bracelum:


In this era of free knowledge via online learning, I don't agree with you. All these skills you mentioned can be learned through online courses (with a lot of them that are free online). Also, one can take prerequisites or electives in any area you feel you lack knowledge.

I think a Master's degree + self-study can do the trick as opposed to the community college you just mentioned. As an international student, the master's degree also gives him an advantage in the labor market. Even though some tech firms have removed formal degrees as a hiring requirement, it will be very hard to convince a hiring manager that your skills acquired through a community college is better than another dude with an MS in CS (even if it can be true in some cases).

These days, people with no CS degrees or non-technical backgrounds do self-study or attend 4 weeks bootcamps to gain skills and secure jobs in the tech industry. I even know a dude with a BS in Psychology (and no prior knowledge of coding) who attended a 4-week Software Development bootcamp and secured a Software Engineer job at a startup and later at Google, Uber and somewhere else (he got three offers at top tech firms).

If we were in 2005, I would agree with your point but in this era, I think a master's degree + self-study/electives/prerequisites can help the guy acquire any skill he needs for jobs in the tech industry.

I would also want to agree with this but online classes do not help most people sadly. Bootcamps are great also but how many do you have in Nigeria, also the fees you would pay for a 4 week bootcamp would pay for more than a year of community college. At my community college i have graduates from UCLA, Berkley, USC who studied Biology, Psychology e.t.c taking computer science classes because they want to switch careers. My point really is if you don't have a strong background in CS, a masters degree in computer science would be frustrating because you may be able to "manage" to pass but you may not understand how to do anything. He can go to a community college taking just CS classes before applying to a masters degree.

Moranc:
Hello! I have a BSC (Computer Science) here in Nigeria, but due to poor facilities in our universities and poor practical approach, I am not satisfied with the knowledge I gained during my undergraduate studies. Therefore, I want to start afresh by going through a community college in the United States because I want to be expert in my field. My question is, I want to study Cyber Security in a US college and I already have a BSC (Computer Science) which is obviously related to the course I am going for. I have a strong feeling that this will raise questions at the embassy! So please, how do I convince the consular. And again will it be advisable for me to just ignore my undergraduate degree during my application? again my age will be another factor that has to be considered if my degree is ignored. Please I need a concrete advise.

Dude many people may bash you for this but go with your heart. I studied Engineering for 5 years in Naija and didn't know Jack. I applied to a community college here and got my Visa and right now I am studying computer science. At first I was forming boss because I thought I knew Maths after all I studied Electrical Engineering but I was humbled by small Calculus 1

Now I am humbled, learning and understanding concepts which you wouldn't necessarily get in Nigerian schools. If after your Bsc you don't have a basic knowledge of Python, Java, C++, you don't know Object Oriented Programming, you can't implement Basic Data Structures like Arrays, Linked List, Binary Search Trees, Heap e.t.c you can't implement Basic sort algorithms, you can't perform perform computational complexity of algorithms, you don't know Dynamic Programming then please go to a community college, I have learnt all of this in community college. Don't mind this uninformed people who think life is all about getting masters without the skills needed to show for it.

Now that you are back what have you achieved ?

NYPD:


I left for the US when i was 25. My parents cant even afford to buy plane ticket. Application, flight ticket and all was paid by me. I had to tell them i was on a scholarship (which i wasnt)so they dont have high bp thinking how they would pay my fees.

The thing is whatever you set your heart to get, you would get it. Nigeria frustrated me, i was almost depressed even God knew he had to take me out before i ran mad, so he provided the resources.

So i have gotten a lot of Pms because of this post. I dont have the time to reply any of them. The truth here is i had to raise money one way or the other because i just couldnt stay in naija anymore. 70% of my funds came from MMM also had to sell some of my stuff. During my visa interview i was praying the VO shouldnt ask me for my sponsor's (allegedly my dad) bank statement because nothing dey the account. I didnt even go with it. As God would have it i got my visa on first attempt.

I am happy here and enjoy going to school. Am not balling or living the good life as i am on a very tight budget but just the peace of mind i have, going to school in a system that works, getting the grades i deserve and gaining so much knowledge is enough for me. Once i manage to pay my Rent and tuition am okay. Having white babes issa goal also to ease the academic stress.

In summary Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.

Spotlighte:
People between the ages of 20 and 25 who go through this admission process themselves (including monies paid for travels, living expenses, tuition, visa fees and others) without so much support from family, how do you do it?

Also, is it possible to travel to other countries for visit sake with one's F1 visa while living in America?

I am asking for a friend. I am that friend.

I left for the US when i was 25. My parents cant even afford to buy plane ticket. Application, flight ticket and all was paid by me. I had to tell them i was on a scholarship (which i wasnt)so they dont have high bp thinking how they would pay my fees.

The thing is whatever you set your heart to get, you would get it. Nigeria frustrated me, i was almost depressed even God knew he had to take me out before i ran mad, so he provided the resources.

harriseen:


Pls guys I wanna immediately reapply for visa before resumption- October 22. How can I go about it. Is it even possible? I have logged on to the page with same user name, but there’s no option for fresh application. Do I sign up all over again? Would it not give me the error msg that there’s already a user with such details?

Bro i stay in California and have never heard of this University and this hybrid course option is a red flag too. Just reconsider your school and program choice so u wont just keep wasting money for visa.

But if you really feel convinced as anything is possible GO ON.

Fake News

jolowizzy11:
good afternoon guys... my interview is coming. up soon , this is my proposed transcript. please you guys should criticize me constructively...

VO good morning
me good morning

VO passport and i20
VO why are you going to usa
me to study project management @ alliant international university San Diego California

VO what's your highest qualification
me o'level 2012 and a professional course in SQL,rdbms,microsoft office and fundamental networking skills...

VO how many uni did you apply to
me. 3 ....AIU .... brand man university and auora university..

VO. how many gave you admission
me...Aiu and brandman

VO. why Aiu
me ..I chose Aiu because their educational system is well structured and I have been following the work of professor *********** the school is one of the top 20 schools in California that has the best graduate student in project management ..

VO. how did you hear the school
me. I was able to meet some representatives from diff schools in u.s @ an education fair in Sheraton hotel in Ikeja ,I was carefull guided by the reps from alliant uni ..

VO.who is your sponsor
me my dad

VO..who does he do

me .he's the head of govt relations @ Lagos state employment trust fund...

........please guys ..help a brother..

In my opinion... This visa is already denied on Arrival. Go apply to a UC or CSU or a good private university in California. That school of yours spells Denial.

aamstih:
What if it was actually recommended by a friend, Are you suggesting he fabricates another answer?

His friend is just a student basically recommending the school because he goes to that same school. If you are a prospective masters student you should be able to make your decisions after taking an array of diifferent factors into consideration not just one persons recommendation. That speaks low of your person because you just go with what any friend says without making your own research amd deciding whats good for you.

afodam247:
My interview was denied on Monday. This is my transcript
V.O: passport and i20
Me: gave her
V.o: what's your highest level of education
Me: told her bsc agric econs
V.o: when did u graduate
Me: 2013
V.o : what have you been doing since
Me: working as the VP in my father in-law school
V.o: who's sponsoring you
Me : i mention the name
V.o: what's ur relationship with him
Me : he's my father in-law
V.o: are u married, OK u said your father in-law so you are married
Me : yes I am married
V.o how did you hear about the school
Me: the school was recommended to me by a friend of mine who is currently studying there.. V.o Cuts in
V.o: so your friend is studying the same course
Me : yes she is.
V.o : am sorry I can't issue your .....
Brings out the blue paper
I still don't get her point. The guy that was her first interviewee was also a student and he answered all her question like he wake up and sleeps on this trend she denied him too. @theamerican, @lagosismyhome and every other gurus in the house pls share some light o. Am set to reapply

You are only going to play with your friend you are not going to study.

When ask how you heard of a school you should be able to give intelligent precise answers. Speak on how you searched for schools using Google usnews e.t.c and how you picked this school because of the rank or how they offered a specialization which you are really intrested in and no other school qas offering. Speak on the diversity, theres so much to speak on. My friend recommended it to me is just a weak crowned answer.

Stop all of this my friend bull shit... A prospective masters student should be able to make simple choices not asking a friend...

Electroweb:


Nice one. I noticed that people drive over the speed limit on the highway. It got me wondering if they break the law with style.
I got a question to ask. If a policeman pulls you over, what do you do in order to avoid stories that touch?
1. Do you raise your hands so that he sees it as he is coming.
2. Do you put out your two hands from the window so that he can see them?
3. Do you put your hands on the steering or on your laps?
4. Do you come out of the car?

Just want to know.

In the united states if you get pulled over by the police. Keep your hands in the steering wheel and wait for the police officer to get to you wothout moving. Any sudden movement would make the officer think you are about to pull out a gun or attack him.

FrankNetter:
My turn came in no time, so I was ushered into the office and offered a sit. After the greetings and all, we got down to business. I told the academic advisor that I wasn’t familiar with the process, that I would need her to walk me through everything step by step, she obliged and proceeded to pull up my file on her computer. The first red flag I noticed was that the she didn’t have my file on the system yet. I raised my eyebrows and was like .

She made a call to the admissions department and requested for them to send my credentials down. So she told me to wait outside so she could attend to other people whose files were ready.
I went back to the waiting area and took a sit, asking myself what sort of nigerianness was going on here

I had sat there for like 20mins when a lady walked into her office carrying a file. I guessed that was my stuff, I was right.
I was called into the office next, I walked in and sat down.

Well, long story short, the academic advisor looked me in my face and told me my transcripts and credentials were useless. That I would have to start afresh.

She said they don’t accept transferred credits from a professional school. I zoned out. I asked myself why then did they offer me admission? Like who tf made the decision to offer me admission when they knew about the policy they had in place? Why raise my hopes and then dash them to the ground?

I zoned back in to see her smiling sadly at me. I then proceeded to try to explain to the lady how the educational system works, that I had done anatomy, physiology and biochemistry as part of my med school training, I told her they could set up a placement test for any of the courses in my transcript and place me in classes accordingly, she stood her ground, telling me they can’t accept any of my credits. She told me I would have to go take placement tests for math, science and reading, I mad


Like wtf! Reading?

I did 5 years Engineering in Naija came to US and started school again. Started taking Pre Calculus. I was angry at first but i am happy now i took those classes. You think you know but really you dont. Nigeria we just struggle to pass without even understanding the concepts.

Take the placement test... Trust the process . You would come out a better person and very knowledgeable...

bee17:


am going there for my 1st degree, which have already been admitted to a school.
My school didn't ask me to write any exam before considering my admission.
so my question is...how am I going to tell the consular that my school didn't ask me to write any exam before they gave me an admission?

Just bend mouth to the left and tell the VO... Thank me later