₦airaland Forum

Scholastica16:
arTiculaTe01,

I believe I recognize the original post but the moniker not so much. I could barely make out your post perfectly but I think I understand what you are driving at.

Your GPA is your asset, coupled with your now MBA degree, and 5+ years of work experience. Don't downplay these aspects as the GRE - as we have said ad nauseam - is just one aspect.

Personally, you are selling yourself a bit short. You should combine Direct PhD apps with some MS apps. You really could get funded. I wonder why you are not as optimistic for yourself as I am for you.

And yes, Texas is good and reasonably cheap to live in but I would advice you to look for departments in various schools that have your program/interest, across the US. Don't settle for just Texas.

Have you looked at Texas Tech in Lubbock? Anyways, UTD is also a good school. And if you are keen on your Telecommunications research area, restrict your search to it. See, the thing about Computer Science is, in the US, it is MIGHTY competitive.

Look at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill as well and maybe Arlington. University of North Texas too. Since you are big on Texas.

I know you alluded to TAMUK in your post but they won't fully fund you perhaps except for a direct PhD. I expect you to have made enquiries by now about it. I know for certain that for M.S, perhaps you would get some partial funding in form of instate tuitions but if you need strong financial aid, the direct PhD might be your best bet.

Good luck.

Thanks Bro. U da man!

Without much ado, let me reiterate one of the questions I asked on my former post, which you (nor any other guru) failed to throw light on:

Is the TOEFL exam compulsory? What are the merits/demerits of sitting for it/having a TOEFL score if it isn't compulsory afterall...

Permit me to quote my very first post here:

"Great house it is! I have been following this thread silently and ardently. Please let me take centre stage.

I will be as objective as possible. My profile goes thus:

Course of study in Undergrad school (in one of the Federal Universities in the South-South): Electrical/Electronic Engineering
CGPA: 4.488

GRE score: *In God's able hands*. Lol

Work Expeience: 5year+, in one of the major GSM service provider companies

I am currently a 2nd/final year MBA student in one of the State Universities. Dunno if CGPA here would count towards increasing the strength of my application tho. For records sake, I had a 4.500 in my first year.

I have some certifications, most relevant to my field would be the famous but recondite CCNA and CCNP-route certifications.

As it stands, all I want is to get admitted into some engineering school in the US, REGARDLESS of its ranking. Oh yeah. Lol
1st CHALLENGE (FINANCIAL AID): I need a school (preferably in Texas) where I could study and work on campus if possible; also where I would be offered Graduate assistantship, plus any other financial aid available. I do not really know much about studying abroad as virtually 70% of my knowledge-base on this subject has come from this thread.

2ND CHALLENGE (COURSE VS SCHOOL OF STUDY): Choosing the right major has been a very serious challege. A friend in the US gave me an inside scoop as to a certain 'safe school' with a high acceptance rate (especially of int'l students) I could apply to. The only shortfall is that Computer Science is the only major I could go for in this school. I intend to apply to UT Dallas as well, since they offer Masters in Telecommunications Engineering which I crave for, judging by the hands-on experience I have bagged from my current job already. Computer Science is very cool to me but I have no rudimentary programming skill or knowledge whatsoever.

My target is spring 2018 - dunno how feasible this is. I intend to start intense preparations for the GRE in July (my MBA final exams would have been over by then), sit for it in August so as to beat the application deadline of September 30 stipulated by most schools.

Special regards to all folks who scored 150 and above in the Verbal section. That section of the exam no easy at all oh. God help us grin angry

Any sort of reply is most welcome. Please help a brother's plight... "

Work has been really distracting, but I eventually sat for the GRE two days ago. I couldn't maintain a clear head all through the test and it did impact negatively on my score. So I'd advise future test-takers, in addition to the numerous admonitions available on this gracious thread, not to overlook the psychological aspect of things. Drink less water in the morning of the test day and be ready to use blunt pencils also (wish i knew this before hand - missed my special pen )

Q154, V154 (scored better on all practice tests prior to test day, with higher Quant scores definitely). Subpar performance I know, but I do not intend to sit for the GRE again
AWA...available in 10days

Sent scores to:
TSU, Nashville (Computer Info Systems, direct Ph.D intended)
PVAMU, Texas (Computer Info Systems, Ms - no Ph.D)
UT Dallas (telecoms)

Working Exp: approximately 6years in the telecom field

UnderGrad CGPA: 4.488 (3.59 WES unofficial, still under review)

Done with the MBA now...: 4.36 (transcript not available yet)

Preferred/Intended grad school major (Fall 2018): Computer Info Systems.

*Do I really need to retake the GRE?
*Is it compulsory that I sit for TOEFL? Most int'l admission requirement pages of US schools that I have perused seem to have Nigeria on their proof of English proficiency exemption list, especially as our native language is English (that's me being lazy too)
*What other schools can I apply to, with funding and a direct Ph.D in mind vis-a-vis my profile. I am disinterested in the ranking of schools so any suggestions will suffice---as long as they can fully defray my tuition et al. lol

@Scholastica16 and other great men in the house...

Scholastica16:
I don't know how you guys do these things in hope. So if I live in Kaduna I would travel down to Owerri for the GRE?

Something feels off about this arrangement. When I used BY MAFIT, I was asked for the venue I wanted and it was selected for me. When you noticed they did not give you the PH venue you wanted, why did you not call?

BY MAFIT have been in business for 6 years or so. They don't even pay for the tests with credit cards so the odds of getting your result cancelled via that means is almost negligible.

But if you hired a mercenary who is going to superimpose his picture on your international ID to get into the venue, don't be surprised if you are found out months down.

A word is enough for the wise.

I work and reside around PH. I could not afford to accept the next available date for the PH center since it was too close to my date of registration. Moreover, the question of hiring a mercenary is totally out of it. I did call the attendant lady, and severally, but she insisted that if I wanted a date far-off, they I would have to settle for the available one - which was far more important to me than the location itself. I am only bothered about the authenticity of the venue, nothing more...

So much said... I'd be sitting for the GRE on the 24th of November (Friday, next week). My center, according to the info I garnered from the ETS website, is in Owerri. Registered through the B.Y. Mafit guys in hopes that they book a Port Harcourt center for me but this happened... I hope this is a valid center as i do not want to receive some disheartening mail from ETS months later. lol. Your thoughts please......

What time is it slated for?

Great house!

Does anyone know about (GCE) Global Credential Evaluators, Inc? - the extent of their credibility and acceptance by US schools...

If you are a guy and you peradventure meet a young girl in her teens hooked up in this line, you can attest that they could be terribly lascivious and sultry. They are young and open to anything - the reason why they must be guarded even against their own will...

personal59:
Oga Wetin happen? this your comment plenty pass the news

I tire oh. Verbiage!

Oh Africa!

must be in Delta state