₦airaland Forum

Drocks:
Good day Erudites
Initially applied for the fall admission at CSU but they sent a mail on the 2nd of july they couldn't admit me, best reason known to them but I guess there wasn't more space for admission. Now,I have been given admission spring 2018 at Cleveland state university on the 28th july ' masters in civil engineering. My question is ' how long does it take or when are they going issue and send my i20

Thanks All.

You should be asking your school this question. Anyway, some school will require you to fill a form / send SOA before your i20 is issued and processed. So find out what is applicable to your school

roscolee:
Good morning roomie! This is my first time on this section. My younger sister got her visa last week Tuesday and her school is in Virginia. She's to resume for school orientation on the 15th and the prices we are seeing on wakanow to Dulles airport for 10th, 11 & 12 is around 560k upward. Is it advisable she come in through JFK and board a bus back to Virginia? We are seeing 284k upward for JFK.

Looking for validation online as regards what concerns your pocket wont help you. You are the only one that knows your pocket and know how much you can afford, if she knows and feels the stress wont affect her, why not book a greyhound bus. IMean it will just take about 12hrs to get to Virginia from Newyork and its not your regular oshodi bus that would have thrown your body left and right before you get to your destination.Some people have traveled longer distance with bus and they are still alive today. Some people like comfort so much that they cant compromise while some can go out of their comfort zone sometimes. Make the decision yourself based on all factors and do what is best for her

Silensa:
Hello everyone. I don't know if this is the appropriate place to ask this question but please any help you render will be appreciated well by me.
I want to apple for student visa for masters degree in USA. I just have my international passport and apart from that i don't know what to do or where to go. I am currently in Abuja.
Please help me in any way

Next time when you ask questions, be clear and explicit so you can get the best advice. Firstly, do you have an i20 or you are just preparing to apply to schools? If you have an i20? all you need to do is make sevis payment in the next link after receiving your i20 (https://www.fmjfee.com) then fill the Ds 160 form ( https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/) and lastly schedule for visa interview here https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=Nigeria otherwise, read this post below

First, you need to decide on the course you want to study, To save you some stress start from this website http://graddecision.org/ to know the application process, So step 1) Decide on the course you want to study 2) Search for schools using a)www.msinus.com (open this website with a laptop, you should see a list of school and ranking for some of the most common courses, you can start from there b)www.gradschools.com c)www.google.com (you can just type 'msc in bla bla in the us in google' d) www.usnews.com e) www.4icu.org . 3) check up the website of the schools you find, to see the requirements. most schools will require GRE and some will require both gre and toefl . 4) Register for standardize exam and take it. You can register for gre as soon as you are ready and prepared to take the exam. Its done online at www.ets.org. You can also get all the information you need about the exam on the website. You will get adequate materials to prepare for the exam in this dropbox I created https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t9ot6d07hp1lkm7/AADL_dTihjEvNBRCBsmAcoXja?dl=0

TOEFL is an English test required by some US universities. though, some schools waive due to the fact that Nigeria is an Anglophone country.
For toefl, all you need are the speaking noteful videos in the link below, the ets toefl guide is enough to ace the exam for other sections. Just download the toefl ETS Guide from there website and the simulation test.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/45tvc3ifi8wh8sh/AACXR5j6l3nsWK8vZx5P28TVa?dl=0

As for the Tuition, if you have good results (GRE, GPA, Toefl), SOP and LOR; US schools do offer assistanship to graduate students. This can either be Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant or Administrative Assistant. Depending on the school, if you get an assistantship, your Tuition will be waived and you will also be paid a monthly stipend that can take care of your living expenses. One advice, once you shortlist schools, send emails to the grad cord of the schools and ask specific questions relating to that course and funding opportunities, be very explicit.

Lastly, there are basically 2 admission session in the US, Spring (Jan) and Fall (August). Schools admit more students in Fall, so Its advisable you plan towards Fall 2018. If you plan to resume in fall 2018, make sure you submit all your application documents before ending of Dec 2017. If you don't give it a trial, you will never know.My philosophy in life is to always do my part, with that I don't get to regret later. Above all, if you believe in God,pray to him..if not, good for you.

If you have any question, drop it here and you should get more than one good answer.

BigBUMBUM:
please guys what's the cheapest price you've seen to Pittsburgh, Washington dulles, ohio or JFK' from 10th to 18th the price i just dey see they disrupt my stamina

I dont think its the price that is 'disrupting' your stamina,I believe its your username.

Osih:
Greetings fellow countri people! Pls i am about to sign and complete my ds 160 form online now.. however, i stated my intended date of arrival on the form as 13th of August, whereas i am yet to confirm if there is any avail date for visa interview for lag this week or at least latest 7th or 8th of this month in order for me to be able to meet up with the reg/start date of 15th of Aug... Need your advise here guys.. on second thought thinking of writing the school for extention as well?? oya make una advise me as mother dey advise girl child into uni oo.. thanks in anticipation.


Guys please... if i shud go ahead to submit the ds 160 form with my intended date of arrival as mentioned above and the sch approves for the extension (yet to mail sch). however, do i need to wait for the sch's approval of the extension before submiting ds form as i feel i may have to change the intended date of arrival.. i am so lost.. Help pls...

Whether school approves the approval is not dependent on your Visa interview. You must go for interview at least 5days to the start day on your i20 except you intend to get another i20 that will carry a latter date. It takes about 3 working days to get your passport back after interview, so you might want to do the calculation yourself. Additionally, you cant enter the US after the resumption date on your i20 except you have extension letter. Having all this in mind, you can arrive anytime so far you follow these rules

olarich30:
Please do I need a yellow card at the port of entry when I get to JFK? Someone told me to carry it along just in case.

You don't need it

easykay011:
Hello everyone! I wrote GRE last year I scored 149 in Verbal nd 150 in quantitative. Can I use it to apply to grad school? I have a cgpa of 3.37/4.0 in Biochemistry. Scored 94 in TOEFL (without Scoring less than 20 in any).
What's my chance of gaining admission? The annoying most of these schools do not even write their minimum GRE scores required on their websites.

We both know you know the right thing to do but you are running away from the truth but I will tell you, go and re-write the GRE if you can. The good surpasses the bad. If you can make a GPA of 3.37/4 in Biochemistry, you must be smart if not all round smart at least book smart. Go study hard and wisely for the Exam. And forget the excuse of working and studying for GRE, some of US were working in Lagos then where you leave home 4:30am for a job that resumes 8am and you dont get home until 11pm every damn day, so you have no excuses.A GRE of less than 300 is going to limit you. With say a GRE score > 310 , you have more choices of schools to apply to and you can also dream dreams with some top schools , and hope for the best. Cheers.

Fenix:
Hello everyone,

I've been following this thread for a while and it has been a roller-coaster of emotions. One person will get rejected, another will get accepted...na wa o!

I would please like some advice on preparation. I got accepted to an Ivy league school (think Harvard/Princeton/Stanford) for a masters. One of the requirements for issuing my I-20 was to show that I had all the money in my account. Luckily I got financial aid worth half the cost of attendance. I had to borrow the rest and put it into an account to show the school. I now have my I-20.

My interview is next week Monday and I am nervous because I have had to return some of the money. So what I did was print my statement up until when I still had the full amount in my account. By the time I go to the embassy, the statement will be 3 weeks old. Please would this be too late for the embassy? Do you think I would have potential problems?

Thank you!

What you termed a problem is not a problem. 3weeks old SOA is good to take along with you to the embassy. The real question and problem you should be thinking about is, whether the SOA shows good cash inflow and outflow and not just a lump sum of money deposited at one particular time. However, your interview will most likely be one of those where SOA is not asked for sighting. Additionally, do you really have the funds to pay for the remaining tuition? Do you have plans on how you are going to pay? Falling out of status is not a cool situation

smithsydny:
this transcript in Lagos is a white paper..

Please and please can student avoid abuja embassy for now at least.. I use God name they beg unah ooooo

You dont say! Transcript cant tell the whole story of what happened, this has be said times without number. You cant really know if he/she really said what he/she typed. Secondly, there may be a mistake or saying something contrary to his/her DS 160. Additionaly, sudden large lodgment of money on SOA is a red flag.

imperiouxx:
Yes, it's for family of two. I started using Tmobile since the first week I landed US as a single line for 2.6 years and then change to family (2) plan after I married and used them for over 3 years, making over 5 years total. They are fantastically horrible..... lot of hidden fees, charges and $20 reconnection fee for every line. You can't understand your bill.... You won't know what you're missing until you (established company).

Wow..from my experience,I think they have changed but I dont use them anymore though

imperiouxx:
I won't do that Tmobile. They start with you at a very low cost, at the end of the month, you pay more than you bargained for. Also, there is $20 reconnection fee on every line you have with them...... They are horrible and with lot of hidden charges.

Used them for 10months, never had this issue with them. I was always paying $45 plus Tax, when I changed to the $25 plan, there was no extra charge still. Maybe you did a family plan or something.

Ability247:
Please ladies and gentlemen in Trumpland, what mobile carrier would you advise a student that doesn't intend to spend a fortune on airtime and (especially) internet, but also needs internet freedom/privacy... even the possibility to use a vpn if one so desires and ability to share hotspot with one's laptop?

Is it AT&T? T-Mobile? Sprint? Sim card-giving companies instead? (I don't know their names), etc? Your insight will be invaluable o. Thanks in advance.

Depending on which state you are going, your best bet is Lycamobile's $19 plan,its cheap and its going to serve you till when you settle and you decide to choose other carrier or plan. The $19 plan comes with 100mb data,unlimited calls and text within the US. You can also call about 60 countries too, but Nigeria is not included. You can only call Nigeria's landline on the $23 plan and higher plans. You can try Tmobile's $27 plan too which comes with unlimited call and text within US but no data, the $45 tmobile plan comes with 3gig data. But if you ask me, Lycamobile's $19 is the way for a new student till you settle and decide to choose any other plan or carrier. You can always port from carrier to carrier within 1day. If you are not driving soon, you don't need to worry about data since most apartment (all utilities included) and schools have wifi you can always connect automatically too.You should order the lycamobile plan on there website and it comes with a free sim, with that one guy in the mall wont scam you to pay activation fee/sim etc. I am always an advocate of do it yourself except the issue requires an expertise you don't have.

Inscrutable:
VISA APPROVED

On the 19th, 6:30am Lagos batch. I was interviewed by the older white woman

I had to create a new account to post this, I never resign & one of my supervisor day follow me for here (he doesn’t know I know). Account is deWav (I fit later decommission that one like DareFadi)

VO: I know there will always be a Dr., tell me something else ............This part killed me..Lol..The game is changing. Anyways Congrats

Jamezy4u:
Anyone with experience with the issue below should help with idea and tips/info please.




I got my Visa approved early this July, to start the Graduate program in Aug.

I want to differ my study/admission to Spring 2018 because my Company is not granting my study leave application as I have not spent 6months with them as their policy, with this, I would have spent eight (cool months by December 2017 as I joined May 2017.

If I get back to school to send down another I-20 that will reflect the new date,

My Questions now, are;

Ø Will the current Visa be valid for this (I guess yes) or I will need to re-apply?

Ø Will I have issues with Officers at the Point of Entry (PoE) when I travel that January? (one concern)

Ø Will I have challenges when I need to re-new my Visa as it will be less than two years validity when I will be entering US (my major concern)


Kindly advise on the best option and the likely process and steps that will help me in achieving this plan, will be more happy if I can retain this job as I will come back straight after the programme.

Thanks so much.

All you need to do is to defer your admission and make sure you get another i20 for spring 2018 in Nov/Dec depending on when your school issue i20 for spring. Just on a side not, the bolded made me laugh, now and 2years time is a long time,things change.. you might get a much better job and I don't think your company is shell,chevron,total and the likes that pay blood money. Because if it were them, I don't believe higher degree is of higher priority than experience in those companies.

electronic:
Hello House
Any Tips for sleeping in JFK for the Night?
To connect a flight the next day
Good or Bad IDEA?

You are fine. You will see Americans sleeping on the floor in other Terminals too, so no big deal. You can also decide to rest on the seat.There is Wifi you can connect to for about 30mins and it locks you out for sometime, but you can always reconnect again after the lock time expires. Just make sure you bring a 2 mouth charger from Nigeria or else, Boredom will be your companion.

borie4u:
Anyone here who have requested for his transcript from OAU IFE recently. please I want to know how and how much it cost you.
Please treat as urgent.

22k now and you have to request online. Even at that, you need to have someone back there that will be pushing/following up for you, or else it might take months for them to send it. Once sent, it takes 3working days to get to the destination

anudavies:
Hello all, have been a silent follower of this tread kindly help me evaluate my profile and feel free to suggest schools
UG: 3.28/5.0
unofficial wes:3.07/4.0
GRE: 283 v:144 q:139 aw:3.0(messed up badly)
Course:MSc Computer Science(information Security)
schools am looking at
1.ETSU
2.Southern Arkansas University
3.Troy University
4.Jackson State University
5.Dakota State University
6.Grand Valley university
7.Alabama A&M University

Thanks

Honestly if you can, its better you retake the GRE.

Longman525:
Morning guys, I've been a silent reader on this thread for a while, but anytime I come on this discussion group and see testimonies I feel sad about my 3rd class grade which always makes me feel as an intruder on here, I was denied 2 months ago (B1B2) and since then I've been looking for a way to re-apply as a student but my poor grade keeps drawing me back, to the gurus in the house, is there any solution to this? And what advice do you have for me concerning my US schooling ambition?

Having a 3rd class is not the end of the world, the best you can do is not to dwell on it. With a good GRE score, Toefl, good letter of recommendation and solid SOP. You can right your wrong. Research for schools that have minimum of 2.5/4 CGPA as requirement and apply. You should get enough to spread your risk. You can also try some schools that are mostly white dominated, states like Mississippi, Missouri should come to mind. If you are ready to put in the work, nothing can stop you. Just to motivate you, I have a friend that had a 3rd class back in OAU, he graduated with an MSc in Petroleum Engineering Last Spring. You might not get funding in your 1st semester but with a good GPA and attitude you might get in second semester. You can search www.msinus.com for schools that accept low cgpa, also try schools that you are a little less off the CGPA requirement you never can tell. This story might motivate you too http://3dpancakes.typepad.com/ernie/2005/03/re_phd_with_low.html

gaviria:
For those that didn't read the transcript, the bold is an important public service announcement.

Congratulations.

He/she doesn't need to book any accommodation, in most cases people don't find accommodation until they arrive. Very few people will make payment for an accommodation they have not seen. Using a friend's address is not out of place.

gaviria:
Alright thanks a lot. But can I use a small duffle bag as hand luggage to keep with me In the overhead compartment? Yes I know one will pay for luggage, but hope it won't be too much, around what price range is it usually like?

Yes so far the bag will fit in the overhead compartment. Check this link for price range https://www.luggageforward.com/excess-baggage-fees/ http://lifehacker.com/how-much-it-costs-to-check-bags-on-nine-major-u-s-airl-1717212944

gaviria:
Please I'd like to ask. Can someone carry 3 boxes to the airport? 1 big box, and 2 small ones that can substitute for another box23kg. Because I know the airline policy is 2 23kg luggage.
The first box will be 23kg or even less. And since I don't have a second box that can carry so much or weigh 23kg or even close, can one carry 2 small bags/boxes that'll substitute the second 23kg.

cc: .
Thanks

No I don't think so, that's why sometimes they tell someone carrying 2 boxes with one that is less than 23kg and one more than 23kg to move some of the stuffs in the more box to the less box. Its advisable you buy a big box to avoid unnecessary charges. By the way, IF you are connecting a flight in the US, you will pay for all luggage

lionlee216:
And i hope you thicked yes on your ds 160 when you were asked if you have immediate relative in the usa? If you choose no, dont create problems for yourself when there is none

You quoted the wrong person

Fortunate4real:
i would like to know how i can over come my fear at the point of entry.

i mailed my school that i will be coming on the 26th of this month(arriving new York on the 27th), that i will visit a friend in another state in US before resuming to the school in August (the official date of resumption is 15th of August),

I Inform the school not come to welcome/pick me at the airport that my friend will there for me. At-least b4 academic rigor start again, i should cool off with friends en family a little.
my question is HOW WILL I AVOID HAVING ANY PROBLEM AT THE POINT OF ENTRY(POE)

Your question is not clear however in anything you do, Make sure you enter the US before the start day on your i20 which is 15th August if you don't want your village people to win. Going to visit a friend first/family before resuming to school is not a crime, you are not the first and you wont be the last, so rest your mind.

gspeed360:
I know I'm wrong. And I apologize... I pray I'll be forgiven...



My 2 kobo: I initially didn't tell Dad and Mum cuz my dad can pray for favour for 2 hours, and my mum will ask more questions than the VO hence putting me under pressure... The days of the week does not matter, another important thing is your DS160, you should be super detailed (No super stories though) especially the work descriptions.

Once again I apologize...

Now that you have done the most reasonable thing to do, you should try and contact @brightify He posted this in part 11 On Jun 29
''Anyone coming this summer to houston should beep me
Free ride and one week accommodation including free ride throughout the one week''.

Capitas7:
Thank you for the details. Very helpful. I am not familiar with the immunization form you mentioned. My school is ready to run my sponsor's pocket dry, but get behind me Satan, not when I have God and these beautiful people on Nairaland. I discovered the only option they accept is "elite" which is $2903 for 1yr, from the $2995 default school plan. No difference, but an advantage of paying monthly.

Can you kindly help with information on how the immunization forma are generated? (I also think immunIzation is for students below 26yrs of age. how true?)

Anyone's contribution would be appreciated.

All students are to submit immunization proof. In most cases, monthly immunization will not work because your school will most likely ask for your immunization document covering from a particular period as stipulated by your school. Without that, you might not be granted a waiver not to be charged the school's health insurance. Ask your school for the coverage period for the Fall semester. might be Sept 1 - Dec 31

anodebeanthony:
My school said it's a must to purchase their health insurance plan which is over $1400.

That is crazy

OluDare01:
My insurance next semester is $102
I compared the quote from 3 companies and chose the cheapest.

Thats good. One has to be wise

LagosismyHome:
Not just $1000 self ....but had paid for 3 semesters so $3000 before i showed him this link

He followed this tread collected visa and stopped coming here ..... well those who do it are at a disservice. There is still one or two things you cam learn by coming here periodically as a student. Thanks for the info

Jesus christ of Nazareth!! Sad

gspeed360:
I beg o... University of Houston Victoria students... Help this young man coming to your place o... I need on ground contact... Accommodation and advices... Pls contact ASAP... please

Have you noticed no one has answered you? You got visa but no transcript or am I missing something? If everybody were like you, this thread would have died a natural death since. You are here now asking for someone in Houston. Houston kor..Iyana Ipaja Ni

LagosismyHome:
Nice write up

On the issue of Insurance ..... a friend has similar issues where the school was billing by default $1,500 per semester for Insurance . I saw a post here by Femi321 with this comment ; What the Hell? $1300? wow, you have money to throw around. Anyway you can use http://www.InternationalStudentInsurance.com but you will have to check the requirements for health insurance in your school first to be sure it meets any of the plans.

So I sent the link to a friend , he was able to get a quote for $300 for insurance , using the school requirement for insurance such as ensuring the quote covered Repatriation insurance coverage of XX amount and Evacuation insurance coverage of at least XX. He took that quote to the school and they accepted it . The $300 insurance then replaced the default nonsense of $1,500

Its sad that your friend wasted about $1000. Your friend is probably 29 and above, that's why he/she had to pay $300 P.S.. To the incoming students:: you don't need to take a quote to your school first, on the insurance website, you can check the plan that your school will accept, most schools are listed on the website with the plan that is acceptable to each school. If you are below 27 or so, you might not pay more than $200 and $300 for fall and spring respectively. The price goes up with age, still at that, its far better that the exorbitant fee your school will charge.By the way if you don't know what to use money for..I am a pm away. Lastly, fill your immunization form before you leave Nigeria and ask questions, no excuse for ignorance.

akoja2:
If they are going to change the I-20, will it change my SEVIS ID too?

No

LagosismyHome:
Not sure what people like in GOT..... too graphic for me, tried watching it like twice.

Really? I though something was wrong with me because I cant seem to find anybody that doesn't watch that nonsense show, too tragic, too dirty..just name it. I think I am normal now.