₦airaland Forum

Mr. Melodies:

May God continue to bless you and hear your prayers whenever you call on HIM. People like you gives me hope that NIGERIA has great people that can turn things around. Again, thank you on behalf of Christallite.


Christallite:

I just stumbled on your post few minutes ago, I am glad you finally found help. How much is your school fees? Is there any plan for you to pay for all other expenses including accommodation as well? It could be really tough when trying to break even but the good Lord that has brought you this far will not let you down.

I'm a practicing geologist and I know you can go places by the time you graduate with your Geology degree. If you need someone to talk to about geology or have any concerns or need help; please feel free to hit me up. May the good Lord continue to uphold you.

Always remember that winners never quit.

Walspring:
Prof, between WES and ECE which one is the best for high school evaluation (course by course report) because a school asked me to evaluate my WAEC using WES but I asked the man if I can use ECE and he endorsed it

Walspring:

I am not sure which is best for high school evaluation. However, most people prefer to use WES for their degree evaluation not only because it is widely accepted and respected, but because they do more good than harm to GPA's. If what is good for the goose is good for the gander; then, I see no reason why WES shouldn't be the best for high school evaluation too.

To all WES Users,

If you need to contact WES for any reason and want your problem to be resolved in a timely manner; the best way to go around this is to send a letter to their physical address. They have their mailing address on line for that service.

I understand that several WES users are abroad and may find it expensive to mail just a sheet of paper addressing the issues you have with WES, this is how to go about it. Look for someone in the US and email him the letter. That person can then print out and mail it over to them on your behalf. Also make sure to include your contact details in the letter so they can get back to you.

I hope this helps someone out there.

profojah:
Yes, Boss of all the bosses have spoken.... I pay homage sir.!..

Guys, If you really wanna know much about Geology-Paleontology-paleobotany.. We got a great boss in the house,. He's also making it big abroad(according to a researched-statistical data ). He's a great Geologist/Paleontologist.. Boss, I hail once again sir!!..

My application at ETSU in Msc Biology (Paleontology concentration) got denied cos of my low GRE 290 (below 300).. I knew already but I was just expecting God's miracle.. Though I could have re-written the exam but I felt I might not meet up with deadline.. Anyways, its how God wants it, for every disappointment is always a blessing in disguise.. Still waiting for other decisions tho, but I wish my first choice course had clicked..

Research-based statistics ke? .

Don't worry too much. Just wait on other schools to get back. Some disappointments turn out to be blessings. Keep your head up.

Good job Prof. Ojah. For those who would like to switch to something oil-related; you can get your masters in geology with a concentration in paleontology. Several great geologists have a botany background.

biikeys:
Adding properly signed I-20 to the list...Typically shouldn't be a problem though. Going for visa stamping/renewal or going during OPT extension makes it tricky.

Yes, including a properly signed I-20. Visa renewal is straightforward or easier. Travelling on OPT is so risky and many people have been denied entry into the USA just because of this.

slimmy05:
See wetin you and you Mavin Gaye partner dey do with our beloved thread.

House, I want to know if one is on OPT and still has a valid F-1, is it possible to travel to Nigeria and still gain entry?

So controversial. The law says that you can if you have a valid visa, the OPT card, and proof of offer of appointment. However, many people who have all of these have been turned back at the POE; some have also been let in. Apparently, it all depends on the V.Os discretion.

sirRiddy:
Hey people...
Hope you guys are doing great? How are the classes going for the new Fall guys and how are you guys adapting to the new system? Please, I have a very important question especially for the veterans.

I want to know if anyone here is PMP certified or knows anyone who has it. I would like to know how it is viewed in terms of employment chances in America.

All the contributions would be highly welcomed.

If you're a project or engineering manager, PMP is invaluable. If you're an Engineer, PMP is even more indispensable. It increases your chances of getting an interview and ultimately getting a job. Same applies to the business and IT fields. Overall, it is good to be PMP certified if working or planning to work in a technical organization.

nethacker:
You better stop converting dollar to Naira. When you eventually become what you desire to be, those won't bother you again. Just work hard bro.

Chief Nethacker. You come here every two years . How's life treating you?

Nabylet:
part 8
i wish everybody good luck. America is not easy at all, things are expensive, bring all your clothes, don't dash anyone out. Carry naija ingredients, save all the money you save, if you see boat to enter, enter and save the flight money . WalSpring and Texrem, still awaiting your testimony. God bless America.

I remember you from page 7. You're that hilarious lady that was going to go to Miami beach, give birth to an half cast, and ultimately find true love. I pray your dreams come true.

You're right. Things are expensive and life here could also be frustrating without adequate preparation.

Welcome to America.

godG:
To those in need of temporary accommodation, you should consider talking to them at the International Students' Office. When I got to Madison, I got an American family to accommodate me for free through the ISO. They gave me a bike, winter clothes, fed me, took me to get basic things, drove me round the city of Madison, etc. They get worried whenever I didn't eat their food.

Simply put, before leaving Nigeria, try to explore every temporary accommodation opportunities through your ISO. What I have noticed is that many of us don't read through the website of the school we intend going well enough. Right now, many of my friends here are even amazed I got such a deal. The difference: I did my homework from Nigeria.

Remember, whatever you are passing through isn't permanent. It shall pass. Nothing is permanent in this world; bliss, pain, triumph, etc. None is forever. Peace.

The bolded part would only apply to those who have genuine intention of coming to the USA for school. You are also smart that you did your home work while still in Nigeria. Many people won't do anything and expect manna from heaven. Personally, I don't have any problem using the F-1 visa route to "escape" to America. I would do that too if I had no money to pay. But before going through that route, I would do my research well before coming, get my temporary accommodation sorted out, and have enough cash to survive my first 6-12 months in America.

Many veterans with vast experience of 'life in the USA' come here always to advise people and constantly remind them to be well prepared in form of cash and information before coming to the U.S; yet, some won't listen and even go ahead to curse such people out. Some won't even come straight and will be telling lies about their conditions and intentions.

For those still in Nigeria, I beg you to please come with enough money and be well prepared before travelling. While it is true that whatever one is passing through isn't permanent, I would not want to come to America without money or plans for my accommodation. Life in America is not easy for first timers.

Be prepared.

zeezahbee:
It still boils down to the same thing, not everyone can accommodate people. Go to the give birth thread, some people will eject a pregnant woman from their house.

You do not expect a fellow intl student to accommodate another person for months. If its for few day, then it's fine but for so long, then it's a NO no. I know the first 1 week is always hard because you need to get some things right.

I can allow anyone to stay with me for few days but for months, I can't.

You are right. Not everyone can accommodate another person indefinitely. Personally, I don't have a problem accommodating for up to 3 months. However, I wouldn't want to accommodate someone I don't know and who is out of status indefinitely. If the person in question is registered in school and still in status, then finding accommodation wouldn't be a problem.

So, what about the millions in the statement of accounts presented to the schools and embassy? Did the money disappear right after visa issuance? Many times, I begin to wonder if people think we are liars whenever we come here to advise people to be well prepared before coming to the U.S.A. With a poor preparation, a journey of 1 year may cost you 10 years.

slimmy05:
Yesso. I just resumed lectures too.

Happy new semester.

Which state or city is she?

slimmy05:
First, the only Nigerians who will offer such help are those who are still in status. The ones who are on the run are all out to make money and would stick with the mentality of payment rather than throwing a helping hand. A lot of us came here without any accommodation plans and we were able to get some help. Quite a few nairalanders who are presently in ETSU would give account of the reception they received from fellow Nigerians without the mentality of "nothing is free".
If she has cash to spare she can get someone to stay with. But note that quite a few on here have made their house a lodge for money making ventures, mind you we still have few on here who are not money hungry.

Which state or city is the person in need of accommodation in? If we are not in the same state, we may know someone who knows someone who can help. Slimmy05, where have you been all these days? You chop small ban?

akin3102:
I already have admission in Canada(Petroleum related)but not in graduate school.How possible is getting the visa from US before I waste my money on the acceptance fee.

What program are you currently in here? I'm hoping that you know that the oil industry is in a complete mess at the moment. I hope you also know that thousands of people have been laid off and companies are not hiring like before again. In case you don't know, Canada oil companies are always the worst affected whenever oil prices go down. The reason is simply because their operating cost is too high (heavy oil) and anything they do may no longer be economical in a sector majorly controlled by the market place. This is not the best time for the oil industries and I would suggest that you have a rethink. I pray that whatever decision you eventually make would be best for you.

Good luck.

exxy:
STEM OPT 17 month extension is cancelled by US court effective Feb 12th 2016, leaving F1 Students in Jeopardy.
How true ?

There is no cause for alarm. The DHS only needs to file for proper notice, take public comments, and get the president sign it by February 12, 2016. I pray it works out well.

bigfrancis21:
Be it known that California is such an expensive place to live in and school. It is just like comparing cost of living in Victoria Island/Ikkoyi Lagos state to Isolo or downtown Ikeja.

Why not apply to schools in Texas (Austin, Dallas areas) or Georgia?

You're so hilarious. This your analogy is cracking me up here man

LagosNIV:
I don't know that VOs are necessarily bored of hearing the Princeton Review answer - but if this is the real reason for selecting a school then you should be able to speak credibly about the other schools that ranked higher. I have literally had an applicant tell me that he chose a school because it was ranked #47 out of over 4,000 schools on Princeton Review.

No other reason.

Could not explain why he did not apply to # 1-46.

Abeg please help me understand how this makes sense.

Folks should learn from the bolded. V.Os understand that we all can't have perfect GRE scores, GPAs, etc. Some students will graduate with a GPA greater than 3.5 and some lesser. Some will even graduate with a GPA less than 3.0. So, there is nothing wrong in saying that you did not meet the admission requirements of those top schools. Not all of us can get into Stanford, Yale, Harvard, etc. It's that simple.

Stewee:
It prolly used to be a trend in the past... Theses days they almost never ask if it.
It's not an excuse not to have it though.

I haven't seen anyone talk about the V.O asking for academic transcript in the past one year. However, it is wrong to say that you don't need your transcript for any reason at the embassy or that the V.O has no reason to ask for it. The V.O can ask for anything and that is why it is necessary to be fully prepared before going for an interview. You never know.

Urch1980:
You don't need your school transcript at the embassy for any reason. No vo will ask to see your transcript for any reason. Once you've secured admission they expect the school in US that gave you the admission to have ascertained that you truly graduated from where you claim, and with the required grades for admission...

At best the vo will ask what school you finished from, what year, and what you've been doing since graduation...

The bolded is not true, the V.O can ask to see you academic transcripts. I was asked in 2010, many other folks here were asked too.

ikuyinminu:
So.. here is my transcript.. Very annoying and it got me down for awhile.

Vo: *looking at me* YOUR SCORES ARE LOW? How come
Me: I guess the test is not a criteria for admission

Well.. I scored 282.5 GRE and 76 TOEFL. I am Cisco Associate certified Network Engineer

Thanks guys for your continued support. I won't relent. I spoke with a friend that just left.. he said he didn't write any test and they never asked. Dunno where I got it wrong. But I am grateful to God first and everyone that support one way or the other.

We don return back to work!

You sound so intelligent and well prepared. IMO, I think your reason for scoring low in the GRE is not convincing enough. I would say I was shocked when I got my scores because I studied so hard for the test. However, the GRE was just one part of the application process, I made up for it with my high CGPA, work experience, research experience, certifications, and strong recommendations from my past professors. This way, you will or maybe able to shift her attention from the GRE and she may end up asking about your GPA, work experience bla bla bla.....

Apply again and pray hard. Good luck !!!

Mystiqme:
The bolded is your opening.

If you are not in the mood, read only the words in bold.

What do you do when a babe you like tells you she doesn't have a bf?

1. You ping her regularly abi? Open a stream of communication with this guy, but don't overdo it
2. Soon she'll stylishly ask about your gf. You will know there is progress when he asks for GPA, GRE and SOP.
3. You will constantly profess your love for her, and talk about spending a future with her. Talk to this guy about his research, his publications, and what future directions he wants his research to go.
4. You will not talk to her about x in the early days, right? Do not ask about money until you guys are in good communication, or until he raises it.

Finally, while I will not advise you to tell several girls you love them, I will suggest you keep lines of communication open with other profs until you have an offer letter in your hand. Anything can happen.




Just to add a bit to what godG said.

Best.

This is so brilliant. Nice analogy too

Snazzygirl:
Lool. You didn't have enough money then . I heard that you've been working hard though; maybe in 6 months when I check your bank account we will court and get married then. .
Good to know you are doing great dear! Really good that you are cooking proper naija meals, I'm so proud of you. .*confess, where did you buy the food/ who cooked the food?

I'm working extra hours to meet that target and have you in 6 months

Now you are looking for trouble. Who bought and cooked the food? My oga at the top did

Snazzygirl:
Uncle OjaP my runaway boyfriend , hope u are doing great?

I didn't run away ma'am. I was scared you won't date me

Yes, I'm doing pretty good. I just finished a bowl of eba and vegetable soup

Snazzygirl:
Lmao. #True talk #message endorsed. Time for everybody to tighten their pants, get amazing grades, pray, network and hope for GC via jobs. Marriage hard o. And if GC via job doesn't work out, thank God for MAVNI.

Aunty Snazzygirl

Amefrica:
See who I saw!! E ku ojo meta sir

Mr. Amefrica, where have you been?

Slimmy:

This hard and bitter truth that you are saying here; there is God ooo . But jokes apart, you've said it all. However, there are still some good girls in America who are brought up well, and will make good wives. There are bad girls in Nigeria too, so it is every where.

To all the beautiful women here:

Please don't have the mind set that oyinbo guys are looking for black women. There are plenty of them here already still looking and praying for a man to even talk to them. If you live in the big cities, you better be a model for the guys to talk to you. One thing is for a guy to just want to date you, another is for him to want to marry you. This is not Nigeria, having kids for a man doesn't automatically lead to marriage and green card. Please open your eyes and go for who truly likes you.

Finally, most American men wants to see what you are bringing to the table asides sex. You better be smart and play your game well else guys will just be passing you around - there are several Nigerian-American girls here looking for husbands but cant find talk less of a woman who is on a F-1 visa or out of status. Although, some lucky girls see white men who love and eventually marry them; the percentage is very low. Maybe one out of every hundred. Forget all the rubbish you see in movies, real struggle starts here and you have to be ready for the task ahead. Just like Slimmy rightly posited, my advise is for you to never fall out of status. It is easier for a man to change status through marriage. It is hell for a woman to pass through this route.

Good luck.

Chemical2:
Yes, CPT is very competitive. It is not a department thing as someone said. You have an edge if you are in a STEM graduate program and as far as i know if you get an internship with a company and meet all the requirement your school is mandated to process your CPT even if it not not necessary for your course. I am currently on CPT against the wish of my advisor who wants to keep me in the lab 24/7. The company i work for (Biopharm) sponsors H1B then GC. Internships is one of the surest way to obtain your GC as the company greatly saves by employing their interns after graduation.

Do not be discouraged. I applied to more than 15 companies. I did phone screen with about 5 of them. The problem is when you would be asked if you are authorized to work in the US. I'd advice you say "Yes" at this point. Saying no is automatic disqualification for most companies, afterall CPT is a temporary authorization.

Very correct.

After tens of denials from top oil firms due to my ignorance, I learned my lesson. Whenever they ask if I was authorized to work as an international student, I always said NO, and what always followed was rejection emails.

So I did a little research about CPT. I found out that I can actually work, get a work authorization on my I-20 and use that as my work permit. So, the next opportunity came, I was asked if I had a work permit. I boldly said YES. A week later, I was offered the job.

The company told me they use E-Verify, so I knew I couldn't come up with any silly excuse. So I told them to give me a month to resume, they agreed. I went to my international officer, I told her I needed my I-20 to be authorized for CPT. She said I can't since my major didn't require an internship. I went to go talk to my professor, he refused saying they can't create an internship class for me since they had never done that before. I didn't say anything. I'd done my home work before then. I told him I would get back the following day.

I already knew what I was going to face. So I'd carried out an extensive research. I had my school and department catalogues dated back to 1970. Therein, I found out that there was an internship class for most STEM majors. You can register for a 1-5 units internship class any semester you want and get a CREDIT/NO CREDIT GRADE. I guess no one had used it before in my department hence my professor's ignorance and refusal.

The following day, I went to his office, showed him the catalogue, and told him I wanted to register for the class. He had no choice, he registered me and apologized that he didn't know that I could actually take an internship class. So I let him write me a letter saying that the internship class was part of my curriculum and would make me gain real life experience. I submitted that to the international student officer and she generated a new I-20 with a CPT work authorization which showed my start and end date, number of hours, including the company's name. So I called the company and told them I needed to register for an internship class and that I had no money to pay for tuition. I got them to pay for my tuition.

I knew E-Verify doesn't recognize CPT work authorization at the first check, so I told the HR folks that I would be rejected by E-Verify but should do a secondary check after that. They did that and the check was positive. I started working and even had to extend my end date like twice because I claimed I wasn't done with CPT. My internship grade in school was RP (I discussed this with my prof.). After I used all my life lines, I registered again for another internship class for another semester (I claimed part time on my I-20) but was working full time. I told my company to only pay me half time while the remaining half should be counted volunteer. They agreed but got compensated for the other half in another way that I will like not to mention here.

To cut the long story short, I am still with the company today. And whenever I look back at how I worked my way into getting the CPT approval and taking some bold steps in 2012, I just smile and thank God.

I hope this helps someone out there.

godG:
Mo n je, Oluwa mi.

I see you o

Kobe, leave my brother BigFrancis alone ooo . Deep inside you; you know that having a good credit history is not only important but very beneficial in America and Canada.

godG godG godG

Slimmy:

I don't know much about the USMLE. As a matter of fact, I need the information for my brother. Please keep me posted if you hear anything or got any info.

Thanks.