Placement Test IALF

Well, that's one thing that makes me dizzy during process of repairing the requirement of my post graduate scholarship is to choose a place to take IELTS course. If you have a fluent English talent, may be it's not an issue for you :D. Because I have a personal goal to reach 7 points so I want to select the most suitable for me either in terms of quality, time, distance, and certainly budget. I had never even take IELTS test so I am not confident without course first. Perhaps there is also asked "Why should IELTS, not Toefl?". Well, some universities that I choose in Europe actually received IELTS or Toefl iBT. Just by personal survey, it would be beneficial if I take IELTS because IELTS more generally than Toefl, include Australia/New Zealand. Anyway, study abroad requires 6,5 for IELTS point. The following are several IELTS course that I got:

1. LBI FIB Universitas Indonesia
This one is cheap enough. It's only 1,2 Million Rupiah in 3 months every Saturday around 8.30 - 13.00 (totally 48 hours). As another course, there is fee for registration 75 thousand Rupiah, at once include get placement test schedule to ensure that you are proper to take a course or not. In my mind, it's long enough for me if I learn around 3 months, so that's why I had prefer to not choose this one.

2. TBI (The British Institute)
I had ever heard this course one. Unfortunately from info that I got on Internet said that, the reputation of this course worse recently. That's why this course also eliminated from my list :D 

3. English Today
I impressed for the service of this course, notably for correspondence via email. I sent them email and replied quickly, so I don't need to call the official. The location is in Villa Bintaro Regency and having a native speaker with totally 30 hours. They offered me either a private class with cost 12 Million or 4-5 persons with cost 4-5 Million, wow :D. Well, if I want to take 4 persons, who will accompany me? And certainly it will take a wasting time to invite 4-5 persons, that's why this is also eliminated.

 4. IEDUC
Actually this is a prominent course among students, especially Bandung area. Beside the cost is cheap enough, also the quality is good, despite it is not famous. The central office is in Bandung, but there is a branch office in Bintaro, Jakarta. From information I got from internet, said that in Jakarta might not be as Bandung office because the teacher is not native in Jakarta office. That's why it's also eliminated.

5. IALF
Unintentionally I got info from my ex class mate when I studied at Bandung, Raka. He said this course has a good reputation, it has exist around 25 years with native teacher. Voila, I decided to choose this course, because from distance, time, budget, and quality it's better than the other. :) You can check official website of IALF here.

Not long afterwards, I was going to call the Jakarta office to get information. Obviously, I have to take a placement test first to determine whether I am able to follow the class or not. The placement test conduct from Monday to Friday, around 9 a.m - 17 p.m or Saturday around 9 a.m to 11 a.m, during 45 minutes. Eventually, I choose Saturday (15 March 2014) at 9 a.m. Anyway, the placement test is conducted at IALF office at Plaza Kuningan 3rd floor.

Bank Receipt Voucher

I have to prepare myself to conduct the placement test. In honestly, I only prepare myself to learn tenses and gerund, presumably if placement test, in my opinion only to measure how understand that we know to use tense. Eventually, the day has come. I have to reach Plaza Kuningan at least 30 minutes before the schedule, it means that I have to reach there at 8.30 a.m. I started leave from my boarding house around 8.00 a.m because I predicted that it takes time about 20 minutes to reach Plaza Kuningan from my boarding house by motor cycle.

My appliance :p

This is my route to reach Plaza Kuningan. Pancoran - Tebet - Kasablanka - Epicentrum Kuningan - Jl. Rasuna Said - Plaza Kuningan. Firstly, I didn't see the building because there are lots truck park on the street because there is a development in front of Wisma Tugu building. It makes me have to try again and repeat my way from Epicentrum. Finally I found the building with low speed among the trucks. After got the parking ticket, I parked my motor cycle and got South building 3 rd floor.

Plaza Kuningan South building

I got 3rd floor and register myself to receptionist. They have listed all participants would take placement test, totally there were 4 persons at that time. But only me that take the placement test at 9 a.m so I was alone. My impression about officers is they serve me friendly, a security carry me to the room that I would take the placement test, a library room. There were 3 persons librarian who oversee me during my test. Generally, the question is about tense and gerund, there are 50 questions in 45 minutes. Not too difficult to finish it actually, I could finish it around 25 minutes.

After I finished, I gave the documents to receptionist as I got it from. She said that the result will be informed at Monday (today) so I am still waiting for the result whether I pass or not :D
Finally, they just caLl me and said that I pass the test and offer me the schedule, either Monday to Friday at 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm, or Wednesday 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm and Saturday 08.00 am to 12 pm. I prefer to choose the first one, hehehe

Welcome to the jungle, next step is waiting for me, let's do it :)