₦airaland Forum

deltadeltadelta:
Hi dr hopeful,

Do you have all your references as well? I spent a year in Ghana prior to coming to Canada but I did not declare it because I was always going back to US every five months! I did not live in Ghana for six months at a stretch because when applying for PR/citizenship in most countries, you need to declare an absence of more than six months

toyinakande:
Good morning. Please how did you go about the police report application for US? I need to apply. Thanks.

iCool:
I have gotten my first application decision...

An acceptance!

Details coming soon.

Scholastica16:
Wash me small but not with detergent baba. Even your GRE repeat wey you say you no too dey happy with still pass my improvement. LOL. Na me suppose dey envy you. The importance of AWA and Speaking score are exaggerated when one compares how large the composites are to them.

BTW what's your major and did you reapply to the same schools?

EmanA1928:
@ essayHelp, like i said its good practice to email grad coordinators.
"However, when they say "must have earned a higher/tertiary degree" in countries like the UK, they usually mean a four year bachelors degree. A one year UK master's degree is usually too short for English proficiency exemption.
Am yet to hear any of the schools i emailed say that so i guess thats your interpretation. University of Mississippi waived the english language requirement for me when i sent an email with a copy of my certificate fron a UK uni. For the other school i mentioned, it was automatic on my application page as soon as i completed the fields for my education.

essayHelp:
Thanks for the clarification. Ultimately, though, it is good practice to mail the graduate coordinator regarding such requests.

However, when they say "must have earned a higher/tertiary degree" in countries like the UK, they usually mean a four year bachelors degree. A one year UK master's degree is usually too short for English proficiency exemption.

http://gradschool.olemiss.edu/prospective-students/overview-of-application-process/
If it's not too much bother, could you share a specific link?

Regards.

OGreene:
So yes, its my personal decision. I dont feel it will help anyone. I have added what i didnt do that others should do.

And like i said, if i have any info that i know will help others, i put it forward (I have done that in the past). So this has nothing to do with selfishness.

izzybella007:
Good morning guys...please which is easier to pass Toefl or Ielts.

aanexplus:
Happy new year to everyone on this platform. SirRiddy d riddle and scholalala our information providers. Drmrshopeful the lady who knows how to ginger us. My good friend magoosh video and crowntoro CT. I pray we make it to 2018. 2018 count down is gonna be at timesquare. IJN. Love u guys

Guitarlife:
Hello guys. Please I need some useful suggestions. I have an M.Eng Electrical Power Engineering.

I am looking for funded Ph.D Electrical Power Eng.

The USA will take atleast 6 years if I attend any of their schools.

I am not interested in living in the USA or the west.

I am more inclined towards earning a Ph.D and coming back to Nigeria to exploit some of the several opportunities here.

Therefore its make much sense for me to target countries where the Ph.D programs doesnt take as long as the USA especially when you consider I already hold a Masters degree.

Kindly drop ur advise.

Sorry its a bit off tangent.

Scholastica16:
I do also agree too that since it is being marked subjectively, these type of score variations will be prevalent. In fact, I am leaning towards the idea that the markers become stricter once they realize the educational level of the candidate or if they are from predominantly Anglophone countries.

Scholastica16:
This is stellar however I am surprised you did not hit 30 in the Writing as well. The sample "5" mark essays I saw were not fantastic tbh. I mean, compared with the GRE "6" mark ones.

Time2Smile:
I thought as much about the writing but I can't complain, can I? Might be something to watch out for so that I can brush up my Writing for GRE AWA.

Time2Smile:
The result of the TOEFL I took on 9th of December just came in. I was expecting it to take 13 days so was a bit surprised when I saw the mail. I logged in to my account and pressed view. I was a nervous wreck all the while as I was waiting to for the page to load, not that I needed to be. Here it is: Reading 30, Listening 30, Speaking 24, Writing 27. Total of 111. I am relieved with my score in speaking because some very selective schools request for a minimum of 22 to receive funding through Teaching Assistantship. Now on to the "BABA" called GRE on the 6th.

Time2Smile:
I was at JKK building yesterday to take TOEFL. I have to say the exam is getting more difficult. The passages were as abstruse, recondite and esoteric as a GRE reading comprehension passage. Nevertheless, it was a good dress rehearsal for the main course of GRE on 6 January. I realized that nothing compares to the real thing, I was really surprised by how much I found it difficult to grasp the passages (And I consider myself an excellent reader). That might be a problem for GRE but thankfully not for TOEFL, since you always know where to find answers. Another thing is that it helps a lot to be conversant with the format of the exam. I can't stress enough the importance of taking full length practice tests.

Scholastica16:
@TOEFL I thought I was the only one till I saw Drhopeful make the same complaint on this thread. Also, some people got 42 questions and 4 passages for 1hr while others (like myself) got 56questions or 5 passages for 1hr 20 mins..I wonder why though.

ETS release my TOEFL.

Scholastica16:
Masters or PhD anyone that will provide me full-funding ja re. The exchange rate is not smiling.

I had some schools in mind before my 2 tests but I ended up abandoning them due to fear that the score may not measure up. My first choice schools were to be U of Texas @ Austin and USC but fear no gree me to select them both times. My list comprises of 8 schools and like 4/5 of them are below top 50. I even feel somehow typing them here because I don't want anyone to laugh. Michigan State Uni and Uni of Florida are 2 other schools that are above 50 that I still selected sha. What about you?

Topiipii:
I'm good and you? How's the application proceeding?

Topiipii:
Correction made.

6 marks is a lot, once again I wish you success in your applications.

Scholastica16:
Thanks but you quoted my first one. The second was Q-164 V- 160. The AWA will be out in 10 days I think. Hope your second AWA was as you wanted it to be.

Scholastica16:
Did all that and as I type this I am yet to see the result. Apparently, the time most people used to submit their tests in my centre raised red flags to ETS so a board has been set up to investigate it. If their resolution falls against me, I might be required to retake the test either on their tab or on mine. Any which way, the nearest date they might give me will be in January (I know this because I read about some centre that had an issue in October and they rescheduled them for Dec 2nd).

I now need the same hope I implored you to have the other time.

Nitta08:
Congratulations drhopeful, I'm so happy for you.
You are really an inspiration to many.

BTW, please how did you prepare for TOEFL? What materials did you use? I'll be writing TOEFL on 09/12 and GRE on 14/12.
Honestly, I haven't attempted practice for TOEFL.

Dexcmd:
Wow Congratulations

Pls was it this Fri Nov 18 you wrote the Toef cos I wrote on Fri and they said ten days after for the result.

Topiipii:
But my moniker has (m) na, why you wan turn me to sis by force

iCool:
Adeyinka and Perotti please read.

Topiipii:
bro drhopeful, your attention is needed here...

Perotti:
Hello sirs and mas, I took the TOEFL test last Friday. During the biometrics, a small discrepancy was observed between the 'day' of birth on my passport and the one on their system. I paid BY mafit to register me and I guess the fault came from them. I was allowed to take the test but the test admin said he will file it in his report and send it to toefl. He said I should contact toefl so that they won't cancel my scores. I have mailed toefl, waiting for a reply. Pls guys, what do u think can happen? It was just the a wrong 'day' that was registered. All other details match perfectly. I'm scared oo, I don't even have any money for a retake.
Thank you all

adeyinka09:
Today, I was at jkk house for the great challenge though my result was poor but I thank God for the opportunity to be there. I also appreciate the effort of Sir riddy, happyday, icool, pennstate chemEng01, Adetola01 and others that have contributed to d thread..Actually I spent just two weeks and few days for preparation and d result actually proved that. Don't think I'm a refractory person as the minimum preparation time was lucidly stated on the first page rather I was just been chased by application deadline and personal reason. I wish I have the money now as I hope I will have for another test but am open to suggestion and advice from the guru. Here is my profile
Bsc 4.51/5
Toefl: 93
Gre 150Q 147V
Msc food science

sirRiddy:
In my program and extensively the engineering college here, high emphasis is
placed on test scores especially for candidates applying from developing countries.
My advisor was telling me a week ago how a student from a Nigerian state university
came to the program and performed woefully. He could not even get an MS degree even
though he was sponsored fully by a Nigerian government. He said candidates from Africa
and many parts of India are highly scrutinized for their GPA due to the low educational standards.
My grad program director always insists on average of 160Q 150V but he can be flexible
depending on your other strengths. A friend from China has 168Q 145V and he is in the program.
He has publications in a very good conference and so he was accepted. Your publication can be huge
advantage if they are of quality and someone is interested in hiring an RA.

Work experience is relevant if it is related, else Nigerian work experience does not hold much water.
More emphasis is on research experience than work experience except from maybe business programs.

If you want to write the GRE and you are on this thread, you have very little excuse to score below 310.
I wish I had this platform when I was prepping. I was mostly prepping solo with lots of motivation from
great people on the visa thread. Read through the pages and get to work. Please keep us posted on your progress.

miella:
Don't feel discouraged rather let the great dream you want to achieve be the driving force to keep you motivated.

Just like drhopeful said, don't feel intimidated rather tell yourself daily that you can achieve it. I'm looking forward to you scoring above 310 and I wish you the best.

"The experienced mountain climber is not intimidated by a mountain - he is inspired by it. The persistent winner is not discouraged by a problem - he is challenged by it. Mountain are
created to be conquered; adversities are designed to be
defeated; problems are sent to be solved.