I wanted to pursue a PhD from the U.S. or Australia. After some preliminary research, I found out that for admission, it was mandatory to give IELTS, TOEFL or PTE examination. Since IELTS is a much widely accepted English Language Proficiency test in the U.S. and Australian, I decided to pursue IELTS from the British Council.
I was stationed in Tulsipur, Dang. At that time and there were no education consultancies or test preparation centers there. So, I prepared for IELTS through self-learning materials that I found online. The IELTS preparation apps hosted by the British Council and the IELTS practice materials posted in British Council Facebook page help me to learn essential things regarding the test.
It was very nerve-wracking to see so many candidates appearing for the test and some talking about it being their second or third time. I started to get very nervous, doubting if I was even ready for the test. But once we moved into the exam hall and the test papers were handed out, everything worked out fine. My self-preparation and practice with the available online materials from the British Council worked out quite well for me. The British Council staffs were also very helpful and cooperative during the entire process.
I had heard from friends that the speaking and writing modules of IELTS were very tricky and even a person with good English found it very hard to score average marks. Some even said that the scoring in those modules depended upon the mood of the examiner and that there is no chance for anyone to get a perfect score as there is no way to know how they are scored. But after facing the test sessions I discovered that all those sayings were just myths. My experience was totally different.
If I was to give IELTS test now, I would go for a computer delivered IELTS asI can choose dates according to my availability and results would be available in 5 to 7 working days.
I would highly recommend my friends and family to pursue IELTS from the British Council as I found them to be very professional and helpful. British Council exam officers were very accommodating and were helpful to re-schedule my speaking dates due to an official matter. Since IELTS is a much wider accepted English Language Proficiency test worldwide, IELTS would be a better choice for young students. I hope theBritish Council would add more test dates and exam centers in different parts of Nepal for students who want to pursue IELTS but have to go through the hassle of travelling to major cities to appear for the test.