₦airaland Forum

Why not have the online print out?You can have them send it to your friend in as much you have a strong answer to back it up if asked if you ave a relation.Then you can tell them you heard about the school from your friend who atended the same school.does that make sense?You can also throw the questions to other Gurus.

@House,i got to Calif yesterday,the Journey wasnt easy at all,close to 12hrs from Lagos to Atlanta,close to 5hrs from Atlanta to LA,then another 2 hours drive to my school,I kavent settled down really but mere looking at what i am seeing,its not easy at all especially with accomodation here,Does anybody know when a student can transfer?Is it after a semester or session,I will also be happy if anybody knows of schools in Long beach or Maryland which gives a free tuition to transfer student.This is because i have relatives in those two places,so i will be staying with them,so accomodation and feeding will be easy for me,Abeg,i need quick responses.Spring hopefuls,i wish you all the best in your admission process,Just follow this thread and i am sure you will all laugh at the end.

House,i am preparing,what will i prsent at the Point of Entry?

I finally got the VISA this fternoon around 3pm,i will be flying DELTA by thursday to Atlanta.@Spring hopefuls,dont worry,God will do it and you will be given the VISA.

@Aroy,abeg no kill me ooooo,wetin be revoke?Lol///no talk bad thing abeg, lol

@afoy,theconsular said i should go and pic it up today,if today,it should have relected on their site,Kspecial tracked his and it is available for pick up,We had the interview same day,Can u now see what i am saying?

House,i no know wetin dey happen ooo,i tracked my passport with VFS but learnt the embassy havent submitted it.Whatdo you think is happening, I am afraid oo as my school resumes 10th sept.Superbrain,where are u?

@spring hopeful,where are u all,this thread is becoming dull.Abeg,ginger the swagger.

@House,i tracked my passport and it said VFS hasnt received it from the embassy.Whatdo house think is happening.After d normal 2days.

Superbrain,i am jetting out hopefuli next week,will book a flight immediately i collect my VISA.

I have a friend who wants to apply for Msc biochem in the school.What is the minimum GPA and GRE Scores required for admission?

@masepat,thanks so much,U will get ur own visa too IJN.What is the name of your school?

Thanks alot think2ce,i really appreciate you and thanks also for understanding,Infact na just God and people like helped thi 2nd time.Anyway,California is noted for oil also but the problem i had with my first interview was thatCSUB is not a topranking school cos the school taught its first class in 1970,I hope you understand?So,i had to link it up with research interest as advised by superbrain,superak47 and the other house menbers to convince the consular and it worked cos i already had the print outs of the faculty page with each Profs research interest,
@House,we re not saying one cant get his/her vis with that guy in cubicle interviewing,but what we are saying is that you have to explain everything he asks you into details to convince him,we were talking for almost 7mins just asking questions and demanding ananswer,Anyway,i thank God.@4ril,we are not creating fear into any applicants mind,we are just tryingto contribute our own quota to the development of this thread so that anybody goingto Lagos will know that thatguy in cubicle 4 ask questions alotand loves explanation too much.Tha is just it,And do you say the guy giving me and kspecial visa and denying almost 15 other applcants means he is good?Anyway,God don do am.Prayer is just the key.

@aroy1,U should know that i was in a joyous mood and that may have escaped my mind.Al my thanks goes to al nairalanders including think2ce though i should have greeted him specially with all the vital infos he gave me.Even thou i didnt quote his name,but my spirit will forever be grateful to him.@aroy1,thanx for noticing that,i am not an ingrate and will neva be.think2ce,i appreciate u so much.All nairalander thanks,aroy1,thanx for the observations.

@Kspecial,i will email u

@Gongoaso,Gongo ti so ooooooo.Thanks bro.Superbrain is the bomb, The guy is intelligent but i havent been able to pass him this info, Super brain,where are you?

Chinese oman dey both Abuja and Lagos.

@Femiap,thank you alot for your concern,pls come and join the train jare,anyway,i will be in lagos on Monday as i am back to my state now,i will definitely give u a kal, One love bro.

Superbrain,please where are ?i am veri grateful.

House,abeg pardon my typo,i was overjoyous.Benom,electronic,dantecmu,thanx,and for those goin for interview,i wish u gud luck.

Bomly,thanx so much,i felt ur prayers.Which state are u?

@Saciro,u have no problem,the key to u getting the Visa is just God,Pra to him and u will get it.Also,read this thread thoroughly and i knw u will cme here smiling,thanx for identifying with me.

My interview was tough,long and i was drilled but all glory be to God, This is the full gist of all that

happened.This was how it went.
Next applicant,please come to cubicle 4,i have beeen praying not to go to cubicle 3 where the chinese woman was

sitting,I even forgot to greet the Consular,
Consular:Your documents please
Me:Here they are,(passed him my Passport,I-20,Sevis fees,confirmation of appointment,my Uba receipt,though it has

been stapled together at the checking point).
He was typing(computer)
Consular:I see you have been refused visa once in Abuja.
Mecuts in) Yes,that was last week tuesday.
Consular:How come you got another date barely a week after?
Me:Immediately i was refused,i paid the necessary fees,booked and appointment for 9th sept,i was just browsing

online over the weekend when i saw that 1st september was available,so i immediately cancelled the first

appointment and went for this date.
He nodded his head and was looking at the computer as if he saw how i cancelled my first appointment.
Consular:You are Lucky then,
Me:Just laughed(Inside me,i was just talking that na visa i need no be all these flattering.
At this time,he was looking at my I-20 closely.
Consular:I see you are attending California State University at Bakersfield,and going for a master in Geology/Earth

Sciences.
Me:Yes,sir.
Consular:Why did you chose to study at CSUB?
Me:Deep inside me,i remembered that once beaten,twice,i quickly recited my national anthem(What Superbrain advised

me to say about my research work and working with Professor Robert Horton and how the research work will give me an

edge when i return back home)(Showed him the print out of the Geology Faculty showing all Profs with their researc

interests)
I was about giving him 3 more points when he cuts in
Consular:Why didnt you apply to University of Texas,University of North Carolina
Me:I remembered SeniorAk47 here(Infact,i do not only consider those two schools you mentioned,i know they are top

ranked schools in the Us when it has to come to Geology but on checking their various depts catalogues,i discovered

they do not have my research interests.
Consular:I see,What other schools do you apply to?
Me:I applied to University of Maryland @ college park,University of Alaska @ fairbanks,Oklahoma panhandle state

university,Oklahoma.
Consular:Were you admitted?
Me:Maryland send me a letter stating,admissions can not be given to every talented students,that so i should apply

later(Showed him the letter)
Consular:What about Oklahoma.
Me:I was not admitted.
Consular:I see your family have a business,you are into oil exploration right?
Me:Yes and also Geological mapping,Borehole site investigation etc.
Consular:I know much about Geology,What is Oil shale
At this point,i was afriad
Me:I have forgotten but just said something(it is a sedimentary rock that serves as source rock in which oil is

found
Consular:What is Igneous Rock.
Me:Laughed, They are formed from Solidification of Solid Magma,example is granite.
Consular:What is coal?
Me:I don forget totally,i just remembered it is a sedimentary rock also),i said it and said it has two forms,Peat

and Lignite.
Consularlaughing)
I was afraid thinking i don Bleep up not knowing he was interested in our discussion,I thought that was the end.
Consular:How do you extract oil from rocks?
Me:Through seismic reflection method.
Cons:Explain.
MeI don forget,so i quickly use scope and said the little i remembered)That is the work of a Geophysist but with

my knowledge of basic Geology,i know they send sound signal into a rock and the sound is being reflected back.
Consular:I see,Your company is into oil exploration?
Me:Yes
Consular:How many workers do you have?
Me:Thirty something
Consular:No,be specific
Me:38(though,workers no reach ten)
Consular:Where is your license of operation?
Me:I come think am say,yawa don gas ooo,i no come mind,(i showed him the C.A.C).
Consular;Looked at it,Okay,but for you to operate,you must be licensed.
Instantly,God just gave me another scope.
Me:Its a new company and it is not easy to just obtain a license just like that,It takes a long process,atimes

2years,it took us close to a year to obtain this certificate of incorporation,Infact,our director of field

operations was at Abuja last week but was told it is still not yet ready.
Consular:Ok,where do you collect the license.
I knew he wants to know if i am lying,though,i no know where they collect.
Me:NNPC.
Consular:Can i see your Gre scores?
At this stage,i knew i have conquered the most difficult part.
Me:Ok sir,started searching it and couldnt find it,i come they think say hope say no be witch dey do

am,immediately,i saw the computer print out and gave it to him and told him to please wait till i find the hard

copy and gave him.
Looked at them and returned it.
Consular:Where do you plan to work after your studies?
At this stage,i knew the visa was certain,i just laughed inside me and recited my normal Stanza 2 of my National

Anthem which Superbrain and SeniorAk47 taught me.
Me:I told him.
Infact,i could read it on his face that he was so pleased with that as he asked no further questions.
Consular:Who is sponsoring your education?
Me:My father.
Consular:Can i have a letter from him indicating this?
Me:Sure,handed it over,looked at it and returned it.
Consular:Can i also have his bank statement showing at least $27k as indicated on your I-20?
Me:Showed him the account.
Looked at it and returned it.He returned it and said he was checking my SEVIS,he told me i have paid and that he

can confirm it.
Consular:Handed me the green ticket and a sheet where lekki address is and said i should go collect my Visa on

Monday.
Me:Ok sir,thank you sir
Con:Do you have any questions?
Me:No sir(thinking that why i go ask questions when i don get wetin i dey find)
Con:Why were you even denied last week?
I was afraid and was thinking that which kind wahala be this again?
Me:I wasnt composed and couldnt clearly express my self then.
Cons:Why?
Me;My mum was very sick then and hospitalised and that affected me.
Cons:How is she now?
Me:She has fully recovered(putting on a smile)
Cons:Ok,please face your studies,do your parents proud and make sure you contact your intl student adviser.
Immediately,i ran out,tipped the security people and was almost crying when i got outside,everybody noticed this

and people were just looking at me but i didnt mind.
My people,Visa is all about God and prayer,With that,God will just direct the right person to you and if asked any

questions,God will just speak through you.All these geological questions,i wasnt expecting,the oil license i wasnt

expecting but God spoke through me.I am in a joyous mood now.So,How can i get cheap tickets to CALIFORNIA?

Infact,i just dont know where to start from,All i can say is that THANK YOU GOD,My own case was critical as all hope was lost but my dad was the one who encouraged me to reapply after my first refusal,I will forever appreciate him,I also say a big thank you to all nairalanders for all your support most especially,Superbrain,all what you advised was exactly what i said and it was part of the questions the consular asked me,I will never forget you,SeniorAk47,you are just too much,Dasleek,Benom,Abgovernor,Godpikin,Dantecmu,bomly,omofavour,RufusUzoma,Chiazogom etc,i appreciate all your advices as well,To those who i cant remeber to hail for now,I owe you all alot.
My interview was just God and only God,you should all expect how my interview should look like since i was first denied,the consular drilled and even told me he knows alot about Geology and asked me more of geological questions,FALL 2010 has indeed ended on a good note,My visa was approved around 11'o clock and due for collection on Monday.I will post my experience shortly and will let you all know how it went,I should not have come online now but i am so sure the house will be highly expectant waiting for me to share my good news,I must confess your prayers really worked for me.Nairaland is for sure the best forum for USA STUDENT VISA APPLICANTS.I am just too happy.

@ House,i say a big Amen to your prayers.I am in Lasgidi now.

superbrain,are u a consular in disguise?U answered all my questions correctly.May the Lord continuing to be with you and give you more knwledge and understanding.Thanx bro.

Superbrain,what is the best answer to give if asked why i was denied?

I am finlly done with the composition,here is what i am planning to say.



1.Why do you choose CSUB?
I chose the school because i have so much interest in the research presently carried out by a renowned Professor of Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology in the school(Quoting his name).He is currently studying Diagenesis and Porosity Development of San Joaquin Basin Sandstone Reservoirs.I got good response from him through emails exchanged with him telling him if he can accept me as his research student(will show him the emails) ,His research work interests me because my undergraduate research work was also on Sedimentological and Geochemical analysis of Ewekoro Formation which is also a type of Sedimentary rock,so working with this great researcher is like a continuity of my undergraduate researchwork work though in an advanced way,Not also forgetting that Petroleum found onshore are concentrated mostly in Sedimentary rocks in which he is currently studying.So,carrying out a research work in that aspect will give me an edge when i return back home after my studies because exploring oil onshore is less expensive,less harzardous,less pollutive and also save production costs because oil companies spend more exploring oil on sea and the oceans.

The University has good research labs and ultramodern research facilities to work on.
It has a small dept with good faculty to student ratio thus giving easy access to professors.

2.What have you been doing since you graduated in 2006?
Immediately,i graduated,i observed the 1year mandatory NYSC Scheme(I will show him Cert),immediately after the completion in 2008,i was involved in the start up process of the company where i am presently working(quoting the name),the company is into oil exploratin,Geological mapping,Borehole site investigation.Being a family Business,my involvement mattered alot and my family thought it was important that i participate in the planning stage of the start up company.Though,i already had graduate school in view and thought it is necessary to get involved at the start up stage,then proceed for a masters,return to work in any of the multinationals for a period of time before returning finally to take on more senior roles at the company.At this stage,my master degree and years of experience in a multinational company or govt agency will not only help bring expertise and add a professional touch to the comapany but i would have also succeeded in building a strong network with other players in the industry whuch will prove invaluable to my company growth.


3.Where do you plan to work after your studies?
Though,i can easily join my family business on returning but i would prefer to have experience first in a multinational oil and gas from such oil companies as Mobil,Chevron,Shell,Nigeria Agip or any of our National oil and gas companies and regulatory agency such as the NNPC,DPR,NLNG so that i can contribute my own quota to the actualization of the Nigeria Vision 2020 knowingfully well that Petroleum is the mainstay of the Nigerian Economy. then later take up senior positions in my family biz after gathering hands on experience from these places.


I just hope all these should should suffice and i hope the explanation is not too much,infact,i am planning to beg the consular to be patient with me while explaining all my points.All suggestions are welcome,Superbrain,SeniorAK47,Dasleek,Rufusuzoma and all house members,please critisize these.

Thanks,i will compose and get back to the forum shortly.Pls,what other questions do you guys suggest they may ask?

Superbrain,should i wait for when the consular ask y didnt choose some certain skuls b4 talking about my research interests or let him knw my research interests immediately he asks "Why do you choose CSUB"?

@Superbrain,you are indeed the superbrain,i salute your intelligence,infact,u have said it all,i am going to follow all u said,i am going to compose and bring all the points together and post here so that people can criticize also.Seniorak47,dasleek,rufus,the super brain etc.Thanx alot.

@Rufus,i get u,superbrain,the company was registered with CAC in April 2009,while i started working there in Sept 2009.