In my TOEFL texts and in my TOEFL classes, I stress that TOEFL is a game. That game is designed by Educational Testing Service (ETS).
ETS claims to be a "non profit organization." However, financial information for the year ending 2007 paints a very different picture. ETS is definitely in the profit game. How does ETS make a profit? By designing a game people will play for a fee. That game is TOEFL. Below are two quotes describing how ETS plays the profit game - and wins.
For the year ending 2007, ETS, a non profit company, earned an 11% profit.
The CEO of ETS, Mr. Kurt Landgraf, earned $997,608.00 for the year ending 2007, seven times higher than the industry standard.
Remember: The TOEFL test costs $170.00. I predict it will go up to $185.00 in early 2012.
The Pro
