TOLC-S preparation, online and with no surprises on the day.
The TOLC-S is not only for natural sciences: it also opens the door to Statistics, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence degrees. It is the TOLC people talk about least, which is why it is the worst prepared: few dedicated resources, and students who study "a bit of everything" instead of focusing on maths, which is worth about 36% of the test.
You will find the complete guide, with a week-by-week study plan, in how to prepare for the TOLC-S, or take the free TOLC-S practice test right now, with the real structure and scoring.
The TOLC-S also opens Data Science and AI.
The students I work with
- Future data scientists or Statistics students who did not expect a test so heavy on pure maths.
- Natural science or geology students who underestimate reasoning and reading comprehension, thinking that only the science subjects count.
- Students from a classics or languages high school who need to consolidate, in a few weeks, a maths syllabus they never really mastered.
How it works
- First hour: a short diagnostic test to understand not only what you get wrong, but why.
- Weekly plan: two maths lessons (where the points are), and one every two weeks on the sciences block.
- You train reasoning and reading comprehension with a few minutes a day, which I correct and monitor.
- In the last three weeks, full practice tests reviewed together, question by question.
- Practice tests done directly on the CISIA platform, so the interface is already familiar on test day.
The 6 sections of the TOLC-S, with the real weights.
55 questions in 2 hours. Maths is not "one section out of six": it is more than a third of the test on its own. Reasoning/comprehension and the four science areas (biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences) together make up the rest of the score, but they call for much more targeted preparation: few questions each, a narrow syllabus.
- Basic maths
- Elementary algebra: powers, radicals, algebraic fractions
- Equations and inequalities (second degree, fractional, irrational, systems)
- Functions and graphs of elementary functions
- Exponentials and logarithms
- Probability, combinatorics and descriptive statistics
- Reasoning, problem solving and reading comprehension
- Proportions, percentages, speeds and times
- Reasoning about sets and number sequences
- Scientific or popular-science texts: theses, inferences and the data quoted in the passage
- Answering only from what is written, without adding outside knowledge
- Biology
- Cell, biomolecules and DNA
- Mendelian and molecular genetics
- Metabolism, respiration and photosynthesis
- Basic anatomy, physiology, evolution and ecology
- Chemistry
- Atom, periodic table, chemical bonds
- Moles, solutions and basic stoichiometry
- Acids, bases and redox reactions
- Physics
- Kinematics and dynamics
- Energy, work and power
- Basic electricity
- Earth sciences
- Geology: internal structure, minerals and rocks
- Plate tectonics, volcanology and seismology
- Atmosphere, hydrosphere and basic astronomy
Structure, number of questions and syllabus can change from one year to the next: always check the official CISIA syllabus for the current year and your university's call for applications.
TOLC-S: frequently asked questions.
Is the TOLC-S only for natural sciences?
No. The TOLC-S is also required for Statistics, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: it is the part many people discover late. Basic maths is the heart of the test in every case.
How much does maths really count in the score?
About 36% of the questions and 42% of the time: 20 questions out of 55, in 50 minutes out of 120. Every year I see students spend three weeks on biology, chemistry, physics and earth sciences (20 questions out of 55 in all) and stay stuck on radicals and second-degree systems.
How do I train for the reading comprehension part?
You do not study it, you train the rhythm: 15-20 timed passages are enough. The most useful tip is to read the questions first and then the passage, and to answer only with what is written. It is part of the "Reasoning, problem solving and reading comprehension" section, not a section of its own.
Can I retake the TOLC-S if I am not happy with my score?
Yes, once a month, and almost all universities take the best score among the valid attempts made before the application deadline. The first attempt also works as a diagnosis.
How long does TOLC-S preparation take?
With 5-6 weeks to go you are in the right window. The realistic total is 35-50 hours if you come from a recent science-track high school, and 70-90 hours if you come from a classics-track school or a technical school where maths was not the focus, or have been out of study for a few years.
Ready to prepare?
We start with a diagnostic practice test. We find out where you really lose points and build the lesson plan around maths and reasoning, the two areas that decide the score.