dcitizen1: @damsamty16,

The option at the right top corner dat you are referring to, -is it the additional courses option on the page that appears when you enter ur application number and password or what? I need your quick clarification on this issue. Thanks.

Eke40seven: Hello, all prospective students of Rhine Waal university of Applied Science, I don't mean to discourage you by sharing with you the information I got during my research on the school but the results weren't too satisfactory. Firstly, the school is ranked 211 in Germany and 4794 in the world! (web ranking though, since the other universally accepted rankings only consider at most the first 500-700 schools depending on which one). My alma mater Unilag is ranked 2897 in the world (you can see the gap). The review by one international student was far from complementary in terms of their treatment of international students (one person's opinion may not be sufficient to reach a conclusion).
However, I understand that 'quality' may not be the main factor that influences the choice of school at this point. Other things like application deadline, Language of instruction, hustle, requirements, location may take higher priority. Note that the situation and experience there may not reflect these results. A Naija student in the school can help throw more light into this issue.

tmed1: .

I study at Rhein-Waal University. But seriously, what were you expecting? The school was established just five years ago. Do you expect it then to suddenly be shortlisted among the top Universities in the world? Nevertheless, I will doubt that, in reality, UNILAG is better than Rhein Waal: the style of teaching, organization of the university, International Office's and Professor's relation to student can never be compared.

I don't know about the review of the international student you mentioned. From my point of view, I see nothing wrong with the University. In fact, famous and credible people come to the university to give speeches from time-to-time, of which, all students of Rhein Waal University irrespective of their nationality can attend. Recently, the President of Germany, Joachim Gauck, was at the University to also give a speech.

Rumour even has it that some schools actually lobby Webometrics in order to influence their decision. I know some Universities in the USA whose ranking are around 4000. In my opinion, that doesn't make UNILAG better than them.

PS: This is my opinion, as you can see I used the phrases: "in my opinion" and "from my point of view". You don't have to agree with me, just like I don't agree with you. Let's just agree to differ so that we don't derail the thread.

dcitizen1: @tmed,

I really appreciate your insight ful, balanced and objective perspective to this forum. It is very important for us to avoid any comment that will derail this important thread. Mature , sensible and thought-provoking comment should be encouraged. Huge number of factors influence one's choice to study at a particular university or college beyond mere ranking.

I will like to ask you some couple of questions:

What are the types of question that the visa officer asked you at the embassy? am anxiously awaiting your response. Thank you once again

afodam247: Gluten tag meine leute!
am urgently awaiting response towards the kind of question that are liable to be asked on interview . my course is electronic music production. a beg someone should just reply.

damsamty16:
Yes,i applied to the same courses.After u have completed your first choice,i think u will see the option at the right top of the application..please follow the instructions very well and ensure u apply to other choices.
All the best

tmed1: .

I study at Rhein-Waal University. But seriously, what were you expecting? The school was established just five years ago. Do you expect it then to suddenly be shortlisted among the top Universities in the world? Nevertheless, I will doubt that, in reality, UNILAG is better than Rhein Waal: the style of teaching, organization of the university, International Office's and Professor's relation to student can never be compared.

I don't know about the review of the international student you mentioned. From my point of view, I see nothing wrong with the University. In fact, famous and credible people come to the university to give speeches from time-to-time, of which, all students of Rhein Waal University irrespective of their nationality can attend. Recently, the President of Germany, Joachim Gauck, was at the University to also give a speech.

Rumour even has it that some schools actually lobby Webometrics in order to influence their decision. I know some Universities in the USA whose ranking are around 4000. In my opinion, that doesn't make UNILAG better than them.

PS: This is my opinion, as you can see I used the phrases: "in my opinion" and "from my point of view". You don't have to agree with me, just like I don't agree with you. Let's just agree to differ so that we don't derail the thread.

tmed1:

Alright, let me give you my own experience at the German Embassy then:

I got to the embassy as early as I could on the 28th of August 2013. I gave all my documents to the guy at the reception. I had already prepared for the interview by reading past experiences of interview on Nairaland and going to my University's website to learn more about my course information and curriculum. I waited at the reception. By the way, I was waiting in the reception with some other guys and girls(some of them were also members of Nairaland).

At this moment, I was praying silently to God so that I would not be interviewed by the old woman, considering the negative responses I had heard about her on Nairaland. Shortly after, an old woman came downstairs to the reception and said "who is Mr......?" My fear had become reality. She said I should come along with her. I suddenly re-gained my confidence. It didn't matter to me anymore who will conduct the interview. After all, I was prepared.

I started walking "swaggerly" up the stairs even ahead of her . We got to her office and she asked me to have a seat. Then I mistakenly went over to sit at her own seat instead of the interviewee's seat. Then she shouted, raising her two hands towards me, "what are you doing? I said you should sit here!" Then I laughed softly and said "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry. I thought you asked me to sit here" Anyway, she started asking me some few questions about my family. It didn't even occur to me that the Interview had started until I saw her writing my answers on her computer.

She asked me if I understood German...(I said No but I was willing to learn when I got to Germany)
She asked me how I knew about the school
Who is my sponsor?...(I said my father)
How many children did my father give birth to?
What does my father do for a living?
What have I been doing after I left school?
What do you know about Germany...(Then I told her the numbers of states that Germany have and the countries it shares border with)
Then She asked me to mention them
She also asked me the name of the city where I am going to study?
Then she asked me the name of the capital of Germany
She asked me what I am going to study?...(I said International Relations)
Then asked me, "what do you know about politics" (Then I started lecturing her on the political system of Germany )
She interrupted and asked me about the structure of the Program and the curriculum...(Then I started explaining in detail) Then she again interrupted me and said "Just summarize it!"
Up to this stage, the interview was going well until she asked me one last question
She asked me "who is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria?" ...Then I told her, I don't know
Then she said "What! You want to study International Relations and you don't know who the Foreign Minister is?...(I replied again, that I really don't know)

There was a moment of silence. Then, she started bringing out some papers from her drawer. My heart began to beat very fast. I thought she was about to give me an exam to write. After about 5 Minutes of her looking at some papers. She told me the interview was over and that she will contact when she gets the necessary response.

27 days later, I got a message from the embassy to come with my passport and a 3 month travel health insurance.

I hope this helps

seun407: Please when is next application period coming up??

Eke40seven:
This is what I have been expecting all along, comments of students from the school. If you read my first post very well you will see that I mentioned emphatically that the opinion were based on my research and a comment from just one of your student and that it is not sufficient to make conclusions and thus opined that a student of the school should make things clearer which you have justifiably done. I never intended this to be a Rhine Waal-Unilag 'e-war'. It was just a way to inform people on this forum and am sure we have all learnt something.
However, as regards people putting down Unilag, you should not use the situation in other Nigerian schools to judge all as some are just centuries ahead of the pack. As I said earlier, I know students from my school who are blazing the trail in the best schools you can find anywhere, although i believe a lot still needs to be done in raising the standard. I think it is also wrong for you to think that because a school is located in the US that it has gotten an automatic licence to be better than any school in Nigeria even when the rankings clearly states otherwise. That inferiority complex again! There was a university in south Africa ranked within the top 200, better than many universities in Europe and North America, so can we safely assume that they don't deserve their place because they are located in poverty stricken Africa? and for the rankings, the fact that a university will even think of influencing the rankings only emphasises its importance. And for Rhine Waal, a 5 year old school, cannot be labelled as reputable yet, until their products have made their mark but for now you can say the school has 'potentials' and not 'reputation'.
I will also like to add that all the comments and contribution made as regards this issue do not derail the thread in any way, it has just moved from the usual rudimentary questions which have been addressed over and over to specific and advanced issues like choice and criteria for choosing school since 90% of people here are going there for study purposes. In doing that, I believe we have all learnt a thing or two and have kept the thread alive.

biggiecafe: @bissiejoe pls give us more enlightment,i have been giving admission into three courses there,mechanical,mechatronic and industrial engineering there.pls i will like to inquire on some informations,i am not using a blocked account cos i have an uncle over there who is sending me sponsorship documents in place of blocked account.i want to know the possibilty of getting the visa if someone in germany is sponsoring you,my uncle is a professor there and works in a government institute over there.hope to read from you soon and i also have a fear because appointment dates are being booked and i am yet to collect the sponsorship docs from him.probably next week i will get it.pls just a little advice from you and also i see that cost of living is high over there,when i come in i wouldnt mind to share apartment with yo so we spilt the price only if you dont mind

biggiecafe: @bissiejoe pls give us more enlightment,i have been giving admission into three courses there,mechanical,mechatronic and industrial engineering there.pls i will like to inquire on some informations,i am not using a blocked account cos i have an uncle over there who is sending me sponsorship documents in place of blocked account.i want to know the possibilty of getting the visa if someone in germany is sponsoring you,my uncle is a professor there and works in a government institute over there.hope to read from you soon and i also have a fear because appointment dates are being booked and i am yet to collect the sponsorship docs from him.probably next week i will get it.pls just a little advice from you and also i see that cost of living is high over there,when i come in i wouldnt mind to share apartment with yo so we spilt the price only if you dont mind

bissiejoe:

Bros Eke,
I didn't want to put my mouth in the argument but at this point, I think ii need to.
First you based ur judgement based on review by just one person, too bad.
Secondly, it's not about the school ranking alone but by the ability of the graduate to defend and apply the skills and knowledge acquired from the institution.

The increase population of people here going there to study is cos of the large number of courses been taught in English(75%) and from my opinion, it was established to cater for international students by the German govt.

papilon89: now people are using their baseless argument to derail this thread.........if you feel unilag is better then do your masters in unilag. is anybody forcing you to study in germany? a lota people want to get the help they wanted by getting their questions answered; but all we get is argument....eke be carefulllllllll!

Eke40seven:
Am very sorry sir o. If you look more closely, you will see that I have taken time to answer some pressing questions that am familiar with in between the 'arguments'.
I promise that it won't repeat it self again. Am also heading towards Germany. we dey d same ship

ferdimako:
Wow...straight from the horse's mouth. Only when u go abroad Only when you've traveled abroad...u can know how u have been robbed. I'm not saying anything here is poor and everything there is rich. But Nigerian Universities... mehn.

damsamty16:
Mr eke am not happy with all ur arguments atal,it makes me sad.please enough is enough...we are all here to learn not to be discouraged by your own point if view.If u really think unilag is better than rhein waal,go do ur masters there.But i keep wondering why some unilag graduates are going to rhein waal to start again from bsc..think about it bro
Thanks

Eke40seven:
OK am deeply sorry I didn't mean to discourage anyone o. Those were not my intension. I wanted to choose the school before my inquisitive mind drove me to make small research and enquiries o. I should have kept all I found to myself since I've gotten admission somewhere I thought was 'better'. I beg for forgiveness (face and stomach flat on the floor with hands stretched forward)
Move over you incompetent Webometric and other biased rankings, Rhine-Waal is the best!
I wish everybody going to Rhine-Waal good luck! Go and make the school great! oh greater!
Cheer up guys!
Hip! Hip! Rhine-Waal Hurray!

Nimakor:
Ha! You seem to always have a room for sarcasm...issorite!
Well, I think your inquisitiveness was not half bad. You shot yourself in the foot by referencing Unilag...schlecht!
Folks make una free am...he has paid his dues.

Eke40seven:
OK am deeply sorry I didn't mean to discourage anyone o. Those were not my intension. I wanted to choose the school before my inquisitive mind drove me to make small research and enquiries o. I should have kept all I found to myself since I've gotten admission somewhere I thought was 'better'. I beg for forgiveness (face and stomach flat on the floor with hands stretched forward)
Move over you incompetent Webometric and other biased rankings, Rhine-Waal is the best!
I wish everybody going to Rhine-Waal good luck! Go and make the school great! oh greater!
Cheer up guys!
Hip! Hip! Rhine-Waal Hurray!

Eke40seven:
However, as regards people putting down Unilag, you should not use the situation in other Nigerian schools to judge all as some are just centuries ahead of the pack. As I said earlier, I know students from my school who are blazing the trail in the best schools you can find anywhere, although i believe a lot still needs to be done in raising the standard. I think it is also wrong for you to think that because a school is located in the US that it has gotten an automatic licence to be better than any school in Nigeria even when the rankings clearly states otherwise. That inferiority complex again!

Eke40seven:
P.S: I apologise again if my good intentions were not made clear enough.

Eke40seven:

[quote author=Eke40seven]
Am very sorry sir o. If you look more closely, you will see that I have taken time to answer some pressing questions that am familiar with in between the 'arguments'.

Eke40seven:
OK am deeply sorry I didn't mean to discourage anyone o. Those were not my intension. !