Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post Reply
ali8
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:20 am

Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post by ali8 » Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:52 pm

Hi,

In my TOEFL score report, my last name is written as: AL-SAQQA (i.e. with dash)
But in my passport, it is written as ALSAQQA (i.e. without dash)

Is this a big problem?

I will register for GRE very soon, should I use AL-SAQQA to be consistent or use ALSAQQA ?

Please advice !

TheBeast
Posts: 114
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 12:06 am

Re: Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post by TheBeast » Thu Sep 08, 2011 2:58 pm

ali8 wrote:Hi,

In my TOEFL score report, my last name is written as: AL-SAQQA (i.e. with dash)
But in my passport, it is written as ALSAQQA (i.e. without dash)

Is this a big problem?

I will register for GRE very soon, should I use AL-SAQQA to be consistent or use ALSAQQA ?

Please advice !
My guess is that it's probably not too big of a deal; especially if it's just a missing hyphen as opposed to a misspelling. I would suggest registering using your name as written in your passport. The passport is an official form of identification (A TOEFL score report isn't).

ali8
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:20 am

Re: Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post by ali8 » Thu Sep 08, 2011 3:27 pm

UPDATE: In my university degree, I am "Al-Saqqa", i.e. with dash.

So I think it is better to have all the three (University degree, TOEFL and GRE) in the sample spelling.

What do you think ?

User avatar
HappyQuark
Posts: 762
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:08 am

Re: Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post by HappyQuark » Thu Sep 08, 2011 3:44 pm

ali8 wrote:UPDATE: In my university degree, I am "Al-Saqqa", i.e. with dash.

So I think it is better to have all the three (University degree, TOEFL and GRE) in the sample spelling.

What do you think ?
You should probably contact ETS and ask them. I would bet that, as was stated previously, whatever your official ID states as your name ought to be what you use. For passport, if it is without the dash then it is probably preferable to have your name changed on the TOEFL and your university degree to be without the dash.

TheBeast
Posts: 114
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 12:06 am

Re: Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post by TheBeast » Thu Sep 08, 2011 3:45 pm

I would still use the spelling in the passport. Of the documents you've listed, the Passport is the only one that's an official form of identification. You generally need to show some sort of ID when you take the GRE, so it's possible (though I think somewhat far-fetched for something minor like a hyphen) for them to refuse you to write the examination if the registered name of the test-taker doesn't match up 100% with the name on the identification.

When you send in your applications for graduate school, the admission committees will probably not care (or notice) that in some places your name has a hyphen and in other places it doesn't.

Edit: If you're really paranoid, like HQ suggests, contact ETS and your university to get the hyphen removed so that everything is consistent with the passport.

ali8
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:20 am

Re: Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post by ali8 » Thu Sep 08, 2011 4:09 pm

So the best solution is to change the name in both of my university certificate and TOEFL.

As for the university certificate, that is not a problem, but what about TOEFL ?

I have already taken it long ago and already taken the scores. Is it possible now to change the name ??

EDIT: Or should I change the name in the PASSPORT (if possible) ?

TheBeast
Posts: 114
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 12:06 am

Re: Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post by TheBeast » Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:17 pm

With regards to the TOEFL score, contact ETS and tell that that you want to have the name changed on the score report. There's probably some forms to fill out and a fee to pay.

Getting your named changed on a passport can be a difficult process, in particular if you've already traveled on it. It's probably not worth the hassle.

The underlying question is what do you consider the proper way to write your name? If you insist on having the hyphen, you should undertake the steps to get your passport and all other forms of official identification to have the hyphen. If you insist on not having the hyphen, get your other documents changed so that they don't have the hyphen. If you don't really care, assume that what's written on your passport is the official way of writing your name and get all of the other documents to correspond to the way written in the passport.

ali8
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:20 am

Re: Additional "dash" in my Last Name in TOEFL

Post by ali8 » Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:27 pm

TheBeast wrote:With regards to the TOEFL score, contact ETS and tell that that you want to have the name changed on the score report. There's probably some forms to fill out and a fee to pay.

Getting your named changed on a passport can be a difficult process, in particular if you've already traveled on it. It's probably not worth the hassle.

The underlying question is what do you consider the proper way to write your name? If you insist on having the hyphen, you should undertake the steps to get your passport and all other forms of official identification to have the hyphen. If you insist on not having the hyphen, get your other documents changed so that they don't have the hyphen. If you don't really care, assume that what's written on your passport is the official way of writing your name and get all of the other documents to correspond to the way written in the passport.
Well, I'd love my name to be written correctly, but if that would be difficult then I "don't care".

So I will ask the local authorities about changing the name in my passport. If that is easy, then I'll do it.
Otherwise, I will change my name in my university certificate and in my TOEFL score report.

Thanks for the advice, TheBeast and HQ, really appreciated :)



Post Reply