TOEFL® essay: Some people like to communicate by email and voice-mail

[Derfer]

Some people like to communicate by email and voice-mail. Other people like to communicate by telephone and face-to-face. Which type of communication do you prefer, and why? Be sure to include details and examples to support your opinion.
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Buy two products paying only the price of one product! When a student finish his school, he has to choose where he wants to study his major, but instead of applying to only one university, he can apply to a several universities. The student should have a "plan B" because it is possible that he should not be accepted in his first-choice university. The process of choosing and applying to different universities benefits the student. I strongly agree that students should apply to different universities despite the fact that apparently is a valueless and hard process.

In the first place, students really increase their educational horizons. If they get admission in at least 2 different universities, they can compare among them. Students reinforce his vocation comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each university. They will probably choose the university that really fits with their motivations and goals. Students compare and choose the best university, considering and maybe reconsidering his past first-option university. Students can ask for advices and suggestions showing his maturity. To ask educational advices after getting admission in several universities reveals that the student is able to reach his goals.

In the second place, students have to prevent that maybe they do not get admission in their first-choice university. No all the students get admission in their first-choice university. To fail the admission to a specific university does not mean either that the student is bad or that the student can not study in other university. Students can start to reconsider his second-choice option. Even to study a post grade, the fact of choosing the "better" university requires a lot of analysis. Applying to more than one university, students save time and money. When students apply to only one university, in case of failing they have to wait at least 6 months for the following admission process.

Lastly, the merely fact of applying to several universities contributes to the personal growing of the student. When students apply to several universities, they have to write several personal statements. Since each university is different, the student has to evaluate and analyze all his merits to write a winning personal statement. Students recollect information of more than one university. This process of discerning allows the student to evaluate the quality of teachers, laboratories and facilities of each university. Choosing what university is the most appropriate so that the student reinforces his self-esteem. The student is already conscious of his vocation, and he only needs to choose the best place to develop his dreams.

To apply to several universities is strongly recommended since applying to only one university is very risk. Furthermore, applying to several universities students increase their perspectives about their future education. Moreover, students develop and reinforce his self-esteem applying to more than one university. I can asseverate that to apply to different universities is a very rich and unique process. All students have to eliminate the concept of "first-choice" university.

TOEFL listening discussions: A conversation between two university students (1)

[Gladiador]

Saw this text and thought I will give it a try. I am planning on taking TOEFL Feb/Mar 2008. You can contact me via e-mail lukakoncurat@yahoo.com regarding anything that concernes TOEFL, I would highly appreciate it (I've just started to practise for it).

Some people like to communicate by email and voice-mail. Other people like to communicate by telephone and face-to-face. Which type of communication do you prefer, and why? Be sure to include details and examples to support your opinion.

Nowadays communication via internet is very active and whether you are a successfull businessman on a trip everyday or maybe a housewife that takes care of home and her children most of the day, you pretty much use it one way or the other. Personally I believe that types of communication differ in order of needs to communicate. In order to confirm my opinion I will provide some examples.
Firstly, when we have a communication that is not urgent it can be done very easily by e-mail. This situation is highly advisable when you have a communication with your relative, friend or some other person that is physically located long distance from you. This communication can be on a daily-basis also.
Secondly, you can have a communication in emergency when any other than via telephone is out of question. This type of communication is also desirable when you have to make certain arrangements, connections or similar. Time is very important to people and telephone often saves it.
Finnaly, Face-to-face communication is what matters the most. You can see person's real reaction on a certain topic and notice if an interest is present or not. Here I would also like to emphasize the fact that via telephone, e-mail and voice-mail you can hide your „real face“ and often fool the person you are communicating with. On the other hand, with face-to-face you are unable to do that and that's why most people don't like it.

As far as myself is concerned, I very much like face-to-face communication because it is most cincear and therefore I use it as much as I can. I use telephone to arrange a meeting or to ask for a favour or a service that I need instantly. I use e-mails also very much; here you cannot always have that „personal touch“ and that's why I use it in types of long distance & frequent communication. On the oher hand, when voice-mail is concerned, I don't use it at all because I believe SMS via mobile phone is more acceptable, especially if you want to contact the person early as possible.