[English Coaching Award 2024] Selected for the Open Category! A resolute challenge that began with a 'REVOKE' notice

English Coaching Award 2024
Open Category Selection

◆ Award-winning School/Course
TORAIZ / TOEFL iBT® Test Preparation Course

Consultant in charge: Aya

— Learning Case of Student Mr. Tobinaga —

Mr. T was notified by an overseas graduate school that his admission might be revoked. To win back his acceptance within the remaining month and a half, he worked on English studies at TORAIZ for TOEFL iBT® test preparation.

◆ Score

TOEFL 58 points → 64 points achieved!!
(Please click here if you would like to know more about TOEFL scores. )

◆ Story

He came for counseling with the request, 'I want to raise my TOEFL score by nearly 40 points in a month and a half of study.' As someone who has taken the TOEFL test myself, I told him that improving his score in that timeframe would be extremely difficult. However, since he possessed a passion that could not be measured by scores alone and wonderful experience as a working professional, I told him, 'Let's win this admission through your total strength, including those aspects; let's create a miracle!' and decided to support him.

During the course, he not only prioritized learning the four skills of RLSW, but also decided on priority tasks within each of the four skills. Overall, we prioritized listening practice, and within Speaking and Writing, we prioritized Independent Tasks. To ensure he wouldn't be defeated by pressure or impatience, we devised ways to provide as many opportunities as possible for him to feel that he had 'succeeded'.

◆ Student Mr. Tobinaga's Comment

'REVOKE'. On June 14, 2023, I received an email from a FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) graduate school. Two months after my acceptance notice in April, the TOEFL score I submitted to a language school in the UK was rejected, and I was notified of the possibility of cancellation. I had already resigned from the company I had worked at for 23 years; the joy was short-lived, and my world went dark. I couldn't imagine improving dramatically in a month and a half, and although I contacted every English cram school, they only gave me negative feedback about the gap between the time and the results. That's when I met my consultant, Aya-san. She couldn't guarantee the result, but she answered with confidence regarding my growth. I felt a conviction that she would find my current situation interesting and run alongside me in this challenge. When I was struggling because my score wouldn't go up despite studying for over 16 hours a day at my peak, her advice based on experience and her approach of standing by my side allowed me to believe in myself to the end. Coaches from all over the world in different time zones were also perfect preparation for what to expect after enrollment. I am grateful to Arima-san (Aya), who enjoyed this resolute challenge with me and ran alongside me positively.

I lived together with 25 classmates from 21 countries around the world for a year, across three countries—the UK, Italy, and Switzerland—and four languages, and I gained another 'family' around the world. I traveled around 10 countries in Europe and Africa, and in one year, I had 10 years' worth of experiences. I started a business while I was in school, and after graduation, my 25 friends found jobs all over the world, including at FIFA (International Federation of Association Football), UEFA (Union of European Football Associations), and CAF (Confederation of African Football). What kind of chemistry will be born with them, who will likely be executives in the world of soccer in 10 years? I am already looking forward to it.

◆ Consultant in charge Aya's Comment

Under literal brink-of-collapse pressure, Mr. Tobinaga continued an astonishing 16 hours of study every day. Just before the deadline, he took the TOEFL and IELTS every week, and by putting his passionate thoughts and never-give-up attitude into action, he appealed to the admissions officer at the FIFA graduate school and won his acceptance again. Through Mr. Tobinaga's case, I feel that I, too, was able to experience the TORAIZ philosophy of 'opening up the possibilities of people and organizations through learning' as a consultant. A year later, when he graduated from graduate school, I received a report that he was selected for the top prize in his thesis group presentation. I am truly looking forward to Mr. Tobinaga's continued success in the future.