Educational Testing Service Reviews 302

For the TOEFL Home Edition, ETS provide some hardware guidelines and an Equipment Check Software to run before the test.
I followed every guideline and validated multiple times the Equipement Check (even on test day) but when you start the exam, they do a last quick equipment check with the TOEFL test software. This one failed, over and over, but the other software still worked fine, and validated my hardware.
After 10 min of debugging with the proctor, he transfered me to technical support, which wanted to take over control on my PC, but by the time they did, the proctor already cancelled the test ... With no explanation ...
Now ETS wants me to pay 250€ to reschedule a test session, even with all the information, proofs and screenshots I gave them about the incident. They say that they have some additional information proving my responsibility, but don't want to share it with me ... It's defenitely theirs !
If you absolutely have to take the TOEFL Test, you NEED to go to a test center, DON'T take it at home. And since there is also a lot of problems with the results, my advice is to avoid ETS by all mean !

Do not buy anything for study guides from them. Went into website booked the Praxis test bought the recommended study materials. None of the study materials are for the 5701. Tried to get a refund, it is my fault because I didn’t research more. If I could use any other organization to get into teaching I would. Biggest scam ever!!! No refund and it is my fault that their website recommends useful study guides that are not even available. By the way don’t try and get to a supervisor you will never get one waited hours and no one ever picked up. Left several emails and you get the same AI. Committed to education, I think not. How about committed to money!!

ETS is a fraudulent scam business company. Someone has to sue them for their unprofessional conduct, they are only making money from people they are the worst organization to test your language skills and proficiency.

I have never written a public complaint before, but this time I feel compelled. The GRE system — which claims to evaluate graduate-level readiness — failed spectacularly in its most basic function: providing access to test results.

For three days now, I’ve been trying to access my GRE score report, particularly the Analytical Writing section, which is crucial for my master’s applications. The system does not load on any browser, any device. I followed every troubleshooting step given (clearing cache/history, switching browsers, using different Wi-Fi connections), and even tried four different devices — yet nothing worked.

Worse, ETS support has been unhelpful and dismissive. Their only advice was to “clear cache and try again,” as if I hadn’t already exhausted every logical step. The deadline for several of my applications is expiring, and I may lose my chance at pursuing graduate studies because of their incompetence.

For an organization that charges over $200 for a test, this level of service is inexcusable. Students rely on GRE for their academic future, and it is disgraceful that such a critical platform is allowed to operate without accountability or a functioning infrastructure.

I strongly advise others to think twice before relying on GRE for their admissions journey. You are better off applying to programs that do not require this flawed and overpriced system.

book a test, at the day of the test, I cannot connect my mobile camera to set as 2nd camera. after almost 3 hours without solution, the test was cancelled, and my money not refunded. One more thing, clearly the proctor and all other "staff" that present during online session didn't understand a thing about iT and online real-time test. All solution was given didn't make sense at all.

I’ve had multiple terrible experiences with ETS. I once got COVID and couldn’t take my TOEFL exam — I sent them proof, but they refused to reschedule or refund me. More recently, I accidentally purchased the same practice test twice (almost $300 total), and they still refused to help or refund anything. Their customer service is rigid, cold, and completely unsupportive. For such an expensive service, I expected basic fairness. Very disappointing.

I would have given a negative score if it had been possible.

I was supposed to take the TOEFL Ibt (home), checked that everything (both computer and phone) worked, a few days prior to and on the test day. I ran the checks with the software.....
And when the time of the test came, the proctor (who could only speak a very poor english and obviously had no IT skills) spent 45min "trying" to get me through the verification process. Eventually, I never managed to get further the QR code step (it kept on saying "your session is expired") as he decided to cancel my session regardless (it worked at some point, but said to start again, and weirdly it never worked again afterwards), saying that I would be rescheduled for free.

After contacting the customer service, it got even worse.
Rude, robotic, and incompetent people. It took 3 days (and 5 different persons) before I got something close to an answer. Then they said that it would take 8-10 days for the relevant service to check what happened and come back to me.
As you imagine, they pretended that something went wrong but they consider that I was responsible and wouldn't reschedule for free as supposed to.

Not only I lost a lot of money, but there is only one physical session per month, so I might not have the test results on time.
I'm a busy single mom, and literally have no time, money, nor energy to loose.

I will contact legal authorities to help me being refunded, but I will mostly contact the University of Oslo so they warn people on their website about this, in order to prevent other students from being scammed.

I would suggest that we all do the same, and share the information as widely as possible!

Test kicked me off two time in a row on the final writing prompt. The proctors and customer service employees speak little English and do not care. I have wasted 240$ with these people and they will not refund me or fix these problems. I will take my test in person next time.

Beware of scammers! Please protect your money and avoid booking any tests with ETS.
Unfortunately, I was also scammed on the TOEFL test. I never imagined that such a professionally run company would steal students' money. After the introduction was over, I only got to the personal questions and was disappointed to find that my test was abruptly aborted. The proctor couldn't help. The security software detected unauthorized programs on my computer and excluded me from the test. The proctor could see that everything was closed and my screen was shared the entire time.

The service afterward is even worse. No opportunity is given to prove anything. The only possible recourse is to contact a lawyer.

Do not ever take an online test! The program closed and they are giving me the runaround.

Worst customer service. I switched the a.m. & p.m. timing for the test (12 a.m.). What happened is that I logged in 11.20 CET and realised that I can not enter the test. Tried calling but they only answered day after and refused any kind of rescheduling of exam or giving my money back. Additionally, they only have one office in USA, so I needed to call for 30min from Denmark to USA. Terrible!

Clearly a money grabbing penny pinching operation. I will do everything in my power to dissuade my students and friends from using their ‘service’ and recommend all teachers do the same.
Another example of a fake “customer service”

ETS educational service is the most dishonest, thieving, disdainful and privileged company I have ever seen. They should be investigated for fraud straight away.

In the USA, when a professional (such as a teacher) needs to be State-certified, institutions delegate the responsibility to private companies such as ETS who quickly understand that they not only have a monopoly in the field but that their unfortunate "customers" have no choice than to buy their muck.

Very quickly, ETS turns into a legal scam in which the purpose of the game is to sell as much of their human organic waste by any means possible. They apply all types of price-hiking techniques, pressuring, and send quantities of emails promising "10% off" and so forth, hence revealing their true colours. Let us be clear: the purpose is to sell, and to sell some more. And sell more after that.

In my case I was instructed to take one of their laughable Praxis tests, the level of which is so far inferior any college degree it is a wonder State institutions still believe in this Praxis proving any type of knowledge. Not only do you not have access to the learning material (200$ more, please), but the exam in itself is comprised of trivia and badly-formulated questions which are so anti-academic, a first year college student would see through the scam in an instant.

Customer service is the worst ever from a dysfunctional answer phone that goes round in circles, to customer agent speaking in broken English which is (ironically) challenging to understand.

I booked a 160$ English test, which was so badly explained (due to absence of said customer service) that it ended up malfunctioning. As a result the test was cancelled and I must pay another 160$ to take it again.

ETS have perfectly understood that the more these online tests malfunction, the more profit they make. Double the sales instead of selling just one test. It is simple business maths.

When I phoned ETS to complain about their online test malfunctioning, the agent pretended to put my case at the top of the pile as a "hot case" and to accelerate the decision of their proctors. (Are we to believe that other similar cases were not so urgent?)

By then I had already read the reviews on Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot and recognized the scam I had fallen for. The pattern was clear: ETS want the test to malfunction because it is easy profit.

I've seen scams in my time, but nothing like these pirates. They are thoroughly dishonest and above any business morals. They are the scum of the earth. They are thieves with no ethics and they should be investigated and shut down immediately.

Avoid if you can. Unless you have no choice than to buy from this thieving monopoly.

I have been interacting with this company for many years. It used to be a well-respected company. But in recent years it has virtually collapsed. To describe all the unfair labor practices it has engaged in would take too long. In addition to that it has sent nearly all its jobs overseas and is paying employees there less than 1/3 what it paid American staff. It is sad how corrupt and dishonest it has become.

No need to contact them. They have made their decision and are not open to considering it further.

I'm posting this review to get the word out, so perhaps something can be done to companies like this that send their jobs overseas. I'm hopeful that some Congressional legislator will propose a tax on all U.S. companies that send their jobs overseas.

The tax should be enacted when they hire overseas for jobs in which many Americans are fully qualified. In certain circumstances, when someone has unique qualifications for a position, then the tax could be waived. But most of the jobs sent overseas are not of that type.

Ironically, the jobs being sent overseas by ETS are being filled by those who are less qualified than those in the U.S., whom they are laying off.

SCAM ALERT!!!!!!!!!! these guys are scammers. I booked my at home TOEFL and 15 min before my scheduled time no proctor showed up and i waited and waited and waited for 2 hours after that before finally giving up. I emailed them about my concern and now they are blaming me that i did not log in on time and they will not refund my money. I also tried to take a screenshot of the computer screen but since i was logged in on their browser it hides the computer clock that way we do not have any evidence of what time we were logged in. They just emailed me saying they investigated but i think no solid investigation was done at all. I think this is their way to scam people of money. Get a life guys.... this is no way to scam people being such a big company.

ETS server scanned my computer serveral times prior to the test. Mobile was stored away, whiteboard visible to the instructor. All instructions have been followed. 20 minutes prior to the end of the test my participation was terminated and I received the message an unauthorized software was operating. Nothing more. No screenshot, no name of the software - nothing. Claims have been wiped away just with the simple note "check the policies, no refunds". I will pass it on to a lawyer and there will be a court case on this. Moreover I have contacted official german Broadcasting Network as I found I am not the only one... by far not the only one....

You guys are a scam. Looks like there are a lot of people complaining about you. I guess that gives me some comfort knowing that I see you for what you guys are. A sick money grab.

If this is a known issue with enough people complaining about it, YOU are accountable and responsible to make sure the issue gets resolved. I ran through the test with your proctor and he cleared me to take the test. To throw this back at me saying it's my responsibility to know what background processes my computer is running regardless if I have done a sweep and complied WITH your proctor, is the lowest form of gaslighting a business can do.

Here's a piece of advice, go back and have your software engineers improve your systems. And this one is free, from an operational consultant like me. Make it part of your process to switch on the TASK MANAGER during the system check. Take a look at all the open lines before accusing your users of being untrustworthy (which you obviously are). That way, you can have PROOF that we as users are not trying to scam you. Oh. That's something your company is already guilty of.

Keep the $250. It obviously makes you guys happy.

May you live long and prosper. Long enough to see your company implode. Cheers.

Extremely pricy, exam does not correspond to questions reviewed by the official textbooks. Examinater (home exam) impudent (with limited English skills). The mandatory aspect of this exam as an admission criterium contirbutes to making education a business. Happily, universities increasingly remove it.

I didn’t even want to give them one star, but I had to to leave the review. This is the absolute worst company I have ever had to deal with. I tried to schedule the two exams I had to take to be able to begin student teaching. If you scheduled them at one time it saved you some money. It took my money but failed to schedule one of the exams. I had to schedule again, which cost me even more money. Never got a refund or let me use it towards what I had already put out. There were no testing sites in my area so I was forced to take them at home. It was a total pain just getting my room approved to begin the tests. The first test was fine with no issues. The second one clicked me through at the end and I never even saw the “cancel scores” button. I asked the proctor to let me check if my scores were being submitted. He said everything looked good and told me to exit the exam, so I did. Yesterday I received my official scores and unfortunately it said “scores canceled.” I called customer service immediately and let them know what happened. They were literally no help at all, I even started crying on the phone because I was so upset. They refuse to reinstate my scores, refuse to give me any kind of refund, and won’t let me take it again for 28 days. They’ve taken my money, and ruined any chance I had of doing my student teaching this school year. I completely heartbroken:(

Predatory pricing schemes. Horrible customer service. This company makes its money praying on teenager's bank accounts. I thought it was all over until I realized I had to pay an additional 35 USD to send a score to EACH university, with 4 universities costing 140 USD. Shameful that so many universities rely on this company.