₦airaland Forum

Hello Nairalanders.. Please can anyone assist with samples of Personal Statement. I am mixing it up with statement of purpose and what I am seeing online doesn't really relate to our way of life. Thank you as I look forward to your assistance��

Jukwasi:
Same here. I got admission too. So I had to decline due to no funding. But I was adviced by my advisor to apply for financial assistance and also there are some scholarships available too. You can try. I couldn't continue with mine since I have other better offers with cheap tuition fee.

Please kindly add me to the WhatsApp group. Sent a mail to you but no response yet. My mail is ktolu39@gmail.com . thanks

omolewa1984jyde:
Good evening everyone.

Please, I need your help. Can someone describe how to get to DHL house at Isolo from Ibadan?

Kindly assist. Thank you.

Take a bus to Oshodi Lagos. Be very smart when you get to Oshodi. Then take a cab from the park. Preferably uber or taxify.

Safe journey

bayocanny:
Good morning, it is good to read at least 5 or 10 pages, this is because most of the questions being asked has been replied by gurus in the house.

Check University of Colorado, Denver
Western Illinois University.
Tulane University.


Goodluck!

Thank you for your response. Much appreciated. I have tried Tulane but they seem not to offer my course of interest. Will check with Colorado n WIU.

I do not mind getting more information as I have read through previous pages n can't seem to find list of Schools still recieving Application for Spring Semester.

Cheers

Please can I still get Admission for Spring Semester MS?

If so can you assist with the names and if they offer Application waiver.

Thank you guys. Please urgent answers needed.

Chonco:
For graduate studies?

Yes please

KushCollectible:
Guys, I was rejected but I have "your passport is still with the US embassy" displayed on my dashboard.

Please what does it mean?

Hmmmm.. This could be a miracle oo. Or can someone answer this

Dikewilliams:
Please want to confirm if Abuja visa offices have better chances than Lagos ..

Same same jare. Just pray to find favour in any of them. Only difference Abuja is less crowded and maybe saner.

fairheart:
Any student interviewed at the US embassy in Abuja lately?
What is the atmosphere like? Did you notice more approvals than refusals?

What I'm hearing about Lagos consulate recent rate of refusal is not encouraging.

Heard alot of refusals yesterday for Abuja. God help us . Maybe they're angry trump didn't win

HoluwadareY:
Location: Lagos
Date: Nov 13, 2020
School: UIUC
Course: MSc Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Funding: 52k
Gap: 10k
GRE: 306
TOEFL: Waived
UnderGrad: First Class
Status: Approved


Transcript

VO: Good morning
Me: Good morning, how are you doing?
Vo: Fine. Where do you stay?
Me: Abuja
Vo: So why did you choose Lagos?
Me: I was able to get a more convenient date in Lagos
Vo: Its okay to say Lagos is better than Abuja? ( Laughs)
Me: You can say that again (Smiles)
Vo: Where do you currently work?
Me: As an analyst at a management consulting firm in Abuja
Vo: Tell me how this course aligns with your career path
Me: I intend to be a Prof, having a masters degree is a step in the right direction at achieving that ( not as smooth)
Vo: Laughs...how long did it take you to memorize that ?
Me: Not long (laughs )
Vo: Who is paying for the remaining 10k gap?
Me: My aunt
Vo: Father side or mother side?
Me: Father side
Vo: Where is your dad?
Me: He's deceased
Vo: I am sorry
Me: Thank you
Vo: So where does your aunt work?
Me: She's head of IT at XYZ Hospital, Abuja
Vo: Can you say that again?
Me: XYZ Hospital
Vo: You said Institute?
Me: No, Hospital
Vo: Spell it
Me: HOSPITAL
Vo: Oh, Hospital
Me: Yes ( relived )

Types for a while

Me: How long have you been in Nigeria for?
VO: A long time, 6 years
Me: Do you like it here?
Vo: Yes, I do ( smiles)
Types.....
Vo: What will your girlfriend do when you leave to the US? (Smiles)
Me: She will wait for me (Laughs)
Vo: Go to the cashier to pay your Reciprocity fee
Me: Thank you and have a nice day
Vo: You too


Thank you all for the guide...this thread has been so useful from when it seems embassy will never open to the interview preparation. Thanks to all who kept our hopes alive especially Fairheart.

Wishing everyone the very best

Congratulations sir

Zoeyp:
Transcript for Nov 13th 2020
Status: Approved
Cousre: phD in Chemistry
School: North Carolina State University
Funding: full ride
Graduated :2012 (First class) and MSc 2017
Current occupation: lecturer
TOEFL: 97

Me: Good morning Sir
VO: Good morning madam, pass me your passport and i20.
Me: Here they are Sir (I was just saying sir all through, I am just used to it and the way my heart was beating eeh, the next person could hear it but I was able to calm myself down as we proceeded)
VO: put your left fingers without the thumb and the right comes after....
Me: I did as I was told.
VO: picks up my i20, looks at it and smiled . Where are you going in the US?
Me: I am going to NCSU to pursue a doctorate degree in Chemistry with speciali
VO: (cuts in) organic chemistry? I guess he was looking at my previous education.
Me: yes sir
VO: so why did you choose NCSU?
Me: I chose NCSU because I found professors whose research matches with my area of interest and I was offered a TA position that covers my full tuition, living expenses and health insurance. ( I noticed he wanted to cut me off so I talked fast without going into details.
VO: what research do you want to do?
Me: I will be developing effecient methods for the synthesis of natural product.
VO: Natural products are many which ones will be working on?
Me: oxazolidinones and alkaloids heterocyclic compounds.
VO: Have you travelled to the US before?
Me: No I have not.
VO: Are you married?
Me: yes I am
VO: Do you have kids
Me: yes I have 3 kids
VO: Are your spouse and kids coming with you to the US?
Me: No Sir
VO: I will be approving your visa.... . Have a nice stay in the US. Proceed to pay your reciprocity fee.
I noticed a lady that wanted to go study history, the VO asked her why history and she said she liked history and would want to know more about Latin America and one other one, then Vo asked why Latin America and she said because she loved it, She was asked about her sponsor and she said her uncle who is a professor. She was refused. Please gather convincing reasons why you want to study a Course and I have noticed they turn down people whose sponsors are civil servants (my observation though). I am particularly grateful to Fairheart and Helen my mock partner for drilling me. All the best to people yet to be interviewed.

Congratulations ma'am

Visa Approved
6th November 2020
Lagos Consulate
9AM batch

Profile:
GRE 311
Duolingo 110
First Class
ELect/Elect
Going for Master fully funded.

Got there around 6:20am, so it was a long wait but I keep confessing scriptures Rev 3:8 and Ps 102:13. I had little or no tension.
After the initial Biometrics...getting to the VO

VO: Put you first 4 right fingers there...Me: I did, and greeted, Good morning sir VO: Good morning just a moment take off you nose mask, just a moment...I did

VO: Where are you going?
Me: I am going to Norfolk State University for my masters in Electronics Engineering at Norfolk, Virginia. (I stopped for like a second, then I remember I have not finished my script play, I continued ) with my research focus on Bioinstrumentation and Control Systems.

VO: Which state is that?(May he thought I will say Norfolk State)
Me: Virginia

VOSound impressed) Virginia...!! Do you have an undergraduate degree?
Me: Yes, I studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University

VO: Electronic and Electrical Engineering, why you want to continue
Me: (blanked headed, I

VO: What have you been doing?
Me: I graduate August 2017, I was mobilized for youth service in 2018, finished in 2019 and I have been working as a researcher at Covenant University, researching in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.

VO: Who is sponsoring you?
Me: I got a graduate assistanship which covers my tuition and living expenses, I will be working with Prof. XYZ on a research titled Nobel Labelfree Optical Imaging for Early Breast Cancer Detection

At this point I realized, I got the visa, he is already marking the yellow slip and picking the white paper

VO: Are you married?
Me: No

VO: Do you have children?
Me: No sir

VO: I will be approving you visa, go to window... Me(cut) Thank you VO: (Saw my excitement) continued...![/quote]Congratulations

Congratulations to all who got their visas approved . Pray same for the rest of us. Amen

HisEminence:
F2 visa approved
Location: Abuja
Date: 9th of November 2020.

I got to the Consular at some minutes to 7am. I remembered I needed to print a last minute document. After so much bargaining, I paid 10k instantly. Wasn't happy about it but we move anyways.

I approached the entrance and was directed in. I was the fifth person when I entered the building, all F1, except me (F2)

So we were called in, in 3s. So to the interview proper. When I entered the first person on the line was already paying her Reciprocity fee. Every other applicant before me too were granted visa.

Only one VO was attending to us, but he seemed very calm and friendly.
Fast forward to my interview.

VO: Good morning sir.
Me: Good morning.
VO: pass me your passport and i-20 please..
Me: (hands them over)
VO: (on seeing my i-20) wow, your wife is in the U.S
Me: Yes, she is.
VO: What is she studying?
Me: (stammers a bit) She's studying chemistry at Copping state university, Baltimore, Maryland.
I didn't like that how that sounded, so I had to tell me that I stammer at times like this.

VO: (Nods) No problems, just take your time
Me: (in my mind, I was like.... Oshey padi mi. Afolabi, calm down, you gat this)

All this while, I noticed someone else behind him listening to both of us. And he has been there when those before me were interviewed.

Then the VO switched of his mic and turned to start talking with the other guy. Pointing at the system, passport and my i-20 as he's discussing. And the other guy kept nodding and looking at the system as the VO was talking. This lasted for about a minute.

Then VO faces me again.

VO: When did she travel?
Me: 31st of December 2019
VO: Why didn't you travel with her?
Me: I was overseeing a project at the office. I work with the Lagos state government. (I motioned to bring out my staff ID card.)
VO: No need. What do you do?
Me: I am a system administrator and an I.T support officer.

VO turns again and starts discussing with the guy again. This lasted for about 30 seconds

VO faces me again.

VO: Do you have any kids.
Me: Yes, she gave birth to our baby there in the US, just before the lockdown
VO: Oh, Male or Female?
Me: Female
VO: Has she come back to Nigeria since she had the baby?
Me: No, she hasn't
VO: Why are you just applying?
Me: I applied earlier in march, and I got May as my interview date, but it didn't hold.
VO: Were you denied?
Me: No. The appointment was cancelled.
VO: Oh, okay
VO: How did you meet your wife?
Me: I met her through a mutual friend. We met and we liked eachother.
VO: How did they know eachother.
Me: They attended the same school.
VO: When did you meet her?
Me: 2018
VO: when did you get married?
Me: Traditionally and according to Islamic rights, February 2019. And then we proceeded to the registry in Ikoyi, Lagos, in December, to make it official.
VO: Nods
VO: Have you travelled out of the country before?
Me: Yes, I have. We travelled to the UAE together.
VO: How long did you spend there?
Me: About a week.
VO: Like a honeymoon right?
Me: Yes.
VO: Have you been to the US before?
Me: No, not at all


VO turns to his guy again. The discussion again lasted for another 30 seconds.
In my mind, I was like.... my fate is being decided now.
He then faces me again.

VO: (Looks at my i-20 and sees my wife's school fees on it) who is paying your wife's fees?
Me: Her dad.
VO: What does he do?
Me: He's a businessman in the oil and gas sector. He's a CEO of Crowns oil. Also he's a high chief of the Oba of Ikoyi in Lagos.
VO: (Nods) Oh, okay. Makes sense
VO: What does your dad do?
Me: My dad is late, but before he died he was a retired Airforce officer.
VO: Nods. Your application looks okay at this point. Take this white paper, go to the cashier to pay your reciprocity fee, bla bla bla
Me: I was already shinning teeth under my nose mask.

I paid my fee. Went back to the VO to drop the passport and I zoomed out. Got out and I told the others sitting outside all the best.



Tips
1. After God, na God ooo. Nothing else
2. Please make sure you print every document before coming for your interview, those guys outside no get joy. Dem go bill you die
3. Make sure you hold money on that day. Any last minute thing might come up to print. There's no such thing as too much documents ooo
4. Be as confident as possible. Be calm. Dont speak too much, but make sure your answers cover the questions asked.

Big shout out to everyone who has impacted on us all. All the best to all applicants.

We move!!!

Congratulations.

fairheart:
Don't do it! I repeat, don't do it!
Chances that you will be refused is very high.
If you want a change of career, plan it well.
Getting an undergraduate degree at 32, is a no no.

I hope you don't have admission or interview date already. If you do, just cancel it. And start making plans on graduate degree.

Thank you so much @fairheart. I appreciate it

Anonymous1900:
Sometimes you need to recognize the fastest way to your destination may not be a straight line

Here is what i mean: if what you really want is to an undergraduate program in a different field then some of your major hurdles are getting admission to that program and getting a student visa to read that program among others i wont delve into other challenges like funding etc

so instead of applying for an undergraduate program at 32, which may be a difficult sell for a VO who you cant convince in under 5mins your a genuine student and your reason for wanting the program, you may apply for a masters program which removes at least 1 negative factor from your visa consideration (of cos this assumes you already have 1 undergraduate degree)

you can then go further by applying for that masters in a school you have researched that has your intended undergraduate program. this enables you to change programs once you get to the us for that program within the same school. technically there is nothing wrong or illegal with this as far as i know so long as your intention was going to school;

Hope this helps a little

Ok .. thank you so much. I appreciate this. Cheers

fairheart:
Generally speaking, NO. But this is not how the VO think. In his mind, you should be pursuing graduate degree, not undergraduate.
If you have been on this thread for over 10 months, then you shoot yourself in the leg. Were you not here when we discuss the application of the guy that was refused in Ukraine, about a month ago? We started that some age are not suitable for undergraduate, at least not before you get the visa.

You said you are a professional? Are you saying you already have a first degree? If so, why taking 2 steps backward? Why not move forward with advanced degree?

Hello. Thank you for your help on here. Please need your opinion what if one intends on applying for a second bachelor's degree at the age 32 is this advisable owing to the fact that its a total change of career.

Looking forward to your responses

drDoom3:
VO: Good morning, I'll be asking you some questions to confirm if everything is alright.

Me: Okay

VO: So have you ever been to the US?

Me: No

VO: Have you travelled out if Nigeria before?

Me: Yes

VO: What do you plan to study?

Me: Engineering or computer science

VO: When you get to school, do you stay on or off campus?

Me: on campus

VO: So I can see everything looks okay, congratulations, go to ... to pay your reciprocity fee...

Hello. Congratulations. please I have sent you a mail but you haven't responded. Kindly respond got some stuff to get info on. Thank you

drDoom3:
Having my interview tomorrow. Abj, undergrad. Wish me good luck.

Wish you all the best. Come back with good news and your transcript oo.

P.s can i Buzz you privately?

Lildairo:
Yes, you have to book available appointment before you can see the option for emergency appointment. My scheduled interview is March 15th & now my emergency appointment was denied today and I cannot use the emergency appointment option again.

I'm just tired.

Ok. Thank you. I am really sorry about that. Maybe you can try Lagos , hopefully something good comes up. Just have faith. E hugs

Lildairo:
I'm just tired.
The US Embassy Abuja just denied my emergency VISA appointment request for failure to upload my SEVIS FEE receipt. I don't understand why SEVIS FEE RECEIPT should be important to get emergency appointment. SEVIS FEE is not a requirement for emergency appointment on their site. The only requirement is Form I-20 which I uploaded.

I called the VISA Appointment centre and the officer that picked said that nothing can be done to my case because emergency appointment is only granted once, that I should be checking on their site regularly for earlier appointment that I'm not the only one whose emergency appointment is denied, that the embassy is aware of our case.

Why is SEVIS FEE important now, won't I submit it on the interview day?

Now, I'm afraid if Lagos would grant me emergency appointment because I have already filled the form.

I'm just tired.

Like did you apply for the normal appointment before requesting for emergency appointment. Cos I sent a mail to them and they told me to follow the instructions for expedited interviews.. that means I'd have to book for February next year .. I no wan risk am oo. Please guys I need your advice. Getting down to Lagos now gk hard via road n getting a week off work May not be so feasible.

Lildairo:
I'm just tired.
The US Embassy Abuja just denied my emergency VISA appointment request for failure to upload my SEVIS FEE receipt. I don't understand why SEVIS FEE RECEIPT should be important to get emergency appointment. SEVIS FEE is not a requirement for emergency appointment on their site. The only requirement is Form I-20 which I uploaded.

I called the VISA Appointment centre and the officer that picked said that nothing can be done to my case because emergency appointment is only granted once, that I should be checking on their site regularly for earlier appointment that I'm not the only one whose emergency appointment is denied, that the embassy is aware of our case.

Why is SEVIS FEE important now, won't I submit it on the interview day?

Now, I'm afraid if Lagos would grant me emergency appointment because I have already filled the form.

I'm just tired.

Please can you put me through on how n where you applied for the emergency appointment. Thank you

Beegirl1:
Please is there any way to apply for emergency interview at Abuja embassy? And also can I get the link for the Lagos consulate. Thank you.

Its frustrating that Abuja isnt given expedited interviews with the whole protest everywhere its not advisable to travel anyhow now. God help us

Please can anyone answer this. Anyone got an emergency interview in Abuja recently? If yes please how did you go about it?

Please is there any way to apply for emergency interview at Abuja embassy? And also can I get the link for the Lagos consulate. Thank you.

Its frustrating that Abuja isnt given expedited interviews with the whole protest everywhere its not advisable to travel anyhow now. God help us

Thanks guys for the response. Much appreciated

Please no one replied my question on how to get an emergency interview date in Abuja. And also do I have to take a letter of support from my sponsor to the interview?.

[quote author=Lifeisforliving post=94872221][/quote]please kindly share how you applied for an emergency interview. Eg

* Mail address you sent to. Would not mind a transcript of the mail

* How long before you got a reply?

* Which month is your date?

Thank you while I await your response.

Please has anyone gotten interview date in Abuja? All those who got theirs cancelled any news. Kindly update us.