₦airaland Forum

akandry:
ok I applied to baltimore city community college and I go admitted I've paid for my semis already and I book for my appointment and this is how the interview went

VO: Good morning
Me: good morning
VO: slot in your passport
VO: why are you going to US
Me: I'm going for study
VO: how many schools did you applied to
Me one
VO: what school
Me : baltimore city community college
VO: why associate degree and not bachelor degree
Me: I want to have a solid foundation cos the basic education I acquired isn't enough for me to to advance further
VO: that's not the reason they are on same level one is just higher than the other
VO: pass me my passport and my denial letter

That's how I got denied so house please do I still have any chance of getting a visa cos right now I want to defer my admission to fall hoping by my next interview I will be granted and what do you think I should have said? Thanks guys

I believe you were more enthusiastic than this during your actual interview. First of all, you could work more on your energy. Come alive, and let them know you're really excited to go study. "I'm going for study" doesn't cut it. You should have a well prepared answer that covers the school, course and the duration of the program to answer the question :"Why are you going to the US?"

Second of all, people do get visas for associate degrees, but be ready to do a really awesome job at defending yourself. For your sake and America's, it's better you come in for a BSc and not Associate. So, this might be a blessing in disguise.

Why, really, are you going for an Associate degree, when there's Bachelor's?

chinemomah2020:
Hello Great guru's in the house.. please i have a big question that has been bordering me and i need urgent response please guys. Have received my admission letter and i-20. But i didn't write any exam like TOFEL or SAT but i did well English in my O' level result and the school didn't ask for any of those and i also saw this on the school website:-

ETSU is no longer requiring SAT or ACT scores for admission from international students who complete secondary education outside of the United States.   ETSU strongly advises that students who take the SAT or ACT request scores to be sent to ETSU in the event that the students want to apply for scholarships.  Students who do not submit official SAT or ACT scores to ETSU will be required to take the COMPASS test upon arriving on campus.  The COMPASS test results determine placement in university level courses. Submitting SAT or ACT scores would eliminate the requirement to test upon arrival at ETSU.

ACT/SAT scores may be recommended or required if:

·   the applicant is applying for competitive scholarships;
·   the applicant is applying for admission into a specific program;
·  the applicant believes test scores provide further evidence of academic ability; or
·  the applicant is a prospective student-athlete.
Information about programs that require ACT/SAT scores is available on the websites that describe the program. 

Now my big question is? What will i tell the VO if am been ask Did you write any Exam..?

Please kindly advice me on what to say @ Lagosismyhome, Fedoricko, happyday Walspring.

Writing exams on its own doesn't guarantee the visa. Only that you'll need to convince the VO that you have more than enough financial backing to not struggle when you arrive. That you'll plan to study, and not depend on any sort of part-time job to rely on, either to pay for tuition or personal expenses.

So, if you're asked if you wrote any exam, say the truth. "No, you tested out of the exams based on your O'level results, and the school admission reqs". Then, be prepared to convince him/her that you've got all expenses covered, at least for the first year. Better if you can show proof for all 4 years.

aanexplus:
My programming sample codes. Like applications I have developed over time. He requested for some of them

Oh then, that's normal. Apparently, you'd need to do some coding in his lab.

aanexplus:
Guys. How you doing. Dr hope bug thumb. Actually, a Dr. Requested for sample codes and sop from me(usa). Is it important I include videos? Thank you

Sample codes for what?

Breamz:
URGENTLY!!! Pls i nid direction to the GSS DOC. COLLECTION CENTER DHL HOUSE,NEW AIRPORT RD, ISOLA, hw do i qet dere 4rm oshodi

From anywhere in Oshodi, get a bus going to mile 2 and tell the conductor you're going to Toyota Bus stop. Immediately they drop you, the DHL office is directly beside you (to your left). Just cross the service lane and walk 50 metres or so to their gate. Thank msnas.

annichere:
Good morning house. Please I need advice, assistance , etc.
My whole family stays in the US and I'm the only one in Nigeria. I applied for a visit visa last year but was denied due to the fact that I'm single lady and have no ties in Nigeria. Now my sister who is a nurse in the US says she wants to apply to a school so I can do my masters degree which I have always wanted but I'm scared of rejection again. The issues are
a) she has filed for me last year using my mum but that will take a very long time.
b) I still do not have any ties here in Nigeria.
c) She wants to apply to a school in the same State where she stays. NB she is my sponsor
d) I am scared of rejection again because it might look like I want migrate which I'm not really interested in.
I have gone through the thread and it seems my chances are kind of slim. Please kindly advice. Thanks

Hi!

First off, you'll need to get over the fear of being rejected. The worst the Embassy could say is a 'No', and then life goes on. Esp since you're not passionate about staying back.

With that out of the way, you'll need to do a good work at convincing everyone, not just the VO, that you really want to do this. And it's not just what your sister wants for you. There's nothing stopping you from taking charge of the entire application process. Choosing schools (and locations, taking tests, talking to others about your apps. All on your own.

Of course, your sis could provide some guidance. But that's it. Just little help here and there. Not the key ones for which you will be questioned on at the Embassy.

That way, it becomes easier to sell your story, and convince anyone you couldn't care less about staying back after study.

revenant:
That is why I use the word "I" refering to myself. And what if you don't find any of them interesting to work with at the end of the day.

Then, you pack your bags and drop out. Lol. That's why schools ask that you mention those profs whose research work interest you in the SoP.

walexy08:
Sorry for disturbing , have u ever done tranacript evaluation before, its above $100 that Nigeria mastercard or visa cars can use in a month, if yes; how did u make d payment or is their anyone un the house that cares to give a help. thanks

No. I haven't.

revenant:
I personal dont see it as a tough call, if you are given admission into a top school with full funding for your PhD program and then you don't know your supervisor yet, I think there is a problem. When are you going to build rapport with him or her? when are you going to develop research plan?. If I were her, I will go with U of Virginia, reason because she had already developed a relationship with that advisor which is what PhD is all about.

Well, by default, US PhD offers almost always come with 'full' funding, so that shouldn't be a differentiating factor to choose between two similar offers. Also, there's absolutely no problem with not knowing your advisor prior to enrolling. Creating a rapport with your advisor before you start is the exception, not the norm. Most schools will let you free style for a semester, so you can talk to profs, check their labs, and decide which one to work in for the next 4 + years. Cos they believe it's a decision that pretty much affects a bunch of things down the line. So, that too, isn't a clear cut yardstick to accept or deny.

walexy08:
Am using it for online payment more than $100 that my Visa card cant do. Do u have any alternative?

Oh, sorry, nope.

walexy08:
Hello everyone, have u guys heard of barter virtual card? Has anoyone used it before? please how real is it?. please respond. thank you

What do you wanna use it for? I might know a better alternative

mfarad:
Greetings house. In no particular order, special shout-out to: Danjaninja, SirRiddy, Scholastica16, ponpon, Time2Smile, happyday, icool. My imagination now attaches faces to these monikers
I have been silently following this thread for weeks. From page 1 to here, I'm amazed by the amount of information on GRE and Grad school application on this thread and must applaud the efforts of all contributors.
I planned to share my full experience after my GRE (May, 11th) but couldn't resist joining the conversation.

Now, to the woman of the moment, drhopeful, congrats on your offers and most importantly, on your recent decision regarding UVA vs pennstate. Seriously, It's a tough call and I am glad you are being pragmatic about it. I have learnt a great lesson from the comments on your decision: Don't wait for permission to do what you think is best

@Scholastica16. Man, thanks for all the help you've given on this thread. I pray you soon get in this drhopeful-like fix.

Hello! Thanks for reaching out. Hope the prep is going smoothly. Btw, what else do you have going on apart from preparing for the test? I suppose you're applying for Spring??

drhopeful:
Thanks happyday. Yes, I spoke to the second Prof after I received their Offer. In fact, he gave me heads up the day before. Actually, he wants me to work with him more than I want to and gave me a crowning speech including how to resign the Penn State offer if I decided to accept theirs. I had told him about the Penn State offer when I received it. He did ask me how much everything amounted to, I just thought that was BTW.

Oh, I see. Sorry for having to be in this sort of dilemma. Kinda hurts in a good way!

Kindly do and come to Trumpland...

TWoods:
So why do you need a visa to the United States then? You're a joke dude.

Its absolutely nauseating to see how dishonesty has become so endemic in the Nigerian society that speaking against it has become equivalent to "forming saint". I wish i could take back all those hours wasted praying for Nigeria.

You gave up on Nigeria already?

Sbrainy:
@dr hopeful congrats

@scholastica16, I pray everything works for your good

Pls I will like to ask, this April 15, is it that all U.S schools must complete their admission decision by then? What about those waiting for decision on TA or GA or research assistantship? do dey all get responses by the April 15

No, there's no blanket deadline for grad school admissions. You could enter when the dept feels you're ready to come in. It depends on each school, (and most times, each department's deadline). You can only contact the grad admissions coord and wait it out, till you get a decision.

drhopeful:
Thanks Scholastica16. I am so flattered. Working in ExxonMobil or being Akpabio's minion has no role to play when someone is passionate about school (at least for me). For e.g. During NYSC, I spent all my meager corper money applying to schools for MSc (IPS, UK, US) which included registration for GRE and TOEFL and subscribing to expensive internet service at the time. I never had enough left to eat sef. In the end, I had IPS and two international offers of admission. I had to start hustling for scholarship. IPS was funded but we still had to pay 100k for registration/acceptance. I hustled and paid by the deadline given and guess what, the next day I got scholarship to go to U.K. Omo, I forgot about the 100k I dashed IPS, packed my bags and chased the plane to the UK. For me, it's always about the end game! BTW, I am from a poor very low class family.

American PhD will earn me much more than N300k

Oh! And I know that moniker that starts with capital 't'. It ends with small 's'.

Hi! First off, congrats on those offers! I can totally relate to your story here, passion counts for a lot in frustrating endeavors like applying to US grad schools from 'Africa'.

I'd also like to chip in a word while you decide which offer to choose (how many so far sef?), sorry I stopped counting after two.

Grad school admissions, esp in the US, is so laid back, that makes it easier to choose which to eventually attend. If you're considering the I-20 and SEVIS fees, you could email the second prof, and tell him about it. You would love to attend, but their decision came late, you already started processing the first, and you'll really like to attend.

Ask him, Is there something y'all could work out?

Further, you could table out the pros and cons for each school, based on advisors, program requirements, living conditions, campus culture and fit. This would help to make an informed choice.

At the end of the day, we all are winging it, and I believe going to God could help you make the best choice.

Cheers!

ChristoBam:
Please guys how true is this??

Yup, officially, bank statements are NOT required as part of your visa interview docs. You can only bring them along, if you feel they could help support your story. VOs are trained to decide to grant your visa app or otherwise, solely based on your DS-160 info and the actual interview.

funkyQuest:
Hi all. Pls I'm trying to fill the DS-160 form but I'm a little bit confused. The question "Address where you will stay in the U.S." is the issue. I don't have accommodation yet in the U.S. so I don't know what to fill in. Should I just put the name of my school as where I'll stay in the U.S?
Also, the question "Do you have specific travel plans". Should I select a No since I've not booked any ticket or gotten visa and I'm being asked the airport I'll arrive at and depart from. Pls help. I don't want to make any mistake. Thanks.

cc LagosismyHome, slimmy2005,sirRiddy, femi321, Walspring, Deetus etc.

Use the address of the school, or better the location of the Int'l office on campus. (You should have that on your I-20). If you don't have travel plans, just say 'no'. Most want to be sure they're gonna get a visa, before making travelling plans.

All the best.

ovieigho:
Pls am just curious about this ,mayb anybody can explain and suggest to me how it can be achievable

My curiosity and question is can I have a hitch free study in a school of 45k$ with their mayb little funding and part time jobs

Because I no get any sponsor or own any money in bank o.....

Hi!

You should wait till you get the funding information as said. Only then can you realistically estimate if it's worth a shot to accept and enroll. Basically, determine the total fees (tuition and other expenses) you'll need to pay for the first year on one hand, and know how much the school will be offsetting. You'll then be able to know how possible it is to get the difference from working part time and all.

Good luck.

Time2Smile:
I called the Grad school to ask about the status of my application and was informed that the application fee has not been received. I have calling to get updates since then.

The money order should be reimbursed, but I can't really wait for the process to run it due course. Application decision is due by March ending

I still need someone in US to make the payment in form of check, hence my post.

Send me a PM.

JesseJackson67:
Hello
Please I have been admitted into college in the US without SAT. The school offered me some scholarship .Please I would like to know if it will be an issue going to the interview without writing any standardized test .
Thanks

What school? Scholarship without the SAT? Worry about the source of funding, not the interview, for now.

Time2Smile:
Hi all, I paid an application fee of $30 in form of money order on February 6 through a member of this forum who is in the United States. Unfortunately, the school has not received the money order up till now, though to the best of my knowledge the person actually made the purchase because He sent me a picture of the money order. We are currently trying to resolve the issue with USPS.

The application deadline was March 1, although I have been in contact with the programme coordinator and was informed that my application would still be considered if the payment is made promptly. The problem is the school only accepts money order or check. Please I need urgent help with this payment. I really like the school, the funding is generous and I believe I have a very good chance of being admitted. Thanks all.

Cc LagosismyHome, Walspring, Oludare1, Femi321, sirriddy, happyday

Who's your contact in the school who told you the money order hasn't come in? You might tell them to suggest another payment method. You might be reimbursed if the order doesn't come through, but you might pay extra processing charges. Don't lose hope. Some schools aren't really ready to switch on things with IT and all.

If not, you can try check or let me know.

TooMuchSauce:
While i'm quite conscious of not coming across as being sycophantic, the positive vibes you exude in your posts can't be gainsaid; you are always willing to help and that's nice. Thanks for giving "grad school hopefuls" like me lifelines with your reassuring words. I recently took the GRE and it was a disaster, i was denied admission by the only school i applied to (a tier 2 school); i will be retaking by early June and putting in applications for spring 2018, i hope you'll be around to help through the process. All the best in LSU too man.

Sorry, just seeing this. I'm glad I could be of help. Good to know that you're not discouraged. I'd advise that you identify those reasons that made you scored low the first time, you'd surely find those tips useful to help you come back harder this time. Yes, Spring 2018 is already here. Thanks for the wishes, and feel free to reach out anytime.

Cheers!

andradaeze:
You just gave a good picturesque of a research-based masters program. Well done! So the idea is to concentrate on "learning" research but ensure you do well with school work.

Also, that means when you apply for Masters program and you wish to be funded, it is best to indicate that you do have plans of proceeding to a Ph.D., right? That is, if you truly want to do a Ph.D.

Yep, if you truly want to. Else, you can say you want to test the waters. And see how it goes.

andradaeze:
Oga happyday, my greetings...

For those that do not have much research experience, what should they emphasize during their application? Also, you highlighted writing an outstanding SOP during the application process, please, can you share tips? Of course, I know you are a great writer. But share tips for poor writers like me.

Also, you are doing research as you mentioned in your previous post, how is doing actual research in your school?

First, I'd like to start with this.

For an MS degree here in the US, there are two divides. And it's key to know where you stand. It'll be helpful in your app process and eventually when you settle down.

One, you want to take more classes. By taking more classes, you hope to learn more about your field, and possibly get better job placements. Colleges call this "MSc without thesis". You're basically doing minimal or no research at all. In other words, you aren't contributing something NEW to the field, you only want to know about the field, and go out there to apply what you've learnt.

Schools will never pay you for this. Except you've something else you're doing for them. May be, apart from attending classes, you're also a TA for some undergrad class. In short, you're working for the department, and you might get a cut and a stipend for this.

So, if you get into Stanford MS CS program, be ready to cough out thousands of dollars, cos they know you'll be out of there in 2 years max, and probably land an SWE role at Google, in time to pay back your debt. It's a win-win for both. You get an higher degree to boost your future prospects, and the school heavily gets paid for that.

Or if you're admitted to Harvard MBA program, you'd be comfy taking loans, knowing that joining McKinsey thereafter would help you pay off your loans quickly, and likely increase your employability before Harvard.

The other option is to come do research. The department hopes that you'll come in to work as an apprentice with a mentor (or advisor), with whom you'll learn the ropes to create something NEW in your field. Getting a PhD is the climax of this pursuit.

For me, I started with an MS. And the department's end game is to get me to do the PhD thereafter. They think it's their loss if I get an MS and decide to leave. Cos with that, they paid me to do research for two years, during which I also took some classes, and got a degree. That's why schools look for research potential in admitting this second group. They know if they do a good job now, there are high odds you'd eventually decide to proceed onto a PhD, which is their joy!

Hence, why schools will strongly advise that you apply for a straight PhD, if you know you'd eventually wanna get one.

Should you get a PhD? That's a million-dollar question. Should get a page of its own.

I think, knowing the two sides of the coin will assist applicants to put in their best foot forward in the grad school application game. This distinction will help you to understands how grad school adcoms think, put things in perspective, and get a clearer meaning to your life's goals as you progress in your career.

My experience: I chose the second route, and indicated on my SoP that I plan on getting a PhD thereafter. Which means, I couldn't care less about extracurriculars like running a part-time business, tutoring kids or playing the piano. (MIT doesn't even wanna see your GRE scores). You only need to demonstrate to them that you can do research. Period.

Also, doing actual research means I'm working in a lab right from my first semester here. I didn't take classes for a few semesters, check around with a bunch of faculty members to decide where to work. I knew before leaving Nigeria what field I wanted to work on, which advisor I wanted to work with, and it was research with course work from day one.

He told me, emphatically, not to have the wrong notion of "over-studying" for classes. That after your BSc, no one is gonna pay you to attend more classes. Which makes perfect business sense!

Of course, I go to classes, take tests, turn in assignments and all. In fact, you can't bomb your courses. You'll need to keep your GPA above a threshold, or you're getting the boot. But I sure know I'm here for the lab. For now, I'm working on on-going projects, reading papers already published from my lab, and pretty much soaking in ideas to get me "in the zone".

Lastly, I write poorly. Any write-up I send out, I check checking my email for that fiery reply, telling me how dumb I'm for me to send such a lousy, crappy article. Thank God, I haven't gotten any so far. I keep writing every day, and I hope they don't eventually find out what a pathetic writer I am!

andradaeze:
Thanks for sharing your experiences so far. Still expecting more from you .

Thank you! Any ideas you'd like for me to discuss?

tolutweety:
Yea..went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.

Pm me your contact .
We could arrange a weekend out,man

Great, man! Great. I'm sure you had mad fun . . . PM sent! I look forward to hanging out, brother!

sybil33:
High-stakes standardized testing is educational malpractice and must be stopped now.

When typing my essay I understood that high-stakes testing (HST) is based on the wrong set of goals for education, faulty assumptions about development and learning, and already-falsified assumptions about the meanings of test scores.

In turn, so-called "value-added" schemes are also failing to examine the educational value that really matters, lack of responsible controls for variables that cause the lions' share of variance in test scores (60-100%), and are founded upon an outdated and inferior approach to promoting human motivation.

HST has failed on its own terms (test scores) as NAEP long-term trend scores for reading and mathematics were flat for both genders and all racial groups between 2008 and 2012, during the most intensive period of test-driven schooling in American history.

HST has been an unmitigated disaster for those who value a well-rounded education. Creativity started declining at the beginning of the standards movement, and traditional, test-driven schooling undermines creativity, initiative, critical thinking, respect for diverse views, and undermines intrinsic motivation to learn (talk about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs!). High-stakes testing inherently corrupts the true purposes of education and steers students and teachers into the alienating "game of school" that Robert Fried described so well.

High-stakes testing has done to education what junk food did to our bodies: Isn't a decade on damage enough to impose upon students and teachers?

Test-based accountability is promoted by CEOs, economists, and politicians who simply do not understand children or child development, and who have an unhealthy desire for America's children and teachers to be micromanaged by far-off bureaucrats. Test-based accountability is also heavily promoted by ed corporations who are rapidly taking over public education.

We have a moral obligation to end this assault on children and democracy.

Hi! I'm all for innovation and disruption, but this right here, won't happen anytime soon. Why? It's simple.

If you suggest that we stop taking the SAT, GRE, MCAT, UTME, what have you, then give us an alternative. How do you measure or grade creativity? With standardized tests, many American high schools are struggling to educate their kids, talk more of teaching "creativity, critical thinking, self-awareness."

More so, soft skills like creativity, enterpreneurship, and initiative can hardly be taught.

What I think? Everyone who wants to get ahead should be the best at whatever they do. Researchers have found that those who put in their best efforts to score well on tests, have the presence of mind to 'shamelessly' commit themselves to an activity and go ahead to distinguish themselves in some activity.

It's how schools like Harvard, Stanford and MIT choose the best and brightest. Is this a perfect system? NO. We can definitely do better. But, it's by fay the best way we have right now! Incoming freshmen at those schools not only graduate top of their class in high schools, but also got extraordinarily awesome at something, might be Math Olympiads, programming, social work, research, ballerina or business, at the age of 18.

Such that even if Ivy Leagues decide to play camp fires all day, their students will still go on to achieve great things in the world, either they drop out or not.

tolutweety:
@happyday.
I am in Lafayette.

How's Baton Rouge?

Really? We should meet sometime. You went for Mardi Gras? BTR is good.

Scholastica16:
Congrats HappyDay. Thanks for sharing your experience with us although belatedly. It was worth the wait. I am sure alot of people will be inspired by your success and the corollary challenges that came, and will continue to come as you move on with your career. I wish you all the best at Baton Rouge and I am confident you would find more success as a researcher amongst other things.

Amen! I've been so inspired and pumped by the outpouring of love and best wishes from everyone. Truth is, I never thought I could be of help to someone this way. Boy, was I wrong!

Thank you, yes you, reading this! God bless you.

I use my story (albeit still developing) as a point of contact to everyone who needs hope critically at this point. To you, the helpless. You shall receive help from places you haven't imagined. Even if you can't explain why people should help you, they will gladly justify helping you!

Thanks Scholastica16! Keep soaring!

Cheers!

OluDare01:
Yes boss! And they partnered with University of TN, Knoxville. That school get money die

True! They've got a lot of outstanding programs esp in Aerospace and Biomedicals.

OluDare01:
Yeah! It is a national lab, so they've got a lot of funding for research with state of the art instruments. They are more into nuclear related stuffs;same as Los Alamos National lab. The most recently discovered element, Tennessine (₁₁₇Ts) was synthesized at Oakridge national lab

Awesome! Named after the state?