托福主要是美國留學的語言程度檢定。只要是英文非母語的外籍學生都必須通過一定門檻的托福成績才能申請美國的研究所。一般來說，托福成績的要求是在85分以上。
GRE
There are a number of limitations to the GRE in terms of predicting research success, but it is the only standardized metric admissions committees have access to. The weight given to the different sections of the GRE and the subject tests can vary substantially among departments.
Compensating for low GRE scores
A low GRE scores can be offset by a strong research record highlighted in the SOP and letters of reference. The SOP and letters of reference can also be used to make the admissions committee aware of any extenuating circumstances that may have lead to the low GRE scores. A Strong GPA can also help offset low GRE scores. The best way to offset a low GRE is to retake the GRE. The GRE is typically offered year-round for applicants. Upon receiving a lower-than-expected GRE score, you can, and should, immediately register for another GRE exam and begin preparing. Because of the short turn-around time, any preparation you did for the previous GRE should allow you to prepare much more quickly this time.
You are technically permitted to take the GRE once every 3 weeks, or 5 times a year. However, repeat testings are detrimental to your schedule, morale, and finances, so it might be best to keep taking the test only until you receive a satisfactory score that you feel will represent your target school's applicant criteria, not until you receive the best score you believe is possible for you.
Once you have received the score you are satisfied with, the ETS offers a service to allow you to selectively determine which scores you provide to schools you are applying to, called ScoreSelect. This way, you can present your best cumulative score to the applications committee without being concerned about an older test, or one where extenuating circumstances made you perform worse than expected.
After test day, you can send additional score reports for a fee, and select from these options for each report you'd like to send:
- Most Recent option — Send your scores from your most recent test administration
- All option — Send your scores from all test administrations in the last five years
- Any option — Send your scores from one OR as many test administrations as you like from the last five years
You will select by specific test dates, so your scores are all from the same testing session.
This applies to both general and subject GREs.
The ScoreSelect option is available for both the GRE® revised General Test and GRE® Subject Tests, and can be used by anyone with reportable scores from the last five years.
Again, I want to add that, in my experience, the GRE is a 'filter', nothing more. In many cases, even low GREs will be considered and not automatically discarded. Most top admissions panels do not accept one candidate over another simply based on GRE. I know for a fact that some colleges don't even require candidates to submit GREs. When I was applying to CS Ph.D. programs a few years ago, for example, I noticed that MIT did not require GRE scores to be submitted.
TOEFL
Improve your English and take the TOEFL again; generally schools have minimum TOEFL scores, and taking a student whose English isn't good enough can be a huge headache. Some schools in the US will do phone/Skype interviews with foreign prospective students to get a sense of their English.
Meeting the minimum requirements
Every university/department handles the stated minimum requirements differently. Sometimes a hard threshold is used such that if an application fails to meet all the minimum requirements, it will not be considered at all. Other times, the threshold is soft, and applications that do not meet all (or some) of the minimum requirements will still be considered. If you do not meet the minimum, only the department you are applying to can tell you if you are eligible to apply.
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