MsNas:

See, my brother.. please do not be vexed about what I have to say o. I am very sorry in advance. Seeing that you posted this, after you posted this awhile ago means you're indeed in a rut and you need a quick, fast fix.

But truth be told, you got yourself into this situation. You should not have left Nigeria with the intention of studying without at least first semester tuition or funding. That said, what has happened has happened. You need a way out.

1. Did you not know that the tuition at UNO was high? Why did you still chose to transfer to Omaha even after knowing that? That aside, the black/white population in a school should be the least of your problems. I know a female nairalander who went to school in Omaha. NE and graduated from there. You're there to learn and simply to learn. Ignore the racial distribution. You will get used to the cold. Layer up, bundle up and you'll be fine

2. Do you have any hopes of paying your fees at UNO before transferring next semester? This I say because UNO will not release your SEVIS record for transfer until all outstanding tuition is paid. Did you talk to your graduate adviser at UNO and explain your situation to him? He might be able to find you a GA after one semester, if not this one. Explore all your avenues before giving up, bro

3. There are plenty of schools who will give funding for your course. You're studying IT/IS, funding opportunities abound. Trick is to start applications now, but you have to decide if you're gonna be applying as a fresh graduate international student or wait until after one semester of study at UNO and have grades transfer. If your grades from Nigeria (undergraduate GPA, GRE and TOEFL) aren't that stellar, I will suggest you do your best this semester and at least bag a 4.0 so as to make your search for funding more easy and promising.

4. If you fall out of status, you either have to apply for reinstatement in the US or do a another entry by going to Mexico or Canada and reentering with your new school I-20. Both come with their own set of pros and cons...Choice is your to make. But I tell you, falling out of status is not easy as everything will just tire you.

5. Why are you transferring from MIS to EE? Do you have an EE background? That said, IT jobs are in abundance and it's easier to get sponsorship. But maybe I'm saying that cos I'm an IT person. Who knows?

drOdu:


thank you! but it is costly...

cuteconnec:

Thanks for your input. I am already studying MIS, which is not so popular like electrical. More than 90% of US Colleges offer electrical engineering, i have an electrical background and I am open to switch to electrical if i get funding there.
Again, I switched school because i didn't like the course i was offered at UALR and the school had no funding for a 5-year Phd program.
My course adviser said i will only be eligible to apply for GA after 2 semesters. I don't see myself surviving for 2 semesters without funding.

Mayflowa:


MIS is even more lucrative than electrical. Anything computer is lucrative here. The world is about computer now. In fact obama is trying to introduce code writing to elementary pupils

cuteconnec:
Dear Friends and Gurus,

I urgently need help with a candid advice. i have not really been following this tread but i bow for gurus here.

I started applying for USA graduate schools in Oct 2015. I wanted to resume in Jan 2016-Spring, so i only targeted schools with very late application deadlines.

I did all the GRE, TOEFL and VISA interview stuffs and succeeded getting admission in 3 schools.
1. UALR- University of Arkansas at Little Rock - Phd (Integrated computing)
2. SIUE- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville - MSc (computer science)
3. UNO - University of Nebraska, Omaha - Msc (Management Information Systems-MIS)

The decision from UALR came so quick so i presented their i20 at the embassy and got the visa. Though i preferred the MIS course at UNO, but they did not decide on time. I Applied for funding in UALR but didn't get anything. Also some old naija folks at the school strongly discouraged me from coming..Finally, my admission at UNO clicked on Jan 6, I got into US on Jan 8th and decided to transfer from UALR to UNO. The transfer went pretty easy and i flew to Omaha.

On arriving here, i discovered the situation here was worse than i ever imagine, even though i got the course i wanted to study, i couldn't get any funding, tuition is very high, black population here is negligible, and the cold here na die. I have not figured out how i will pay the tuition yet, but i pray i will scale through this semester.

I plan to complete one semester and transfer to another school. Which school can i get guaranteed Graduate Assistant ship or funding?
If i loose my status in this school(i don't pray for that-worst case scenario), can i possibly apply afresh again in another school since i am already in the usa?
Who knows the possibility of transferring credits from Management Information Systems to a course like electrical engineering?

Any valuable input will be most appreciated. Thank you

warriboy21:


thanks boss.. u really made it clear.i appreciate. one more question is that , does internship application or opt require a tight resume' ?
what about those that dont have any experience at al, would companies consider them for internship and opt.?.....

is masters degree enough for us employers of labour/

or do i need more certification?

slimmy2005:
Spot on, succinctly written. How have you been? You just disappeared like that.

warriboy21:
we should talk about internships.. pls who is doing internship/OPT now should enlighten us on how he/she applied .esp summer internship or after graduation internship.

which internship site do we visit especially paid internship?

what do we need to apply?

in general, transition from graduation to opt. how is it like?

experienced gurus pls enlighten us ..so we can get enuf infos as d indians...
thanks

temi4fash:


I started my application to University of Minnesota and they asking me to upload an unofficial transcript, I tried doing that but upload is not going through page by page. Once I upload the first page and I try to upload the second it automatically cancels the first.

Also they require I submit all my documents online like my recommendation letters, SOP before I submit my application. And please do any one know where I can write GRE in ibadan.

As regards the the recommendation letter they said they would send a link to the email of the people who will recommend me and they will fill and submit online. Who would you guys advise I use for the recommendations.

exxy:
who's up for internships this summer, I need computer science internships. hit me up if u got some, the one when I dey see na for US Citizens

Perotti:


Are you schooling in the US? That website 'indeed.com' isn't giving me search answers oo

sirRiddy:
Nice. Kindly share your experience with us when you have the time
to spare. Big congratulations .

sirRiddy:
Please how did you get your internship, bro? Is it a paid one?

pennstate:
Admin: Can I post MS and PhD funding opportunities-They are mainly Biology/Ecology. Someone might find it useful.

anikemoses:
Health Insurance here is very expensive,last year I took my school's plan and was charged $1,700 for a year,but this year I got the alternative insurance form and used it,which cost me $600...

koice:


The Americans had one thing going for it that Allegiance will never have: artistic freedom. You see, The Americans is a cable TV show, so it goes without saying that it is minimally censored and only for Matured audience. Allegiance on the other has already been hampered by the inevitable restrictions that Broadcast network shows always suffer. The dialogue is too refined to be natural, No cuss word in sight, and I bet you, you'll never see núdity of any form... ever. I'm already bored from watching Allegiance.

zeezahbee:
$744 , that's way too much. Is that insurance from your school fee or a private insurance. Plus is it for a year or just spring semester

okikskis:
Thanks to God for today, visa approved! Vo did not request for any document .transcript coming shorty

Ok…..my transcript as I promised.

I woke up initially at 1am had to force myself to sleep back. Then I woke up some minutes to 4am had my bath. Then I left the house around past 5 and entered the car to the embassy. Finally got to queue up around 6am then I finally got into the consulate building and after submitting my documents I was sitting down, waiting to be called to a window for my interview. (I was there for a 6.30 appointment and everyone before me had their visa application denied). Finally I was called.
Me: Good morning (smile)
V.O: Good morning (smile)
V.O: I see that you are going for a masters in information technology (This was the course written on my i-20 but the course is actually Management information systems)
Me: actually its MIS
V.O: oh…….what’s the difference?
Me: information technology is just one aspect but MIS is the application of information systems in businesses and management procedures in order to be more efficient and effective.
V.O: ok…….so why did you apply to NIU?
Me: I applied to NIU because it’s one of the highly ranked schools when it comes to that course, in fact business week rated NIU’s business information systems No. 23 nationwide……….
V.O: (cuts in) can you tell me some of the courses you would be taking in your 1st year at the university.
Me: yes, Business geographics, business statistics, business information systems, graduate market survey…….
V.O: (cuts in) what is business geographics?
At this point, I was a bit speechless because I wasn’t expecting that question and I didn’t know the answer. So I had to form trying to remember.
Me: errr….well it is the errr…. Geography of business
V.O: (confused look)
Me: (confused + embarrassed look, because I was like wtf did I just say)
V.O: I’m sorry I don’t understand that
( at this point I remembered that when people talk about geography they usually say localization, so I used naija sense)
Me: When I said geography I meant localization of business information systems as it relates to locations of businesses.
V.O: oh…..ok
Me: (breathes a sigh of relief)
V.O: where did you have your undergraduate degree?
Me: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
V.O: what was your major?
Me: Economics
V.O: did you do like any standardized exams like GRE?
Me: I took GMAT
V.O: oh….ok……so what was your scores.
Me: 640
V.O: oh (keeps typing)
VO: so did you apply to any other school?
Me: yes I did
V.O: which one?
Me: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
V.O: Where you admitted there?
Me: (with a soft smile) No, I wasn’t
V.O: ok, who is your sponsor
Me: my father
V.O: what does he do?
Me: he is the founder and managing partner xyz company, he is also an associate professor at abc university.
V.O: what do you do presently?
Me: I work as an administrative officer at xyz company, my father’s firm
V.O: (nods his head) but why where you particular about Illinois?
Me: it’s not like I was particular about Illinois, it’s just that both schools happen to be highly ranked in the course I was interested in.
V.O: but is there no other link to that state?
Me: ( at this point I knew he was looking at my information on his computer screen so I kuku said what he wanted to hear) actually my sister stays in that state and each time I travelled in the past I always stayed there, so I am already familiar with the area.
Before I could finish talking sef dude was already stretching his hand to hand me a piece of paper
V.O: ok, you have been approved of your visa and you should go to Isolo to pick up your passport. You would have to wait till like Monday or Tuesday because of the holidays. And you would be needing this at the point of entry (hands over my 1-20).

One thing I noticed was each time the V.O asked those applying for student visas before me why they picked their schools, they kept saying the schools had good facilities and the man would reply “what else?” Or “most American schools have good facilities so that is not a good reason, what else?” or he would ask how they heard about the school and none of them said they did research on their own but said stuff like someone told them about it or that they knew someone that went there. I want to thank God and thank all those that advised me on how to apply for emergency application on this thread. God bless you all

juniorsmith:
I requested for an emergency appointment on Monday,only thing I provided was a scan copy of I-20 because the original is still on transit,and will get to me certainly by Friday.The problem is,will the accept the scan copy or should I wait for the original to arrive and reapply for an emergency appointment?...I need mature minds to comment on these.And the school will resume 18/01/15.Will there still be time for that?

layo23:
Hello house.I was denied on 28th of november in Abuja embassy.Here is my interview. VO-Can I have ur doc. Me-Pass it to her. VO-why did u choose d sch? Me-told her I choosed d sch based on its reputation and facilities and one of my cousin graduated frm d sch she is back here in Nigeria dt she told me d sch is one of d best schs in America. Vo-Good she smiled. Can I have ur bank statements and who is ur sponsor she collected d bank statement and took it inside she came back and gave me a white sheet stating am nt up to d requirements she no talk.Pls guru in d house pls help me my sch is resuming 20th of january.Thanks