First, I just realised I made a mistake in my comment: I asked why you need to prove you are French; when I wanted to ask why you need to prove you SPEAK French *nodding*…I am getting old LOL …

You are right: TOEFL is a huge business! But it is not alone, now you have also the British Council’s IELTS (however it is more beneficial than TOEFL because with this certificate you can present it when applying for a job [to prove your proficiency in English]).

Here in Portugal, many hated it too (but I personally, loved it because the old system was a complete waste of time…with this one you can get a part-time job while studying at the same time, it has less subjects [we used to have 16 subjects per year — it was crazy] and it is more specific).

@Spyder –Isn’t it!

@Linguist-in-Waiting — I’m sure you can feel my frustration, as a student yourself! As of today, my situation is still stuck… but I’m keeping fingers crossed. I’m sure the teachers are fine, this is just plain old stupid bureaucracy!

@Max Coutinho — That is so stupid — I mean, you obviously speak English fluently, studied the language officially at university, and still had to take the test??? Wow, TOEFL is a big business…

Yes, the famous university reform. Some loved it, some hated it… I can’t say it went smoothly at my former university, because it was a “grande école” (like sciences-po) and had its own weird system. Maybe on the long run…

Congrats on your TOEFL grades: very good — we hadn’t noticed you knew how to speak English LOL !
I studied in an University that lectured classes in English (in Lisbon), and when I expressed the wish to take a summer course at a university in London, I also had to take an English proficiency test…oh well…

Girl, Europe has reformed its entire educational system in 2006…now we are all under the Bologna Treaty (3 years undergraduate, 2 years Masters)…most people had to start from scratch, go figure.

Yeah, on this side of the world, all we need to do is to register, pay and that is it. In North America they can decline your application: wow.

What? But you are French…so why do you have to proof you are French?
Anyway, TOEFL is very incompetent in Canada, isn’t it? I am shocked!

“I was so frustrated I almost bought every chocolate I could find on the way home.” — LOL LOL LOL oh, you are one of those.… lol

““Your fault, you should have applied earlier“.” — oh my God!!! You did apply earlier…but TOEFL kept re-scheduling it *nodding*! Incompetence!

Girl, I wish you all the luck in the world: do not quit!!! Ok?
I am rooting for you!

Cheers

And I’m happy to hear you are now able to take classes and were approved. Bureaucracies are funny in theory, until you have to deal with them in person.

@Beth — I did try to bypass the first level employees (who seem to be students to me) and see the supervisor, but no luck so far. I talk to a few teachers and even they acknowledged the non-sense, but couldn’t do much to help, even after a few phone calls… because they were stuck administratively too.

@CM-Chap — I feel sorry for your friends, if I’m asked to start from scratch, I won’t go. I can’t financially anyway.

@Final_Transit — THank you for your feedback! For the TOEFL, I spoke to a very nice Indian student last year (he saw me smoking like crazing outside the uni. and came to me to ask what was wrong!). He told me he was asked the TOEFL and argued with the university (he spoke perfect English and had a Master) to not take it… and he was successful.

Now I don’t care because I did pass the TOEFL, I just wish they would realize that!

My French degrees are quite unique because I studied Chinese and Asian civilizations… even though it encompasses a lot of other classes, such as economy, history etc. the university is quite puzzled with them. I do hope I can get some credits!

@Bluefish — Thank you! Oui c’est… fucké?

@Khengsiong — I heard American uni. are very very picky. Which I find is a paradox, because considering most tuition fees… I mean, financially speaking I’m sure a lot of people can’t even afford to go!

I think only North American universities have these kind of services, like official transcript, graduation ceremonies etc. They should be used to the fact we don’t!

@the writer — Oh yeah, and I had a lot of experience with that in France… unfortunately!

@beaverboosh — Merci! Did you go to university in Ottawa by any chance?

@Jennie — The TOEFL is a really stupid test. Lots of headache for… nothing. But TOEFL is a big business, the test is expensive, the books are expensive, sending scores reports is expensive…

I’m glad I got a good score (115/ 120) and I’m not taking this test ever again.

@Agnes — Yes, it is… too bad that’s what bureaucrats do!

@Priyank: Some Indian universities now have the option of them sending the transcripts directly. Thank God!!