Knowing English alone will not help you clear your IELTS Exam.
This is a FACT.
And, is also the primary reason why coaching is better than self-study for the IELTS exam and still is highly opted by aspirants to date.
Let’s clear this out by addressing the
CHALLENGES FACED BY AN IELTS TEST TAKER.
Let’s assume that you already have the advantage of having received your formal education in an English Medium school or are a native English speaker. Otherwise, you would need IELTS coaching to clear the exam as you barely know the basics of the language.
So, getting back to the challenges; we are going to address them one by one.
Procrastination
The desire to ‘chill’ a bit because you “still have a month to prepare” is a trap too tempting to avoid that most of us repeatedly keep postponing our plans, work, resolutions and whatnot. We have so many things and devices around us to keep us away from boredom and doing the things we should be.
A tiring and boring task like preparing for the exam gets pushed back by a Netflix series or an interesting film on an engaging platform. So, by the time you realize, you only have 5 days to prepare.
“Strike when the rod is hot.” is a phrase worth remembering throughout.
‘Self-study’ needs dedication and that has to come from within. If you are unable to curb your urge for procrastinating ‘a bit more’ then self-study can end up affecting your self-confidence and the nervousness that follows will directly affect your IELTS band score.
Coaching demands that one hour from you and you give that time to your tutor regularly. This time spent with an expert tutor will definitely help you get the band that you desire.
Lack of Responsibility
When there’s a monetary value attached to something, you are forced to consider it seriously either by yourself or by others who push you to make use of it (mostly parents).
While confidence in your learning ability might take the seriousness that the exam requires, it also robs you of your IELTS money as you end up scoring less than required and have to take up the exam again.
With an additional expense of a thousand bucks, you become responsible for not only appearing for the exam but also for the classes you need to attend.
Thus, unlike self-preparation, coaching shapes you for your IELTS exam from day one.
Use of Time
If IELTS is not the only thing in your bucket, you would have multiple tasks in your day-to-day life.
Self-learning or self-study gives you the ease and thus the flexibility of doing ‘it’ later.
Too Many Cooks
YouTube is what most of us would initially resort to while preparing for the IELTS exam to gain information or at the most articles, blogs, and pdfs.
The problem here is that you only get information in bits, mostly the ones that you think you need, and there are too many people telling you about the same thing in different ways.
In that case, who would you hold accountable in case you were to lose bands due to misdirection or assumption? Nobody.
On the other hand, in coaching the tutor is the primary (and mostly the only) source of information, the one solving all your queries, and accountable for the bands that you receive if you have dedicatedly worked towards it.
Tips and Tricks
Yes, there are so many tips and tricks for your IELTS preparation. But these are just to help you overcome your weaknesses and not to be implemented blindfolded.
IELTS preparation is most effective when you follow the ‘TPT’ method i.e. the Test Practice Test method.
First and foremost, you give tests to know where you stand. This helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses. Based on these you are provided with tips to overcome your weaknesses and tricks to perfect & sharpen your skills by your tutor.
This helps you in (the next step) practising more accurately each time you move ahead.
Where do you get these benefits from? Obviously, via coaching.
So, coaching helps you measure yourself throughout the learning process while helping you make use of tips and tricks that are specific to your potential.
Retests
Money matters. Re-evaluation of an IELTS test costs over Rs 11,000 and reappearing costs the same as the original amount i.e. around Rs 15,000.
Why spend 30,000 to 45,000 on getting the desired band score when you can clear it in just one attempt by paying a thousand or two more?
An online coaching option like Akanksha ELearning has had the reputation of helping students clear their exam in their first attempt, saving them from putting in more money and effort again.
Always trust the tested ways as long they work perfectly.
Coaching for IELTS is available in two ways i.e. conventional classroom coaching and modern online coaching. While both have their own added benefits, the weighing of the perks and downfalls would point the scale towards online coaching.
Now that you have understood the challenges that you might have to face if you are to study on your own, I believe that you will be able to make the right choice for yourself.
Good Luck with your IELTS Exam and preparation for the same.