My challenge, is landing a job. And also hw to over come d hrt brk am having now, afta giving him one & half yrs of my lov and loyalty. I want to wake up to d reality dat he is gone. But, my hrt will nt just let go. **sobs**

Well you tot he cared bt it seems he doesnt knw ao....hrtbrk is very painful...by d way,hope u were nt d one dat caused d problm dt led to brkup?i feel for u

nyere84: My challenge, is landing a job. And also hw to over come d hrt brk am having now, afta giving him one & half yrs of my lov and loyalty. I want to wake up to d reality dat he is gone. But, my hrt will nt just let go. **sobs**

tanimola22:

How do your Master's and even BSc look like? In what field(s)? Doing a PhD in Europe or America should not be such a huge task. If you have the right qualifications, I can offer suggestions.

T22.

BSc in Physics/Geophysics, 2nd class upper(3.73/5.00 CGPA), MSc in Applied Geophysics(4.11/5.00 CGPA). I‘ve sent quite a number of apps, but haven‘t had much luck just yet!

Ofuks: My greatest challenge is how to be myself in a society that is trying its best to turn me into someone else. So help me God!

d same difficulty i'm facing.

I thot i was d only one in d world facing d challenge of nt knwing what biz to invest in.d ones i did failed.i hav 1m(tho little)to invest,bt cnt even think of wot to invest in.am i nt insane?

Raxxye:

BSc in Physics/Geophysics, 2nd class upper(3.73/5.00 CGPA), MSc in Applied Geophysics(4.11/5.00 CGPA). I‘ve sent quite a number of apps, but haven‘t had much luck just yet!

Your profile is never bad! You will soon get something.

Where have you tried? Would you like to share? I need the information to know what to tell you.

Meanwhile, have you heard of Perimeter Institute?

T22

my greatest challenges in life are getting admission into a university and being among the top students in my class

Living in an underdeveloped country where majority of the people are i-d-i-ots and ruled by intellectually retarded politicians whose immaturity and insecurity drive them to misappropriate public funds and vandalize our national institutions.

Orikinla: Living in an underdeveloped country where majority of the people are i-d-i-ots and ruled by intellectually retarded politicians whose immaturity and insecurity drive them to misappropriate public funds and vandalize our national institutions.

Why don't you go and apply for a visa quick quick and get the hell out. We don't need people like you in Naija.Watch out for you may run into BIGGER i-d-i-ots in US or UK.
Another challenge of mine is how to permenently settle in Naija (Lagos)without having any need to set foot in the west again. My wife and kids are an obstacle.

tanimola22:

Your profile is never bad! You will soon get something.

Where have you tried? Would you like to share? I need the information to know what to tell you.

Meanwhile, have you heard of Perimeter Institute?

T22

I've applied to quite a number of them including University of Bergen, Norway, Uni of Copenhagen, Cottingen, Monash, Svalbard, AIMS, among others. I've been having similar replies. I was wondering if it's because of the Nigerian bachelors and masters degrees I've got. I have never heard of Perimeter Institute before now, though. I'll look it up. Thanks a lot, man.

Raxxye:

BSc in Physics/Geophysics, 2nd class upper(3.73/5.00 CGPA), MSc in Applied Geophysics(4.11/5.00 CGPA). I‘ve sent quite a number of apps, but haven‘t had much luck just yet!

It seems you don't really know what u have... a Goldmine if I must say, although I don't think u have been looking at the right places/direction. Life can be quite funny and tricky. As for your area os specialization. I don't really know much in terms of advancement but u can check up with what T22 has suggested. And never think that Nigerian degrees aren't good enough except U aren't sure of what U know.

Raxxye:

I've applied to quite a number of them including University of Bergen, Norway, Uni of Copenhagen, Cottingen, Monash, Svalbard, AIMS, among others. I've been having similar replies. I was wondering if it's because of the Nigerian bachelors and masters degrees I've got. I have never heard of Perimeter Institute before now, though. I'll look it up. Thanks a lot, man.

Keep applying. You will soon get something. It has nothing to do with your naija qualifications as many of us got great opportunities with the same naija qualifications. You just need to keep on fighting because competition has nowadays become crazily intense.

Meanwhile, the best way to Perimeter is through AIMS or AUST. Once you get into one of these, your further studies problems are solved for life. Once you enter Perimeter, it is finished.

I suspect you have not been trying US Schools. I must say that you are limiting yourself. To diversify your applications and increase your chances of being accepted at a good school in this period of mad competition, I suggest you take the requisite standardized test. You cannot say you have challenges if you have not really tried all possible avenues. Another thing I would like to say is that I suspect you are too much focusing on Geophysics PhD programs. That is not too strategic, in my view. What I would do if I were in your shoes is to enter any Physics program and then change supervisors one year into the program.

To make yourself much more competitive than you are now, you have to do the following

1. Take the pain to register for and pass very well GRE and TOEFL. Also take the GRE subject test in Physics. All these things should cost you about 70-100K. This is a huge investment in your dream. Your BSc and Master's, although respectable, are not enough to give you that scholarship you have always wanted. Times are really changing and your strategy should not be time invariant. If you take the GRE and TOEFL and you score close to 90th percentile in GRE and >100 in TOEFL and you still do not get a fully funded place in the US or elsewhere, then contact me. But I am almost sure there would be no need for you to contact me because about 3 offers will be begging you to choose them.

2. How does your CV look like? Is it professional or academic? You need to design an academic CV. If you have done this, you need to make it much better by patterning it to resemble what the schools you are applying to are already used to seeing.

3. You need to do more research on schools that willingly fund students fully.

4. Who are your recommendation letter writers and what do they say about you? Something generic or something concrete? I am sure you know that there are generic letters and there are strongly concrete letters. You need to encourage your letter writers to write concrete letters for you. Not letters saying 'He was good in class; he had an A in my course'. Oyinbo people need a reason for taking you besides all these 'he was good in class stories'.

Right now, your achievements are still somewhat restricted to Nigeria and so you need to take something more globally recognised and prove yourself there. This is where the GRE subject test, as well as the GRE general test and TOEFL, would appear very helpful.

I hope you have seen the holes I have managed to uncover. If after you have blocked all these holes and nothing positive happens, then you can begin to complain and say you have a challenge. For now, and in my humble opinion, I do not see any challenge you have except that there are some things you have not done and still have to do.

Nothing gladdens Physics Department Admissions Committees more than admitting students who have scores from the GRE subject test in Physics.

T22.

tanimola22:

Keep applying. You will soon get something. It has nothing to do with your naija qualifications as many of us got great opportunities with the same naija qualifications. You just need to keep on fighting because competition has nowadays become crazily intense.

Meanwhile, the best way to Perimeter is through AIMS or AUST. Once you get into one of these, your further studies problems are solved for life. Once you enter Perimeter, it is finished.

I suspect you have not been trying US Schools. I must say that you are limiting yourself. To diversify your applications and increase your chances of being accepted at a good school in this period of mad competition, I suggest you take the requisite standardized test. You cannot say you have challenges if you have not really tried all possible avenues. Another thing I would like to say is that I suspect you are too much focusing on Geophysics PhD programs. That is not too strategic, in my view. What I would do if I were in your shoes is to enter any Physics program and then change supervisors one year into the program.

To make yourself much more competitive than you are now, you have to do the following

1. Take the pain to register for and pass very well GRE and TOEFL. Also take the GRE subject test in Physics. All these things should cost you about 70-100K. This is a huge investment in your dream. Your BSc and Master's, although respectable, are not enough to give you that scholarship you have always wanted. Times are really changing and your strategy should not be time invariant. If you take the GRE and TOEFL and you score close to 90th percentile in GRE and >100 in TOEFL and you still do not get a fully funded place in the US or elsewhere, then contact me. But I am almost sure there would be no need for you to contact me because about 3 offers will be begging you to choose them.

2. How does your CV look like? Is it professional or academic? You need to design an academic CV. If you have done this, you need to make it much better by patterning it to resemble what the schools you are applying to are already used to seeing.

3. You need to do more research on schools that willingly fund students fully.

4. Who are your recommendation letter writers and what do they say about you? Something generic or something concrete? I am sure you know that there are generic letters and there are strongly concrete letters. You need to encourage your letter writers to write concrete letters for you. Not letters saying 'He was good in class; he had an A in my course'. Oyinbo people need a reason for taking you besides all these 'he was good in class stories'.

Right now, your achievements are still somewhat restricted to Nigeria and so you need to take something more globally recognised and prove yourself there. This is where the GRE subject test, as well as the GRE general test and TOEFL, would appear very helpful.

I hope you have seen the holes I have managed to uncover. If after you have blocked all these holes and nothing positive happens, then you can begin to complain and say you have a challenge. For now, and in my humble opinion, I do not see any challenge you have except that there are some things you have not done and still have to do.

Nothing gladdens Physics Department Admissions Committees more than admitting students who have scores from the GRE subject test in Physics.

T22.

Wow! It's the least I can say. Thanks a million times, man! I really did feel the Nigerian certs were a serious drawback, which made me to start applying for MSc again, and even just got an offer for Photogrammetry and GIS in Stuttgart, Germany. I am grateful for the info and I must say I am once again motivated.
If you don't mind, I'll send you a personal message for more personal gists. My email is raxxye@yahoo.com. Thanks again!

@Tanimola, much love n respect!
Have learnt a lot, in same shoes with Raxxy. The fear of spending more money pushes me off from applying to US schools. I just have to save and write the exams. I have already started PhD in Geophysics here in Nigeria but I am not happy cos I have no job nor stipends. It is well. Thanks once more.

shimol: @Tanimola, much love n respect!
Have learnt a lot, in same shoes with Raxxy. The fear of spending more money pushes me off from applying to US schools. I just have to save and write the exams. I have already started PhD in Geophysics here in Nigeria but I am not happy cos I have no job nor stipends. It is well. Thanks once more.

"No job or stipend"... Why don't u lecture? And on a second thought, you can contact your state government, there are lots of scholarships awarded by various state governments in Nigeria today: although the process could be stressful.

@Tanimola, u truly insightful with ur posts on the GRE and TOEFL. God bless.

Mayflowa:

Seriously? U wanna be a model? IMO, 67kg is cool. But try morning and everning exercise and don't eat late night food

Not so cool to me. Everyone say I'm ok, but deep inside me, I feel heavy. My height is 5' 8 (Good height for a lady they say). I try to eat less but i feel so hungry always. I've not been persistent with my exercise, but I'll try more. Thanks for your advice. Mwah!

symbian03:

Small thing, the flesh in your bum alone is over 25kg... Let me be of help, imma gym instructor =)

Ok! How much do you charge per session?

Pls bro,i will need to ask some question abt ds PHD stuff..can u pls send me ur email address?

tanimola22:

Your profile is never bad! You will soon get something.

Where have you tried? Would you like to share? I need the information to know what to tell you.

Meanwhile, have you heard of Perimeter Institute?

T22

bittyend: It has to be finding people who really care and go out of their way to understand people before judging them..

. I av issues wit not bein understd aswel, plus people bliv dat they know whats best for me and sometyms its hard 2 do what u love cos smppl tink its nt ryt (Am nt talkn negativ stuff o). 1 exampl of wat am sayn is, i want 2 b an enterpreneur but they tink getin a job is d way 2 go. I wudnt av complaind. Its just d pressure dey r mounting on me dats getn 2 me. I av read enof bks 2 no dat d best way isnt employment but they wnt bliv me. I need not 2 b judged but understood. Thats wat u nd 2, i tink. Friends?

Michky: . I av issues wit not bein understd aswel, plus people bliv dat they know whats best for me and sometyms its hard 2 do what u love cos smppl tink its nt ryt (Am nt talkn negativ stuff o). 1 exampl of wat am sayn is, i want 2 b an enterpreneur but they tink getin a job is d way 2 go. I wudnt av complaind. Its just d pressure dey r mounting on me dats getn 2 me. I av read enof bks 2 no dat d best way isnt employment but they wnt bliv me. I need not 2 b judged but understood. Thats wat u nd 2, i tink. Friends?

Why not do both? That's how I started.
A few things might have to give in your life to have the time for both, but best to do that, get the feel and see where it's headed when you're still young so you're not marinating in regret later in life living paycheck to paycheck.
I assume you're an unmarried man without children, so you would have lots of time to pick up where you left off in terms of the things that may have to give.

Cheers m8

xanadu333: GEJ is my challenge

Then u need to be more prayerful!

2buff:

Why not do both? That's how I started.
A few things might have to give in your life to have the time for both, but best to do that, get the feel and see where it's headed when you're still young so you're not marinating in regret later in life living paycheck to paycheck.
I assume you're an unmarried man without children, so you would have lots of time to pick up where you left off in terms of the things that may have to give.
Cheers m8

Do both huh? Wel, dats where d presure is drivin me 2 presently. Yeah, nt maried and tanx anyways.

My greatest challenge ever was failing all my 1st semester papers, and having to repeat. UNBELIEVABLE!

Also, it was a challenge halting
self servicing......no be small thing o!

My greatest challenge is to studying , being a good and motivating team leader,moving into an apartment and finally meeting my online boyfriend of 4 years for the 1st time in a few days .

Its all so nerve wrecking . I feel that I'll always wonder what if he was the one,unless I give it a chance.

I'm crossing my fingers and praying he may be the one.

Soyedele1: Pls bro,i will need to ask some question abt ds PHD stuff..can u pls send me ur email address?

Friend me here on nairaland and then send me a message.

T22

khukhi: My greatest challenge is to studying , being a good and motivating team leader,moving into an apartment and finally meeting my online boyfriend of 4 years for the 1st time in a few days .

Its all so nerve wrecking . I feel that I'll always wonder what if he was the one,unless I give it a chance.

I'm crossing my fingers and praying he may be the one.

4....four years?
Damn!

Av done dat...wht nxt??

tanimola22:

Friend me here on nairaland and then send me a message.

T22

gbesky: @Tanimola, u truly insightful with ur posts on the GRE and TOEFL. God bless.

Thanks, gbseky!

Soyedele1: Av done dat...wht nxt??

Yeah, then we can easily exchange messages. If you still find it hard, just put at yahoo dot com after my user name. I hope you grab.

T22.

Yes boss..i dropped u an email

tanimola22:

Yeah, then we can easily exchange messages. If you still find it hard, just put at yahoo dot com after my user name. I hope you grab.

T22.