₦airaland Forum

airroseice: Yeah, I understand you buddy. Thank you for the tip and I'll keep it in mind next time.


Yeah thanks, that's the plan.


I'll take GRE and TOEFL right away, no doubt about that. If I'll apply for a program related to my undergraduate program, it will be GIS (Geography Information System) otherwise Info Tech remains my area of passion. I wont be at the real estate firm where I work forever you know?
I'll work more on studying for the interview and how to make my answers less generalized.
I agree with you 100% that Nairaland goes a long way to help.

You can register for GRE and TOEFL at firstlogic in Abuja or Lagos. Also if you have a friend or relative in the US, they can do it for you via phone since ETS doesnt allow online registration from Nigerians. Jus take your time study hard apply and prepare for the interview and you will get the visa.
Do you know where I can register for the GRE and TOEFL in Abuja and the cost?





@All: Can someone recommend a place where I can write GRE and TOEFL test in Abuja please? I could use all the help I can get actually. Thank you all so much.

airroseice: Hey Guys,

I'm back again ... Like iForgot my Blackberry charger ... Jokes aside, my VISA was denied
I'll try to narrate my ordeal if I'm able to recollect details from ill-fated day.
It was a sunny Thursday morning in Abuja, woke up early and felt really energized (Me Mah had prayed for me and I did my push-ups, Sit-ups and what-not)
So I arrived the embassy a tad late... say 15 minutes late and I met this crowd outside, I took a seat and followed the line movement.
Fast forward to my experience with the V.O ... before I proceed I must say that I envy y'all that are able to remember the conversation with the V.O. because it's a challenge for me ... probably because I didn't get the Visa
Anyway, I'll never forget her cold-blue-pretty eyes in a Hurry... the V.O @ Windows 8 in the Abuja Consulate.
What I remember:

V.O: Good afternoon, Please pass your documents.
Me: Good afternoon - how are you? - Passed my documents.
V.O: I'm fine - typing stuffs into her computer.
....
V.O: What did you study for Undergraduate?
Me: Regional Planning and Geography.
V.O: How did you hear about this school?
Me: A Friend graduated from the school and recommended it.
V.O: Why Information Systems?
Me: Information Technology has always been my area of interested and my passion for it is concentrated.
V.O: What's your GRE Score?
Me: I didn't take the test because V.I.U. said I'll take a test upon my arrival.
V.O: How many schools did you apply to?
Me: V.I.U and University of Idaho (iLied here because I only applied to VIU)
V.O: Did you hear back from the other school?
Me: No I did not. (I think I messed up here)
V.O: Why did you finally decide to study information systems at V.I.U
Me: *Gave her the info-system speech*
V.O: Why did you decided to study at V.I.U over the other school?
Me: I did my research and checked out their campus and facilities, the academic and social environment, value for money and the tech advancement in the USA.
V.O: What do you do for work?
Me: I'm an investment adviser at a real estate firm.
V.O: What are you going to do after your study?
Me: I'm going to return and work for my current employer for at least 3 years but my long range goal is to set up my own I.T. firm to provide solution that bridges businesses and computer science.

I'll save you from this pathetic convo, she said she couldn't issue me the VISA at this time. I asked what the problem was but she didn't give me any specific reason. I asked how soon I could re-apply and she said to "Wait a while". I was really cordial and had all my documents ready. So tell me what you think. Also the Chat with the V.O. didn't exactly happened in that sequence.

I have a couple of questions though.

1. Can you guys please recommend an inexpensive school with good reputation in the USA that I can apply to for Masters in I.T related course?
2. Is it possible for any school to request tuition (maybe part payment) upfront and consequently send my name to the embassy for easy interview?
3. If yes to Q2, Can you please list any?

I'm going to get my Masters in I.T. and so help me God it will be in the USA; the funds is available and I have a lot of reasons to come back to Nigeria (Trust Me). I am a fighter and I don't give up easily. I like to think that I made a mistake and it can be fixed. It's funny how I handled the rejection self. Hehehe.

Please let me know your thoughts on my case before I start with my research.

With respect,
Eros.

ronakoks: My appointment was 10.45am and i arrived at the embassy at 10.50. I was the last person to be interviewed. It was the dreaded VO at window 9. The guy that interogates like FBI. so i was prettey scared and at one point i felt like my heart was goin to jump out of my chest. Ive been to abuja counculate 3 times in the last 3 weeks and i had never seen this guy issue any F1... he always found something to deny applicants. He likes to recite US section 214b to the applicants as he denies them "... you know... US imigration laws are very strict now,... bla bla bla please read the info of this letter carefully so that you can better understand why i am denying a visa at this time bla bla bla... NEXT APPLICANT WINDOW 9!!!"


Vo: Goodmornin
me: Goodmornin sir

Vo: pass me your docs.

(i passed my docs and vo took quite some time lookin at my info on his system. My heart started to raise again, cos i was expecting him to say,.. "I see you were here last week,. what brings you back this time?". but he didnt. He just looked at my I20 and started the interviewee like it was my 1st time there.)



Vo: Why do you want to study at this shool?


(at this point my mouth was very dry as i was very tensed cos all the F1 applicants i saw were interveiwed b4 me were denied and im the last person left. And this vo at window 9 dosn't smile at all. He had a straight face. In fact his eyes were kinda red. Oyinbo man wey him eyes dey red )



Me: I chose to study at ...state university cos the course curriculum the of program im goin to study suites my academic and career aspiration. it emphasizes a perfect combination of my core interests in Microbiology, cell and molecular biology and molecular genetics. I wish to acquire advanced skill sets in these area and the faculty at the department of biology is a great faculty with vast experience in this feild. Also, as a graduate student at the department of biology i will have the opportunity of participating in ongoing research carried out by the faculty. And this is very important to me because it will allow me develop the necessary skills and knowledge I need to advance my career.

Vo: So what will this program do for you?
Me; This program will prepare me adequately for a career in research and with a graduate degree in biological sciences i will be able to take on technical positions in research institutions like the Institute of Human virology Nigeria or the Nigerian Institute of Medical research or similar organizations and agencies where i can apply the advanced skills i would have acquired in ongoin reserch activies that ere generally geared towards enhacing our capability to mitigating cerrtain diseases.

Vo: what kinda research would you want to do?
Me: I would want to work in HIV research. (my brain quickly trigered here and i remembered one article i read some days back on ongoin reseach in that disipline) ....And also research work such as the H3Africa project. I dont knoww if you know about this research initiative sir(I was asking the vo if he new about it but i didnt wait for him to respond ooo lol )... It is funded by the the US National Institute of Health (NIH). It is called H3Africa project. H3Africa is stands for Human Heredity and Health in africa. This research project will facilitate studies on different life forms, diseases and interaction between genes and drugs of various populations in Africa and Nigeria in particular, with the aim of better understanding health and diseases affecting us.(As i kept on talking it seemed as if i was begining to digress a little, so i quickly capped it up).. The main point is that such important research work greatly employs the latest and most advanced technology in genomics and molecular bioscience. And with the skills i would be learnnig at the depaartment of biology in SEMO, i will be properly equiped to take up technical roles in this descipline. ....(Im sure he didnt hear all my story, cos i was talking really fast and starmering too.. but my first and last sentence i made sure he heard cos i stressed it..And with the skills i would be learnnig at depaartment of biology in SEMO, i will be properly equiped to take up technical roles in this descipline.)


VO: whos paying for your education.
Me: My mum.

Vo: whats her occupation?
Me: She is a major distributor for dangote group and supply many sub-distributor in abuja and surrounding states cement and other dangote products. bla bla bla.. but she mostly supply cement.

VO: can i see her statement?
Me: yes sir( I passed it to him and looked at it thouroghly)

VO: so who are the owolabis (cos he saw alot of transction with the name owolabi)
Me: They are my mum's employees

Before he finished lookin through my statement I was alread dispaying my gre score to him through the glass separation.

VO: whats that?
Me: My gre scores sir

Vo: Oh,.. please pass it to me ( I passed it and he looked at it thoroughly)

VO: were did you take this exam?
Me: Here in abuja. I took the test in August.

then he started staring at his computer screen and typing alot.

VO : where did you do you undergraduate study
Me: University of Benin

Vo: Ok... (kept on typing and looking at his screen)

VO: Are you married ?
Me: NO sir. Im single

VO: Any kids?
Me Im sorry?...

VO: Do you have any kids
Me: No sir

VO: DO you have any relations in the US?
Me: NO sir, I dont

He kept typing and typing and asked me when my school is resuming

Me: My school resumes 7th january sir

(At this point he already separated my bank statment and I20 and gre report from my ds16o0 and passport. But i didnt want to let my guard down just yet cos the other VO did the same on my first interviewe and i thought she was goin to issue me f1 and she didnt. So i still remained alert).

VO: You are working right?
Me: Yes sir. im currently employed

VO: What do you do?
ME: I work with the University of .... teaching hospital. I work in the Lab that caters solely to the HIV treatment facility there. We have one of the biggest hiv/aids care and treatment facility in the country and i am designated to newly enrolled HIV patients and I run preliminary tests for newly enrolled patients bla bla bla (This is a lie! a big lie.. na medical records i dey oo, not lab ... but since the vo was still looking at me, i quickly capped with.. its basically HIV related work dat i do there).


Then he returned my docs to me. This time its without my ds160 and passport.


VO: ok.. you are gonna pick up you visa on Tuesday( he reaches for white paper again. but this time na pick up adress dey on top lol )

from then on... i wasnt listening to what he was saying.... it doesnt matter to me any more. My visa has already been approved..




I think the difference between this vo and the other vo at window 6 that interviewed me the last time is that he didnt smile or nodd at all. And becos he didnt nodd at my response, i kept talkin and talkin cos if he had nodded after one short sentence/answer, I would have thought he was satisfied with my answer not knowing the nodd is just to give me a false sense of approval or agreement to my response. These people are psycologists to the core.. they laugh with you and make you comfortable until dey pull out the white letter with section 214b. So my advice is that you never let you gaurd down. Dont ever think they are nice and been friendly with you. Its a trick. They are there to do their jobs and have never met u before. so how do u think someone who dosnt know you would all of a sudden like you and start smiling with you... so dont let dem fool you with smiles and nodds,.. in fact if they smile at you dont smile back.... you didnt come to see smiles you came for your visa.. so pour out you mind... dont stop talking until dey cut you... as long as you are makin sense..


Bruva yu nailed it...that booth 9 guy really gats red eyes wit no smiles mayb e dey smoke weed but you clear the weed comot for em eye. Wit how yu answered his Questions he had no other option than to give yu tat Visa mehn. Broda lets go der ooo..

Mamacita007: Good idea. i think justwise should combine both threads. this page has some of that information about settling in the USA. i chose Arizona over Houston becuz of my GA and their SCM program is ranked top 5. I dont even know anybody in Phoenix so advice would be very helpful.

imperiouxx: Lagos and Abuja US embassy are the easiest in Nigeria. They got no compare.

Mamacita007: congrats d-slip. did you finally go with the GRE print out or original?

fittty: Did u take any standerdized test? And did she ask if you took any test?

imperiouxx: eeeyah! see newcomer ooo Congrat.

Yvete: You must be so handsome that she starred and smiled as you worked your magic. Lol #Charmer ... Congrats!