TOEFL MyBest Scores: How to Use Superscoring Strategically

ETS markets MyBest scores as a benefit for test-takers who have taken the TOEFL multiple times. The idea is straightforward: instead of submitting your overall score from a single test sitting, ETS compiles your highest section score from each section across all valid sittings within the past two years. Your Reading score from Sitting 1, your Speaking score from Sitting 2, your Writing score from Sitting 3 — the best of each, combined into a single "MyBest" report.

What ETS does not explain is how to use this system deliberately rather than accidentally. Most test-takers discover MyBest scores after their second attempt. The test-takers who score highest often plan for two sittings from the beginning.

How MyBest Scores Are Calculated

Each of the four TOEFL sections — Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing — is scored independently on the 2026 band scale of 1.0 to 6.0 in 0.5 increments. Your overall band score is the arithmetic average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest 0.5.

For MyBest purposes, ETS takes your best section score from any test sitting within the two-year validity window and combines them into a single "superscore" profile. If your section scores across two sittings look like this:

In this example, neither sitting alone hits Band 5.0 overall. The MyBest combination does — and notably, the individual section scores in the MyBest profile are stronger across the board.

Which Institutions Accept MyBest Scores

Acceptance of MyBest scores is high but not universal. Major US universities including NYU, Yale, Stanford, and most state flagship universities accept MyBest scores. The ETS MyBest acceptance list on their website is the authoritative source and is updated regularly.

However, some institutions — particularly in the UK and Australia — require scores to be achieved within a single test sitting. Examples include the University of Melbourne and Imperial College London, both of which have historically required single-sitting scores. This policy can change, so verify directly on the university's English Language Requirements page before building your strategy around superscoring.

For US graduate school applications, Teaching Assistantship requirements almost always specify minimum Speaking sub-scores (typically Band 5.0 or 5.5 in the new scale, equivalent to the old 26/28 threshold). Whether TA committees accept MyBest speaking scores is department-specific — some accept the MyBest Speaking section score, others require that the minimum be achieved in a single sitting. Check with the specific department's graduate coordinator before planning a targeted retake strategy.

Practical rule: Always verify MyBest acceptance at each target institution before assuming it applies. Do not make multi-test planning decisions based on a general impression that most universities accept superscores.

The Deliberate Two-Sitting Strategy

ETS designed MyBest scores as a consolation for test-takers who happened to take the test multiple times. The strategic version is different: you treat two sittings as a planned approach from the start, allocating your preparation focus differently for each.

The logic is cognitive load management. The 2026 TOEFL is 85 to 90 minutes of high-intensity, adaptive testing. Trying to perform at your peak in all four sections simultaneously in one sitting is the default approach — and it is what most test-takers do. But under pressure, most people have strong and weak sections. The adaptive routing in Reading and Listening can compound an early bad section into a globally lower result.

A planned two-sitting approach might look like this:

Sitting 1 — Focus on Reading and Listening: Concentrate practice in the weeks before Sitting 1 on Reading task types (especially Complete the Words) and the no-note-taking Listening strategy. Accept that Speaking and Writing performance in Sitting 1 may be below target. Use the Listening and Reading results from Sitting 1 as your baseline for the MyBest profile.

Sitting 2 — Focus on Speaking and Writing: Shift preparation focus to Speaking fluency drills (particularly the 45-second interview responses without preparation time) and Writing for an Academic Discussion engagement techniques. You already have your Reading and Listening scores banked; your goal in Sitting 2 is maximum performance in the output sections.

This approach reduces the cognitive load of trying to perform at peak across all four sections simultaneously. In Sitting 2, you are not thinking about your Reading strategy or Listening retention — those scores are already secured. You enter the Speaking tasks knowing that one confident interview section could complete your MyBest profile.

Financial Considerations

The TOEFL costs between $200 and $300 per sitting depending on your country, with the US price typically around $235. A planned two-sitting strategy therefore costs $400 to $600 in test fees alone, plus preparation materials and any travel or scheduling costs.

This compares favorably to the alternative scenario: taking one test unprepared, scoring below target, scrambling to retake, missing an application deadline, and delaying a university start or immigration timeline by a full year. In that context, the cost of a planned second sitting is a small fraction of what a missed application cycle costs — in delayed career progress, lost scholarship opportunities, or additional visa application fees.

The calculation is different for test-takers in lower-PPP countries where $200-300 represents a much larger share of monthly income. For budget-constrained test-takers, a strategy that prioritizes getting a strong score in one sitting — through more intensive preparation — may make more financial sense than planning for two.

When MyBest Scores Do Not Apply

Several situations make MyBest scores less useful or inapplicable:

Single-institution applications: If you are applying to only one or two institutions that require single-sitting scores, the MyBest strategy is irrelevant. Focus all preparation on hitting your target in a single sitting.

Sub-score requirements: Many programs set minimum scores per section, not just overall. If a nursing program requires Band 5.5 in Speaking specifically, a MyBest overall of 5.0 with a Speaking of 5.0 from Sitting 2 does not help you — you still need to retake and improve Speaking to 5.5. Always check whether the program has section minimums, not just overall band requirements.

Time pressure: If your application deadline is in six weeks, there may not be time to schedule a second sitting, receive scores (typically 4 to 8 days after the test), and submit before the deadline. MyBest strategy requires enough lead time for two test sittings within the application cycle.

The 2026 adaptive routing: Because the 2026 format adapts based on first-module performance, a planned two-sitting strategy needs to account for the fact that a poor first module in Sitting 2 can suppress your Reading or Listening score even if you were aiming primarily for Speaking and Writing results. The sections are separate but the test is one event — psychological state in one section can affect performance in others.

Using MyBest Scores With the New 2026 Band Scale

The dual-indicator reporting system that ETS has implemented during the 2026 to 2028 transition period shows both the new band score (1.0 to 6.0) and the legacy equivalent (0 to 120) on score reports. This means institutions that have not yet updated their minimum score requirements from the old scale can still interpret your performance.

MyBest scores are reported in the same dual-indicator format. If your MyBest Reading is Band 5.5 (equivalent to approximately 107 to 113 on the legacy scale), that information is visible to both the institution's admissions system and to any department administrator still working with the old scale.

This transition period makes it especially important to verify with each institution how they are interpreting scores. Some institutions may set a Band 5.0 minimum for the new scale while their website still shows "100+" from the legacy scale — these are effectively equivalent, but confirmation removes ambiguity.

The TOEFL iBT Preparation Guide includes a framework for multi-test planning — how to allocate preparation focus across two sittings, which sections to target in each sitting, and how to verify MyBest acceptance policies at your specific target institutions before committing to the strategy.