points on “author’s purpose” questions in Reading, the College Council App will notice and suggest dedicated drills.

In the Writing section, the College Council App uses AI to analyse your responses against the official ETS rubrics — it grades organisation, development, language use and mechanics, and generates concrete suggestions: “Your first paragraph doesn’t contain a clear thesis” or “You used ‘however’ four times — here are some alternatives.” This doesn’t replace feedback from a living tutor, but it lets you practise every day between sessions instead of waiting for the next class.

In the Speaking section you record your answers, play them back and compare them with model answers at the 26+ level. The platform times your responses, identifies pauses and analyses your speaking rate. Your 1:1 tutor at College Council has access to your College Council App results — they see exactly what you’re working on, where you’re making progress and where you’re stuck. That means every tutoring session starts from data, not guesswork.

One thing worth noting: the College Council App is part of the College Council ecosystem. If, besides the TOEFL, you need help with the SAT (the College Council App SAT platform), with application essays, choosing universities or a financial strategy — you have it all under one roof. You don’t have to juggle three companies, four platforms and five calendars.

TOEFL preparation plan — how long do you need?

Three timelines based on your starting level (target: 100+ points)

4–6 wks

Polishing

Practice test: 90–99 → target: 100+

Week 1: Diagnostic test, identify 1–2 weak sections

Weeks 2–3: Targeted drills (Speaking templates, Writing structure)

Weeks 4–5: Full practice tests every 5 days, correction under time pressure

Week 6: Final mock test, fine-tuning, exam day

2–3 mo

Intensive preparation

Practice test: 70–89 → target: 100+

Weeks 1–2: Diagnostics + building foundations (vocab, grammar gaps)

Weeks 3–6: Section work: Reading strategies, Listening note-taking, Speaking templates

Weeks 7–10: Integrating sections, full mocks, intensive Writing + Speaking

Weeks 11–12: Exam simulations, time management, exam

5–6 mo

Building from the ground up

Practice test: below 70 → target: 100+

Month 1: Foundations: academic English, vocabulary building, grammar review

Months 2–3: Receptive sections (Reading + Listening) to the 22+ level per section

Months 3–4: Productive sections (Speaking + Writing) — intensive 1:1 sessions

Months 5–6: Full practice tests, integration, simulations, exam

Timeframes assume preparation with a 1:1 tutor + College Council App (2–3 sessions/week + daily independent work). Self-study takes 1.5–2× longer.

How long do you need — the honest answer

“How long does TOEFL preparation take?” — it’s a question I hear at every other consultation. The answer nobody wants to hear: it depends. But I can give you specifics instead of generalities.

If your English is at C1 (you watch series without subtitles comfortably, you read articles in English) — you need 4–6 weeks of intensive preparation to jump from around 90 to 100+. Your main problem is probably the exam format, not the language. You need to learn the Speaking templates, understand the Writing rubrics and get used to the time pressure. The College Council App + 6–8 sessions with a tutor will handle it.

If your English is at a solid B2 (you understand most texts, but you write with errors and speak hesitantly) — you need 2–4 months. You have to raise both your language level (vocabulary, collocations, academic register) and master the exam strategy. This is the most common profile among international students applying to study abroad — and the profile College Council has the most experience with.

If you’re starting at B1 or below — let’s be honest: you need 5–6 months minimum, and the first half of that time isn’t TOEFL preparation, it’s intensive English. The TOEFL isn’t a test you can “cram” tricks for — it measures real language skills. If your level is low, there are no shortcuts, but there is a real path, and our tutors will walk you through it step by step.

The key variable most students ignore: consistency. An hour a day for 3 months will give you better results than 4 hours over a weekend for 6 months. The TOEFL tests automatic language skills — fluency, speed of reaction, naturalness — and you build those through daily exposure, not marathon sessions. The College Council App is designed so you can practise 30–45 minutes a day: a short Reading drill, one Speaking recording, one Writing task. Between sessions you work on the platform; in the sessions your tutor analyses your progress and adjusts course.

TOEFL preparation with College Council

From the first consultation to exam day — 5 steps

Free consultation + diagnostic test

A full practice test on the College Council App, with section-by-section analysis of your results. We establish your starting level, your target score and your timeframe. Free, with no obligation.

Personalised study plan

Your tutor builds a plan tailored to your weak points: if you're losing points on Speaking — more Speaking sessions; if on Reading — more drills on the College Council App. A schedule of 1:1 sessions (2–3 times a week) + daily independent work on the platform.

1:1 tutoring + College Council App

Sessions with your tutor: mock Speaking, Writing correction, Reading/Listening strategies. Between sessions: section drills on the College Council App, progress tracking in the dashboard, AI feedback on your written responses.

Practice tests + course correction

Full exam simulations every 7–10 days. Trend analysis: are your scores rising? Which question types still cause trouble? Your tutor adjusts the plan as you go.

The home stretch + exam day

A final mock test 5–7 days before the exam. A tactical session: time management, stress-handling techniques, exam-day logistics. You walk into the TOEFL with confidence, because you know your score to within 3–5 points.

College Council: 8 years of experience, 500+ families, 20+ tutors at top universities.

Why College Council and not “ordinary” tutoring?

The market is full of offers for “online TOEFL tutoring” at $20–40 an hour. Most of them are English teachers who “also prepare students for the TOEFL” — they have a Cambridge Certificate, maybe a CELTA, and they try to adapt ETS materials into lessons. The problem: TOEFL preparation isn’t teaching English. It’s exam training — it requires knowledge of the scoring rubrics, section-by-section strategy, the ability to diagnose specific patterns of error, and experience with hundreds of students at different levels.

At College Council our tutors aren’t English teachers who branched out into a TOEFL offer. They’re students and graduates of universities like Oxford, Cambridge, MIT and LSE who sat the TOEFL themselves (or its equivalent) and went through the application process. They know what exam pressure feels like, because they lived it. They know what universities are looking for, because they were admitted. And they know how to take a student from 78 to 105 — because they’ve done it dozens of times.

What you get at College Council that you won’t get from a typical tutor:

The College Council App included — unlimited access to the platform with practice tests, drills and analytics
Tutors with exam experience — not theorists, but practitioners who scored 110+ on the TOEFL
Data-driven feedback — your tutor sees your College Council App results and knows what to work on
Integration with the full application process — if you need help with the SAT, essays or choosing universities, you don’t have to look for a new company
Flexibility — fully online classes, scheduled around your timetable and activities
A free first consultation — before you pay a cent, you know exactly where you stand and how long you need

Over 8 years of working with more than 500 families, we’ve developed a method that works: 95% of our students get into one of their top 3 universities. TOEFL preparation is one piece of that puzzle — often the first, because without a 100+ score the rest of the application doesn’t matter.

Frequently asked questions

How much does TOEFL tutoring cost at College Council?

A 1:1 session with a tutor costs from $40 an hour. The first consultation (with a diagnostic test on the College Council App) is free. A typical preparation package is 10–20 sessions spread over 2–4 months, for a total cost of $650–1,300. Unlimited access to the College Council App platform is included in the price. It's an investment comparable to a group course, but with many times the effectiveness.

Is the TOEFL harder than the IELTS?

It depends on your strengths. On the TOEFL you record Speaking into a microphone — there's no examiner reacting to your answers. For some that's stressful; for others it's easier (no pressure from a conversation partner). IELTS Writing requires two full essays; the TOEFL in the new 2026 format uses shorter forms (email/message). Reading on the TOEFL is academic and longer; on the IELTS it's more varied. You'll find a detailed comparison in our TOEFL vs IELTS guide. On the College Council App you can take a practice test for both exams and see which format suits you better.

How many times can I take the TOEFL?

There's no limit on attempts. You can take the TOEFL as often as you like — the only restriction is a minimum of 3 days between exam sessions. Your score is valid for 2 years from the exam date. ETS also offers a "MyBest Scores" option, which combines your best section scores across different attempts — but note: not all universities accept MyBest Scores (MIT does, for example; Oxford doesn't). One attempt costs around $250. That's why it's better to prepare well and pass on the first try.

Is the College Council App included in the tutoring price?

Yes — every College Council student preparing for the TOEFL gets unlimited access to the College Council App platform for the duration of the partnership. The platform includes full practice tests, section drills, AI feedback on Writing and progress analytics. You can also use the College Council App on its own, without tutoring — take a free practice test on the College Council App to see how the platform works.

What TOEFL score do I need for universities in Europe?

It depends on the university and the programme. Indicative minimums: Dutch universities (UvA, Maastricht, TU Delft) — 80–90; Scandinavian universities (CBS, SSE, KTH) — 90–95; UK universities (Oxford, Cambridge, LSE) — 100–110; French universities (Sciences Po, HEC) — 95–100; Swiss universities (ETH, EPFL) — 95+. You'll find the detailed requirements of individual universities in our country guides.

Can I prepare for the SAT and TOEFL at the same time?

Yes, and many of our students do exactly that. The SAT (especially the Reading & Writing section) and TOEFL Reading/Listening have a lot in common: both test comprehension of academic texts and the ability to work with information. Preparing for the SAT on the College Council App platform naturally raises your level of academic English, which helps with the TOEFL. The key: start with the TOEFL (because the score is needed earlier in the application process) and prepare for the SAT in parallel. More on SAT preparation in a separate article.

Is 100 points a "good" TOEFL score?

A TOEFL iBT score of 100 opens the door to the vast majority of universities worldwide — it meets the requirement at Harvard, Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge. It places you around the 75th percentile of all test-takers (better than 3 out of 4 people worldwide). Is that a "good" score? For the purposes of an application — absolutely. Is it worth aiming higher (105–110)? If you have the time and the ambition — yes, because the higher your score, the fewer "questions" from the admissions committee. But 100 is the threshold above which your TOEFL score stops being a limiting factor in your application.

The next step is simple

You don’t have to make any decision right now except one: find out where you stand. Take a free TOEFL practice test on our TOEFL app — it lasts 85 minutes, and you get a score per section plus analytics of your weak points. If your score is close to your target, maybe self-study is enough. If the gap is bigger — book a free consultation with one of our tutors. We’ll analyse your score, tell you honestly how long you need, and propose a plan tailored to your application deadline.

TOEFL preparation isn’t a sprint and it isn’t a marathon — it’s a sprint with navigation. You have to run fast, but in the right direction. The College Council App gives you the map. Your tutor gives you the direction. Together they deliver the score.

See also: TOEFL vs IELTS — which certificate should you choose? | SAT preparation — a study plan | How much does help with a study-abroad application cost? | How to choose an educational consultant?

Check out the other guides in our TOEFL series to plan your entire preparation path:

TOEFL Preparation — Course, Tutoring, Online 2026

Train for TOEFL 2026

The TOEFL iBT in a nutshell — what you need to know

TOEFL iBT — score requirements at top universities

Three paths to preparing for the TOEFL

Comparison of TOEFL preparation paths

The biggest challenge: Speaking and Writing

College Council App — the TOEFL platform from College Council

TOEFL preparation plan — how long do you need?

How long do you need — the honest answer

TOEFL preparation with College Council

Why College Council and not “ordinary” tutoring?

Frequently asked questions

The next step is simple

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TOEFL Preparation — Course, Tutoring, Online 2026

Train for TOEFL 2026

The TOEFL iBT in a nutshell — what you need to know

TOEFL iBT — score requirements at top universities

Three paths to preparing for the TOEFL

Comparison of TOEFL preparation paths

The biggest challenge: Speaking and Writing

College Council App — the TOEFL platform from College Council

TOEFL preparation plan — how long do you need?

How long do you need — the honest answer

TOEFL preparation with College Council

Why College Council and not “ordinary” tutoring?

Frequently asked questions

The next step is simple

Related TOEFL guides

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