dprinz99:


bro
do these schools still offer this full scholarship?

Yes I think so. Check with their Admissions offices. 90% of my classmates then at CALTECH were on full scholarships. They have the money $ billion endowed to them by NASA, US defense, engineering companies, drug companies, e.t.c, to admit and train the best minds around the world.

Chiznonso:


How did U get Caltech? Did U score 200% In SAT

I got 2330/2400...using old SAT scoring system. Obviously my SAT score got me admissions with full scholarships to all three best engineering schools in US...CALTECH, MIT and Georgia Tech. Best decision I ever made was to go to CALTECH; my parents were leaning more to MIT for the name.

DareFadi:


I am impressived that almost 9 years later you still remember this word for word.

You really are like Einstein

Lol...I said I'll do my best to parapahrase but pretty close to verbatim though. NOBODY CAN FORGET THEIR US INTERVIEW!

OluDare01:

Do you live in Pasadena, California?

Used to live there.

I have been wanting to share my experience; never shared it publicly, perhaps this will be a great avenue to do so. Got my visa in 2007 at the US Lagos Consulate office. All ten people that went before me were denied. Back then when they had speaker microphone...every hears what the conversation was. Lol. One guy threw tantrums after his 3rd denial in anger. They called the security on him; I bet that would be his last US visa adventurism. Lol! I'll do my best to paraphrase the exact VO response.

I arrived at approximately 8am, my interview was at 9am. I was barely 18 yrs old...a month shy

Interview
VO: Good morning young man
Me: Good morning ma'am
VO: What's your full name?
ME: Answered...stammer on my first name like I usually do; took 8 seconds to get it out. I realized she was patiently looking at me as I blocked & stammered with the pain of a mother.
VO: Appears that you have a stammer
Me: Yes I do
VO: My son has it too. Take your time and I'll be patient with you
Me: Very appreciative ma'am.
VO: What's your date of birth.
Me: Told her xxxxxx
VO: What university are you going to?
Me: California Institute of Technology
VO: She paused, look at me and said...that's the best engineering school in the country and probably also in the world.
Me: I very much aware that
VO: You must be an ingenious since only the likes of Albert Einstein go there
Me: Smiled. I guess I must be as smart as Einstein.
VO: Grinned. What course are going to be studying?
Me: Mechanical engineering as major and minor in Aerospace engineering.
VO: Who is your sponsor?
Me: I have my Dad's bank statement however I'm under full scholarship for both undergraduate and graduate programs by CALTECH.
VO: Can I see your bank statement and proof of scholarship
Me: Sure
VO: Very unusual to have a student born with a silver spoon riding on a full academic college scholarship to a prestigious school.
Me: Smiled.
VO: Can I see your tests and scores
Me: Gave her my Waec, SAT and Toefl
VO: Looked at me again,
VO: Talked to her next officer, they both looked at me again.
Me: Now I'm wondering...hope all is well
VO: I see you have all distinctions, overall best in your class and also have the highest SAT score we have seen here.
Me: Thank you ma'am
VO: Why did you choose CALTECH?
Me: Actually I had applied and accepted on full scholarship to MIT, Georgia Tech and CALTECH.
VO: I see but you didn't answer my question
Me: Oh, I chose CALTECH simply because I wanted to be close to water/beach, cool weather as I don't like snow and high humidity with respect to Massachusetts and Georgia respectively.
VO: Smiled
VO: Congratulations, come back at noon to pick up your visa. Wish you all the best!
Me: Thank you ma'am

That was how I left the country! My advice is...be yourself. One thing I observed with every of my secondary school classmates that left for US was they were all going for engineering. The ones that were going for art, humanities or pure science majors, most were denied. Age is also a factor too...under 25 seem reasonable for undergraduate. Above 25, I would advise you go the graduate route.

Another big secret, apply to schools in small towns. This people have in-house algorithm that distributes international students evenly around the schools in US...otherwise you will have 20 people going to Los Angeles or Houston but none to Albuquerque or Provo. I swear if you apply to Albuquerque in the state of New Mexico...I swear, you must get visa. This is a powerful secret I'm giving out here. The reason is that this people want international students in those small towns since most people generally would prefer big cities with prospects. A former consulate officer told me this.