gulusnr:
congratulations.

Thanks.
That was 5 months ago though.

Hmm... it’s been a long while.

It's been a while since I posted something here...glad this place is still well saturated with good news.

solihp:
Abuja embassy
Status: Approved
Date: July 18th, 2019
Priority: Previously refused on June 19th at the Lagos Consulate
GRE : 314 (161Q, 153V, 3.0AW)
Undergraduate: Statistics
CGPA: 4.07/5.00, 3.47/4.00 unofficial WES evaluation, but if the last 60credits CGPA are calculated, it is about 3.79/4.00
Total cost of attendance for 12months:about $48.9k
Tuition waiver and stipends :$40k
Deficit: $8754
Sponsor: Uncle
Visa Approved by the white man at window 9. There was a white woman standing behind him, but she left during the interview

Me: Good morning sir (he was still talking to the lady)
Me: Good morning sir (still talking)

VO: Pass me your passport
I passed my documents

VO: Why are you going to Georgia State University
Me: I am going for my Masters in Mathematics with concentration in Biostatistics

VO: That is a strange combination; Mathematics and Biostatistics
Me: The Department at Georgia State University is the Department of Mathematics and Statistics

VO: Good, that makes sense, so you're a Statistician
Me: Yes

VO: How many other schools did you apply to?
Me: I applied to 6 other schools

VO: Mention them
Me: George Washington University, American University, Villanova University, Bowling Green State University, Michigan Technological University, and University of Iowa

VO: How did you get this scholarship
Me: During my application process, I indicated that I was interested in being considered for a graduate assistantship position, I submitted my high GRE scores, my impressive transcripts, I wrote a statement of purpose, uploaded my resume, also, I submitted three letters of recommendations from my lecturers, also, the graduate director, Dr. Xx scheduled me for a Skype interview, I believe the admission committee were impressed with my overall profile and my performance during the skype interview

VO: he said something about University of Iowa, didn't hear him properly
Me: The program at University of Iowa is Masters in Statistics not Biostatistics

VO: Three colleges offer Statistics in University of Iowa
Me: ooh yes, I applied to the one in College of Arts and science (I said somewhere that I was rejected by University of Iowa but admitted in the remaining school)

VO: I actually graduated from University of Iowa but from the Statistics program offered by the College of Education
Me: oooh waoh, that is really nice, (smiling)

VO: I would be approving your Visa, the program at University of Iowa is actually nice, I wish you were going there, have a nice study in GSU, he said something about the visa pick up and resuming not earlier than 30days of the program start date
Me: I smiled, thank you sir and have a wonderful day

Ps: anytime he looked at me, I smiled

No document asked except passport and i20

I have two more posts incoming

Ahhh solihp Congratulations!!!!

Justabama:
Visa finally issued after 45 days of being placed on AP... No funding. 294 Gre scores and so many errors on my Ds160...

I would advise those out there to go all out and try it again, I was denied December 2018, March 2019 and approved June 2019, 3 interviews in the space of 6months( first 2 in lagos and last one in Abuja) and I got it the 3rd time... I remember the day I was first denied in lagos , I walked from Walter Carrington to Constain and I didn't even know where I was, I travelled same day all night cos I had to be at work the following day, it was a cold sad journey form lagos to Ondo state... I stopped believing in my dreams of studying in the US, i didn't even prepare for the last interview at all,my beards was unshaved, I wore a top that isn't good enough to wear to work on a good day and I honestly prepared myself to get the "am sorry you don't qualify" message from the VO, but nonetheless I prayed and I hoped..

Today it AP changed to Issued, after 45 days of tension, I have checked and checked a thousand times and today God did it. I appreciate everyone on this platform and I think we are really going a good job here, God bless everyone and for all those still on AP. Don't worry, your status will change soon... Off to Minnesota,

Yayyyyyyy!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

dumbiri99:
Today was a good day at the Lagos consulate. MS chem engr Visa approved after one Canadian denial and two US denials spanning two years, don't give up on your dreams, pray and work on yourself. I will post later

Yayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!

graduatestudent:
Interview Date: 10th July
Time: 6:45am
Location: Lagos
Status: Administrative Processing, now issued (F1 and F2)

School: Fordham University, NY
Program: Master of Science in Marketing Intelligence
Funding: $20k
Deficit: $73K (including living expenses, dependent expenses and health insurance)

I was interviewed by the white guy at window 9. He had approved an older man and denied a lady that went just before me.

Me: Good morning with a big smile, I had told my son to shine his teeth too
VO: Good morning
VO: Is this your child?
Me: Yes my son.
VO: Do you have any other children?
Me: Yes, 2 younger girls.
VO: Has your husband and daughters been to the US before?
ME: Yes, many times for family holidays.
VO: Why are you going for a Master's degree?
ME: I am on track to be promoted to the role of Commercial Manager at Bleep in 2 year's time as I was invited to join the commercial manager
in training program last year. I already have extensive experience in Sales and spent 5 years as Sales manager at my current job. As part
of my learning path, I need to further develop my knowledge and skill in strategic marketing, data analytics and customer driven
marketing. These will be achieved by specializing in Management Science and quantitative methods to earn my degree in Marketing
Intelligence.
VO: So you need this degree to be promoted to commercial manager?
ME: Yes
VO: How did you get this scholarship(looking at my I-20)?
ME: I went through a rigorous application process that included 2 video interviews and 2 audio interviews as apart of the application process. I
impressed the admissions committee with my interviews and also my resume and I was given a scholarship.
VO: I see your dad is sponsoring you
Me: Yes. I also have my personal savings as well funds from my husband.
VO: What does he do?
ME: He owns different companies with factories at bleep, bleep and bleep and also invests in properties.

From that point the interview took a different turn

VO: When is the longest time you've stayed in the US?
ME: About 6 weeks(sweating at this point).
VO: What did you go to the US for?
ME: Holiday and also to have my baby
VO: Was this the only time you stayed long in the US
Me: NO. I also stayed for about 6 weeks a few years ago, when I had my other daughter
VO: Have we sighted your payments before?
ME: Yes for my first daughter when I renewed my visa after giving birth to her. But not for my 2nd daughter as drop box had commenced when
I had her.
VO: Furiously typing away most of the time not saying anything.
ME: I have the receipts here if you want to see them
VO: Oh you have the receipts? Let me see for your 2nd daughter, it is noted here we have seen the first one.
Me: Hands them over
VO: Looks through and calls his supervisor(I think). They switch off the mic and were talking. My heart beating at that point, like what are
these people saying?
VO: How much did you pay?
Me: About $15k
VO: Have you been refused a visa for any other country recently?
ME: NO
VO: Are you sure?
Me: Yes, I am sure
VO: Typing furiously again for about 5 mins and saying nothing.
VO: Finally picks a white paper and fills it out. You have been placed on AP and we will contact you via email for any updates regarding your
application
ME: Ok. Are there any other documents you need me to provide?
VO: No, we will contact you via email if we need anything
ME: Sorry to bother you, but how long will this AP take?
VO: Between 3 to 5 Business days
ME: Thank you

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry as my AP wasn't like all others I have seen. He didn't say they were going to verify any documents or give me any other slip besides the AP letter. Nothing about the information other VOs have given to students. I couldn't even explain to my son what the verdict was.

Fast forward to this morning, I tracked my visa status and both visas have been issued.

I don't know how this transcript will help, because the interview didn't really focus on my going as a student for the later part which was quite perplexing. I give Glory to God for all he has done and a big thank you to everyone on this forum for sharing as much as they can to help others. The people who were on AP and came back to confirm their visas were issued gave me hope even though my scenario was different.

Good luck to everyone still in the process!

CONGRATULATIONS!!
To you and others who recently got approved...

Congrats to all those approved

Davidkking:

Fam I swear .....I don't know the meaning of all those

LOL...don't mind these graduate ppl.. bursting our heads for us..

MOwasola58:
Good morning house, please what cheap university can i apply for in California ( budget is within $10k) and i don't have a TOEFL score cos my uncle said is not mandatory.. Can someone help with a university that doesn't require a TOEFL score for admission because i wish to resume by January.. course of study: Chemical Engineering

I'm undergrad like you..
I advice you strike out off campus..
California is really biggg..if you want to stay with your uncle, ask him if he is aware of any college that is max 45mins away from his home..

Manyyyyy schools in the US also require undergraduate international students to stay on-campus for their first year/first two years..

Take standardized tests to save your ass..The SAT and TOEFL can save you thousands of dollars through scholarships/financial aid..

Now...if your budget is just 10K..
There are many opportunities for you to attend a University with that...but all those opportunities are really competitive and you must have been a competitive student in high school and standardized tests..

There are two paths to that...
1. There is something called 'financial aid package' in the US.. Most schools (especially federal) only give that to citizens..but we also have many prestigious private universities that offer very generous financial aid packages to international students based on their calculated financial need (which would be determined through the CSS profile/ ISFAA that you submit)..
There are over 70 schools that give that...but admissions is highly competitive (typically </= 10%) for international students applying for financial aid, as your financial need would become a factor in your admission decision. Only 3 or 4 of those schools do not use financial need as a factor when admitting intl students..but those schools are normally selective (MIT, Yale, Harvard, and Amherst)..
I know someone in an ivy league University now who is only paying ~$2500...but she had a really competitive admission application..
Many of those schools meet the full need of every international student.

2. Apply to schools that give insane international merit scholarships to top international students in order to attract intelligent international students...Howard is in that list ...either way you would still have to be competitive ...

Good luck!

Ability247:



1. According to studyusa.com, "Community college, sometimes called a junior college, is a two-year school that offers reasonably priced higher education as a pathway to a four-year degree". So it's like getting admission to study for a Bachelor's degree in a foreign country, then switching to OND on getting there with the intention of switching back to Bachelor's afterwards. Don't you feel dizzy already? This is where you might argue the savings in cost is worth the trouble.

2. What you would pay as an international student in a community college is equivalent to, or even more than what you would pay in a regular, more prestigious school with assistantship.

3. When you enter the job market, you will discover that employers are not in a big hurry to hire an international student with an associate's degree (in case you decide to stop at that level) with the extra baggage that comes with hiring internationals. The education and skill set the student is bringing has to be commensurate to whatever extra legal stress they are going to take on for hiring an international student. Also, some employers do care about the school you graduated from.

Bottomline: It's better to hustle for an assistantship in whatever good school that gives you admission, GA, RA, TA, or some job on campus that remits some of your fees, than to start switching about. I don't know if switching to a community college is legal or not since the visa was based on the school that gave the admission (I am against anything illegal). I think schools have a way of working that out between themselves in such cases, but it certainly won't look good on your profile.

The lad is pursuing an undergraduate degree..assistantship, GA, RA, and TA would sound like Spanish as it does to me...our language is Scholarship &/ financial aid.

MOwasola58:
Accommodation and feeding are not the problem since my uncle stays in California. All i need is just a list of universities that are within California and are cheap and also willing to accept international student . I'm applying for an undergraduate program.... Thanks

Oh you're going for undergraduate...it's difficult to find a cheap University in Carlifornia..but since you said you're staying with your uncle it may be easier..What's your budget like?

Rosetinah:
Plz house, I'm new here.. I need advice. My visa was refused on June 19 at lagos embassy. I have GA and deficit of 8k ..plz is it true that it us better i go to abuja embassy for my reapplication or still go back to lagos...

My interview was short...by the black America lady

Vo - why r u going to US
Re - for my masters in information systems at mtsu

Vo - why masters
Re - this program will ... Vo cut me

Why this sch
Re - i have a GA offer and...VO cut me

I'm sorry ure not qualified.. U can always reapply

Wow..that VO must have been tired of listening to generic responses that day.. Try making your responses unique..and let that uniqueness reflect from the beginning of every response..

And no.. location does not contribute to ones chances of approval..

Justabama:

So how would they know if they used fake uncles.. Mine is my maternal uncle and we don't beat same surname

Can they even verify that? I don't know.

hustla:


Oh OK
No stress then

Noticed that most of the ones who have been placed on AP are the ones whose parents aren't sponsors.

Relatives, uncles, aunties etc

That's because they want to verify the aunthenticity of the financial statements..some applicants use fake statements and say it is owned by their uncle. Some use fake uncles instead.

MEE101:



HELLLPPPP PLLLEEAASSEEEE

My parents were to follow me to my school, but the earliest B1/B2 date they could book (after rescheduling from the one they got in October) was Sept 9 or so..and that was a month ago...book the earliest date you see then try rescheduling later...if you don't still get a date favorable to your trip then also try rescheduling the trip..there's nothing we can do bout that.

hustla:


But in the other case, they don't ask to verify their statements, no?

If your visa is approved immediately no statements would be asked..but your case would be on AP for a little while (around 1 working day) on the ceac.gov site before it changes to issued. That's the standard process.

hustla:
WHY DO THEY PUT PEOPLE ON AP ?

Administrative Processing is like an additional screening of ones documents or application, for a case that needs further justice.
They may be checking the aunthenticity of bank statements, requesting for additional documents for review, e.t.c
Those that get their visas issued immediately also go through the necessary administrative processing for a day or more, before their case gets updated to issued on the ceac.gov site.

Mudicua:
How could you do this? like seriously why? Why did you omit my name from one of those who went to the Royal embassy?
You know how we do it na....

LMAO

Porpor:
I heard they are charging 10k. I will only take 9999 which is cheaper.

LOL

ubigurl:
Good day all, please my visa was denied on the 18th of June and I need to reapply as soon as possible I just need to know the available date, I understand Available dates for me will be different from freshers.

I know someone that was previously denied that rescheduled her appointment from early Aug to July 30 this morn..don't know if the date is still available.
Abuja.

Porpor:
Lol, I'm not even a newbie...just that I'm unable to access my former account. I am very familiar with Aji's moniker and I was shocked he could do that. I respect him more now, seeing that he has done the needful.

Yeah..I later figured he apologized..so I replied to his 'newbie take a chill pill' courteously.

Kay100:
@dreambound @sharwama Oyaa i sure say that una visa go valid for 10years abi

Kings and Queens don't have restrictions

Porpor:
I couldn't imagine you'll post in that manner. I hope you reconsider and make a redress. Peace!

The next thing he'll tell you 'Newbie, take a chill pill and mind your business' like he did to me.

sharwama:

Awww, don't I just love you
Oya chop roasted royal kiss

With royal pleasure.

Mudicua:
LoL... nice to know... but how could I have known that with such a clear and direct moniker as "dreambound"
E clear say that dream you must follow it, and bring it to reality...
Holla my brother man

LMAO...Yes ooo... that dream ehn...that dream.

Kay100:
I no talk say he go submit am o, i said he should just go along with it for his interview...and maybe @sharwama and @dreambound went to the consulate at kano lol, na y dem no need the passport photograph, lmao

LOL...I and Sharwarma went to the Royal Embassy..they don't request those from Kings and Queens...they just greet us, stamp our passports with the Royal Ink, and return it to us when the Royal Ink dries

Ajibade105:
Hello Newbie, take chill pill(s). Does not mean because I said am sorry doesn't mean I was wrong. The above comment is not meant for you. Drink chill water and mind your business... Success in your program...

Oh sorry..I didn't know you apologized and you guys already settled it. Good luck too!

abnice2004:
Hello everyone. My fiance got her Visa last year which I posted her transcript here with a school but she could not go because of her mums health that gulp there money. But this year year she got a school again which gave her like 70 percent scholarship. My question is, Should she go for another Visa interview with this new school because we learnt that its somehow hard to transfer to another school immediately when someone gets to US or we should try to pay for a semester and transfer after? Thanks

She should not go for another interview...she can simply request her SEVIS details from the previous school to be transferred to the new school..let her simply contact her DSO if that is want she wants to do.

Kay100:
yes it's compulsory and you need 2 hard copies of the same passport you uploaded in your ds160 for your interview.

I wasn't asked for hard copies

Erhuns67:
Hey guys, my Visa was approved 26th June at the Lagos consulate. Here is my transcript


VO: pass your i20 and passport
Me: *hands it over*

VO: what is your first degree?
Me: Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering.

VO: what year did graduate?
Me: 2014.

VO: so what have you been doing?
Me: went for my NYSC after which I went for a compulsory missionary service (cuts in)

VO: where did you serve ur mission?
Me: Ghana Cape Coast Mission. Upon returning back, i currently work as a risk engineer surveyor.

VO: who is paying for the remaining cost
Me: my uncle.

VO: what does he do?
Me: Civil Engineer and he owns an indigenous construction firm.

VO: Did you take any test?
Me: Yes, GRE 311.

VO: which other schools did you apply to?
Me: U of Maine, U of Nevada.

VO: why Idaho?
Me: the privilege of working with Dr. Brian in developing an algorithm on the limitations of Non contact temperature measurements method. (cuts in)

VO: So you have a research Assistantship?
Me: No, it is a non resident tuition waiver.

VO: but you will be working with Dr. Brian on his research?
Me: Yes.

VO: you have a sister in Clemson University?
Me: Yes.

VO: Can i have your uncle bank statement?
Me: I obliged, she peruse the bank statement and returned it back?

VO: What is the title of your current job?
Me: Risk Engineer Surveyor

VO: What does ur parents do?
Me: I answered.

VO: what are your plans when you return back?
Me: with the measurements and control skills acquired during my program, I will be able to work in top industrial process industry in Nigeria.

VO: so your area of interest is measurement and control systems?
Me: yes

VO: what's your study plan?
Me: 30 credits is the requirement for my degree of which I will be taking 9 courses (cuts in).

VO: are you married and single
Me for here baba fumble oooo d way she combine am 2geda) No, No

VO: Excuse me sir, are you married and single
Me: (took my time jeje) No I am not married but I am single.

VO: sir ur visa has been approved,..........
Na for here i take blank, mumu like me dey wait mke she give me my passport b4 i come remember say na der dem wan put my visa. Na him i jejely bone my face waka comot mke those security nor come use me shine.

The consular was very thorough and I was grateful to have her interview me. Nor b say dem go ask person 2 question come tell yu say u nor qualify.
Thanks @sharwama for the job yu re doing. When you strictly warn me never to downplay Nigeria research inclination.

Congratulations!!!!!!!