For many professionals and students, proving their English proficiency is a crucial step in achieving their academic or career goals. In a world where multiple English proficiency tests exist, choosing the right one can feel challenging. Today, we share the experience of Mariama Nicole Pangilinan, an IT analyst from the Philippines, who recently took the Michigan English Test (MET). She discusses her motivations, preparation, and test-day experience, offering valuable insights for those considering the exam.
A Flexible Life Just Outside Manila
Pangilinan has been working as an analyst in an IT solutions company for a few years. Her career path took a significant turn when she transitioned from a completely different industry into IT.
Currently residing in the northern part of the Philippines near Manila, Pangilinan enjoys the best of both worlds—a peaceful, countryside environment for her hybrid work setup with access to the city when needed.
“Luckily, my job is a hybrid setup, so I don’t need to travel too often into the city. That’s a huge perk that comes with working for an international company,” Pangilinan said.
This flexibility allowed her the opportunity to prepare for and take MET without major disruptions to her daily routine.
In her time away from her desk, Pangilinan enjoys reading and spending time with her family. Her love of books has helped her become fluent in English.
MET Gives Options
For Pangilinan, taking MET was both a professional and personal decision.
Pangilinan had previously taken IELTS and was curious about how MET compared; she wanted to take both and assess which test would be a better fit for her needs.
“To be honest, I was really curious about MET. I had only taken IELTS before, and MET is really new to me,” she said. “It was good to have another option.”
When 9.0 Niner, a test preparation provider and Michigan Language Assessment partner, offered slots for MET, she saw it as an opportunity to try something new and gain a deeper understanding of different English proficiency exams.
“In my job right now, it’s not required to take an English test, but that may change. It is, however, required to speak English in the company, so it’s beneficial for my job to stay on top of my skills,” she said. “It was the right decision to take MET, because I now have another certification that I can use to help me stand out.”
Easy Prep, Less Stress
Pangilinan approached MET with a strategic but relaxed mindset.
“Since MET has the same subtests as IELTS: listening, reading, writing, speaking—I did not prepare much. But I did a lot of reading about MET’s structure to prepare for test day.”
Compared to IELTS, she found MET to be less complex.
“MET is not easier, but it’s less complex than IELTS. In IELTS, you need to answer 40 questions for listening and reading, and as you progress into the exam, it gets more complicated. In comparison, MET has different sections, but the content feels more straightforward,” she said.
She also found the writing and speaking sections of MET to be more approachable.
“For writing, it was easier as well because in IELTS, you need to write two tasks, while in MET, you only need to respond to a few questions,” she said. “The speaking section is also less challenging because, unlike IELTS, where there are many questions in three parts, MET provides you with a material to talk about. That was the best part—you have something to use as a reference, so you don’t start from zero.”
A Surprisingly Simple Test Day with Unsurprisingly Great Results
Despite the usual nerves that come with taking an important exam, Pangilinan found test day surprisingly smooth. She traveled from her hometown to Manila and took the exam in Makati.
“The day of my exam was pretty chill. Since I wasn’t familiar with MET, I did not know that it would be that relaxed,” she said.
She recalled her experiences with IELTS, noting how draining the exam felt compared to MET.
“Whenever I take IELTS, I feel exhausted because it’s really difficult,” she said. “But with MET, it was pretty relaxed. I wouldn’t say it was easy, but the exam structure made it feel less overwhelming.”
Shortly after her test day, Pangilinan received her results via email. She was pleased with her MET results, which she says were comparable to her IELTS scores.
“When I compared my MET and IELTS scores, they were almost the same level. It was a pretty decent score, and I was happy with it,” she said.
Would She Recommend MET?
Without hesitation, Pangilinan said she would recommend MET to others, especially for busy individuals.
“If you are time-bound, have short preparation time, or are busy with work, MET is a great option,” she said. “It doesn’t take a whole day—more like a half-day, and you’ll do well if you just understand the test’s structure.”
She also emphasized that if an academic institution or employer recognizes MET, it is a great alternative to other English tests.
“If an institution acknowledges MET, definitely, I would recommend it over other English tests,” she said.
Hopes for More Companies to Recommend MET
Pangilinan hopes that more institutions and companies worldwide will recognize MET as a valid English proficiency test.
“I just hope that many academic institutions or companies will acknowledge MET now, especially in English-speaking countries where people want to apply or migrate,” she said.
This firsthand experience highlights the advantages of MET for professionals and students alike. With its structured yet approachable format, it offers a reliable and accessible way to demonstrate English proficiency. If you’re considering an English exam, MET could be the right choice for you, too!
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