Saturday, December 22, 2018
My IELTS Experience
With the hopes of increasing my IELTS scores, I took the test twice, enrolled in review classes twice, and got my results revaluated twice. I spent double on everything. Another ouch! Looking back, I do not regret applying for my IELTS results revaluation because the possibility of increasing my scores could have qualified me for the Ontario PNP which required a 400 CRS score to get an ITA. YES, I was considering other PNP's because the NBPNP stream was not open yet.
1st exam with IDP - I thought I nailed the listening part and boy was I surprised to get a 7. I was so sure of myself and my answers. This 7 brought down my overall level badly which is why I strongly felt the need for an evaluation. Results came back with no change.
I eventually discovered how tricky the listening exam is in the course of my 2nd review class. Practice and anwering tests with the teacher helped a lot. I learned that immense FOCUS IS KEY IN THE LISTENING PART. You cannot be distracted at all. The recording goes so fast that in a blink of an eye you can miss one item affecting the next questions as well. You will only get better with constant practice in class. You need to know where you stand for you to improve. On my 2nd IELTS attempt, my listening score increased. Hard work does payoff. The only problem was that my writing score went down this time. I thought I did okay with writing so of course I had to ask for a reevaluation. I was so ckose to that 400 mark. Of course, the scores still came back the same. Very frustrating indeed. At this point I gave up on my target score of 400 for OINP. I was definitely not taking the test again.
Thankfully, the NBPNP stream opened last May 2018. and the rest is IELTS history. 😁
Friday, December 21, 2018
Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
Another requirement that you need to start working on other than the IELTS is the Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).
In a nutshell, the Canadian government requires an ECA to understand the level of your educational background or college degree based on Canadian standards. Foreign standard vs. Canadian standard. In some cases, you may have completed a 4 year course here in your home country but to them it is only equivalent to a 3 year degree or even a vocational course. This will have bearing on your total CRS points because a higher equivalent will mean higher points.
I got my ECA from World Education Services (WES). Thankfully, the report confirmed that my foreign degree is equivalent to a 4-year Bachelor's degree in Canada. It will cost you CAD 220 come Januay 2019.
In a nutshell, the Canadian government requires an ECA to understand the level of your educational background or college degree based on Canadian standards. Foreign standard vs. Canadian standard. In some cases, you may have completed a 4 year course here in your home country but to them it is only equivalent to a 3 year degree or even a vocational course. This will have bearing on your total CRS points because a higher equivalent will mean higher points.
I got my ECA from World Education Services (WES). Thankfully, the report confirmed that my foreign degree is equivalent to a 4-year Bachelor's degree in Canada. It will cost you CAD 220 come Januay 2019.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Exam Dates in the Philippines for 2019
For immigrants, please choose the General Training (GT) Exam. The Academic Exam is for international students only and not for those wishing to migrate to Canada.
The GT exam is composed of 4 parts - Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, all of which are timed. The speaking exam is nerve wracking because it is similar to a job interview where questions are thrown at you. Plus, there is a voice recorder the whole time. Normally, the Speaking test is done on a different day. You will be asked to choose a schedule for this. The Listening, Reading, and Writing exam happens all together which takes half a day. By the time you finish you will be so exhausted, hungry, and relieved. So for me, I suggest to schedule the speaking test on a different day and not right after the exam. 😊
Below is an overview of the available dates for the GT exam. Please visit both websites for detailed information. Note that most exams are conducted in hotel ballrooms due to the large number of examinees. Exams are booked online through either the British Council or IDP.
British Council Exam Fee - P10, 270
IDP Exam Fee - P10,270
The GT exam is composed of 4 parts - Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, all of which are timed. The speaking exam is nerve wracking because it is similar to a job interview where questions are thrown at you. Plus, there is a voice recorder the whole time. Normally, the Speaking test is done on a different day. You will be asked to choose a schedule for this. The Listening, Reading, and Writing exam happens all together which takes half a day. By the time you finish you will be so exhausted, hungry, and relieved. So for me, I suggest to schedule the speaking test on a different day and not right after the exam. 😊
Below is an overview of the available dates for the GT exam. Please visit both websites for detailed information. Note that most exams are conducted in hotel ballrooms due to the large number of examinees. Exams are booked online through either the British Council or IDP.
British Council Exam Fee - P10, 270
IDP Exam Fee - P10,270
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