Most people don’t take the TOEFL in isolation. The programs you’re applying to may require one or more other standardized tests, such as the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, SAT, ACT, and so on. The good news is that your TOEFL studies will help you on these other tests, too. These tests all include reading comprehension using academic passages.
This is a great opportunity! You can cross-prepare—to some extent, you can prepare for both tests at once. After all, you don’t have a TOEFL brain and a GRE brain—you have one brain, with one set of vocabulary, one set of grammar tools, and one ability to focus and comprehend. For example, using mindfulness techniques to improve your attention span will help you on both tests. So will reading English-language literature and making flash cards for words you don’t know. Take advantage of the overlap between the tests when you decide how to study.
Interleaving is the idea that you’ll learn more by studying multiple things at once. Studies have shown that learning geometry and fractions at the same time, for instance, may be more effective than studying geometry first, then moving on to fractions later. The same applies to the TOEFL. You don’t need to study entirely for one test first, then switch to the other test. Studying for both at once may actually be more effective.
It is a good idea to avoid taking the two tests very close together, though. In the last few weeks before one test, you will want to focus on that test. You will need to enter the test room confident that you are ready for this specific test—the kinds of questions that will be asked, how much time you’ll have to answer them, and what your strategies are for doing so.
If you are applying to graduate-level programs, take the TOEFL first. The GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and other graduate-level exams are harder, so your TOEFL studies will help you to do better on those other exams.