₦airaland Forum

fairheart:
FIRST POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN PICKING A SCHOOL TO STUDY.

1. PICK A SCHOOL THAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
First thing first na money. Pick a school your sponsor can readily afford. I always recommend the ones within the range of $16K to $35K as COA (However, there are exemptions especially costly schools with potential for funding). So, look out for opportunity for scholarship, and other form of funding. But make sure the school is affordable. And yes, there are thousands of them to consider.

2. MAKE SURE YOU LIKE THE COURSES OFFERED.
You will want to understand the curriculum, what it entails, and the course load as you decide which school to settle for. Also, look out for schools that have links with organisations that will take you for internship (yes, there are schools like this, although not common (though depends on your program)). If you like the curriculum structure, studies will be smooth and enjoyable.

3. THINK ABOUT SCHOOLS WITH AREA OF SPECIALIZATION.
This may not be necessary but it gives you flexible option. In short, picking a school with program that has an area of specialization will let you gain specialised knowledge and skills. A concentration allows you to focus and dig deeper, compare to when the curriculum is plain. A concentration gives you mastery on what you concentrates on. In essence, someone with a degree with specialization in a field has deeper understanding than someone who doesn't. Consider this, but like I said, it is not necessary, expect you really care.

4. GO FOR THE FISH YOUR HOOK CAN CATCH.
You cannot use a small hook to catch a 40 KG fish, or else, the fish will swallow your hook and swim away with it. That is to say, consider your academic credentials when picking the schools to apply to. Is GRE required? Did the school state percentile of score they look for in potential candidate for the program? Does the department state the GPA the applicant should have? How much is application fee? Etc. Sometimes ago, a brother once applied to Brandeis University, a school ranked amoung the best 50 universities in the US. He has 1200 SAT score, pay application fee, and all. He wasn't considered. It was later he realised that the school he applied to is "almost" an Ivy League! And almost all these schools want international students with SAT score from 1250 and 3.0 GPA (if not higher). So, check the school requirements very well! But if you have what it takes, if your academic credential is competitive enough; (if you have a strong, wide net, spread it on the river, and catch what you're looking for).

5. PICK A SCHOOL IN A LOCATION THAT WILL EXCITES YOU AND ENRICH YOUR ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE.
What excites you? No comment!

In addition to point 4:

Do not avoid a school because your GRE score does not meet the requirement. Package your SOP very neatly and if you have a good GPA apply. I have gotten into 3 good schools that needed 310+ GRE requirements. I have just 290+ and I was admitted anyway. focus strength on your SOP. I have a feeling that SOP and GPA have better roles to play (I might be wrong though)


Note that some schools specify their GRE requirement as an "Average". For instance, if a school says that successful students have an average of 320, It does not mean that their minimum is 320. People with 300 can still be admitted. It means that they have students with 330+ and about 300+ too and when you divide the total score by the number of intakes, the average falls within 320.

Actually, there isn't any template (though there is ). It is like contacting the person in charge of your department (department chair, a professor, etc find this person on your department webpage), informing them that you have submitted your application, and has been offered admission.

In this message, briefly states why you are interested in a GA position, what it will do for you, and how it will enable you to advance the mission/vision of the department as you have relevant work/study experiences you believe will make you an asset to the department and its faculty if considered. Talk briefly about your academic credential. The message should be short, mostly 2-3 short-paragraph, then close it with: I look forward to hearing from you soon. With this at the tail section of the message, a response from the person is guaranteed. E no dey fail . Why? The intellectuals like to keep expectation, which, with that closing remark, you have!

NwanyiOkpa:
Is there any template or any particular format i need to follow to get any funding? I am fed up o/\ Can i get your contact and get any templates from you?

Nice addition. That was written in a cab.

NwanyiOkpa:
In addition to point 4:

Do not avoid a school because your GRE score does not meet the requirement. Package your SOP very neatly and if you have a good GPA apply. I have gotten into 3 good schools that needed 310+ GRE requirements. I have just 290+ and I was admitted anyway. focus strength on your SOP. I have a feeling that SOP and GPA have better roles to play (I might be wrong though)


Note that some schools specify their GRE requirement as an "Average". For instance, if a school says that successful students have an average of 320, It does not mean that their minimum is 320. People with 300 can still be admitted. It means that they have students with 330+ and about 300+ too and when you divide the total score by the number of intakes, the average falls within 320.

drealsahmy:
I want to write SAT, anyone here to help me with information on how to go about it and price too, i want to apply for fall '20

Nobody to help me out here

SAT registration cost 55-65K (depends on where you register it).
You may need coaching to do well as the exam may shock you without adequate preparation. So, you may need to consider taking classes or personal study for the test. When do you intend to write it? For fall 2020, you should begin now!

drealsahmy:
Nobody to help me out here

fairheart:
Nice addition. That was written in a cab.

you wrote very well. Please can i have u on whatsapp?

Hello guys,

This question may sound funny but I'd still ask anyways..

Is it too late to book an appointment? Or i should just defer the admission?

I've been really thinking hard about this..Thanks

When is program start date as stated on your i-20?

eetzdave:
Hello guys,

This question may sound funny but I'd still ask anyways..

Is it too late to book an appointment? Or i should just defer the admission?

I've been really thinking hard about this..Thanks

fairheart:
When is program start date as stated on your i-20?

Jan 15th

Forget it! Defer.

eetzdave:
Jan 15th

fairheart:
Forget it! Defer.

Okay...Thank you

Predstan:
That depends on your profile. These are top schools in the State

IELTS 7.0
Cgpa 3.2/4
GRE. 302
Strong LOR
About 1.5 years relevant working experience
1 professional membership, 1 paper accepted to be published

mvem:
IELTS 7.0
Cgpa 3.2/4
GRE. 302
Strong LOR
About 1.5 years relevant working experience
1 professional membership, 1 paper accepted to be published

http://www.msinus.com/content/gre-universities-486/

Use this link to find schools that suit your need.

fairheart:
FIVE POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN PICKING A SCHOOL TO STUDY.

1. PICK A SCHOOL THAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
First thing first na money. Pick a school your sponsor can readily afford. I always recommend the ones within the range of $16K to $35K as COA (However, there are exemptions especially costly schools with potential for funding). So, look out for opportunity for scholarship, and other form of funding. But make sure the school is affordable. And yes, there are thousands of them to consider.



5. PICK A SCHOOL IN A LOCATION THAT WILL EXCITES YOU AND ENRICH YOUR ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE.
What excites you? No comment!

Thank you for this. Super helpful.

mvem:
IELTS 7.0
Cgpa 3.2/4
GRE. 302
Strong LOR
About 1.5 years relevant working experience
1 professional membership, 1 paper accepted to be published

By your Profile, these are ambitious schools. The best way to break into these schools is to find a potential supervisor in your department.

These aren't safe schools to throw in your applications without a faculty's recommendation.
Cc: NwanyiOkpa

The best way to select school is to list them out using the AMS Rule:
Ambitious
Moderate
Safe

mvem:
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Notre Dame
University of Southern California
Rensselaer Polytechnique Institute

Is any of these schools considered as a safe school ?

Rensselaer Poly is a top school. But you can get admitted with your profile.

Message the grad coord first before u apply.

NwanyiOkpa:
Rensselaer Poly is a top school. But you can get admitted with your profile.

Hi, I have actually been following up with your contributions on the thread for a while. I just want to chip in something.
For Most people here, the race is not to get admitted but to get better funding. With that profile, I can tell you for free that hes not guaranteed for an admit, not to talk of funding.

Predstan:
Hi, I have actually been following up with your contributions on the thread for a while. I just want to chip in something.
For Most people here, the race is not to get admitted but to get better funding. With that profile, I can tell you for free that hes not guaranteed for an admit, not to talk of funding.

Okay.

What profile guarantees funding? and when applying for RA, does the professor ask for GRE scores when you have already been admitted?

NwanyiOkpa:
Okay.

What profile guarantees funding? and when applying for RA, does the professor ask for GRE scores when you have already been admitted?

They have a lot of potential candidates and GRE sometimes puts you in the best pool

Predstan:
They have a lot of potential candidates and GRE sometimes puts you in the best pool

I get your point now. He can get admitted without funding though.

NwanyiOkpa:
I get your point now. He can get admitted without funding though.

Yes Correct.

kallowdean:
Congratulations to the college applicants that I have selected.

Well, it was not an easy task, reviewing almost 100 emails. Am not a perfectionist, but in all fairness, I tried my possible best.
Those selected know themselves and they are solely free to make comments here. Those not selected should not despair as many more chances will come out soon.

Some call it Christmas gift, while I call it service to humanity in all capacity we can find ourselves.
As at this month in 2016, I was still in Naija fight to get admission overseas. But now I hold an MSEE and am close to a potential PhD.
If not for God and the support I got from people like @Walspring @texterem and many selfless individuals, I would not be in the US myself.

So, glory is to God. We will continue to give back to the community for God's love.
Insha Allah, I will pay the application fees for them before December ending or first week of January.

You have a mail bro.
Kindly reply. Thanks

I am here again, thanks for the assistance here, so I want to get your opinions on Mpower student loan, what do you guys think? I'd appreciate someone with practical knowledge of the American system on this. Assist a brother not to make a blunder in financial commitment. Thank you.

solihp:
Abuja embassy
Status: Approved
Date: July 18th, 2019
Priority: Previously refused on June 19th at the Lagos Consulate
GRE : 314 (161Q, 153V, 3.0AW)
Undergraduate: Statistics
CGPA: 4.07/5.00, 3.47/4.00 unofficial WES evaluation, but if the last 60credits CGPA are calculated, it is about 3.79/4.00
Total cost of attendance for 12months:about $48.9k
Tuition waiver and stipends :$40k
Deficit: $8754
Sponsor: Uncle
Visa Approved by the white man at window 9. There was a white woman standing behind him, but she left during the interview

Me: Good morning sir (he was still talking to the lady)
Me: Good morning sir (still talking)

VO: Pass me your passport
I passed my documents

VO: Why are you going to Georgia State University
Me: I am going for my Masters in Mathematics with concentration in Biostatistics

VO: That is a strange combination; Mathematics and Biostatistics
Me: The Department at Georgia State University is the Department of Mathematics and Statistics

VO: Good, that makes sense, so you're a Statistician
Me: Yes

VO: How many other schools did you apply to?
Me: I applied to 6 other schools

VO: Mention them
Me: George Washington University, American University, Villanova University, Bowling Green State University, Michigan Technological University, and University of Iowa

VO: How did you get this scholarship
Me: During my application process, I indicated that I was interested in being considered for a graduate assistantship position, I submitted my high GRE scores, my impressive transcripts, I wrote a statement of purpose, uploaded my resume, also, I submitted three letters of recommendations from my lecturers, also, the graduate director, Dr. Xx scheduled me for a Skype interview, I believe the admission committee were impressed with my overall profile and my performance during the skype interview

VO: he said something about University of Iowa, didn't hear him properly
Me: The program at University of Iowa is Masters in Statistics not Biostatistics

VO: Three colleges offer Statistics in University of Iowa
Me: ooh yes, I applied to the one in College of Arts and science (I said somewhere that I was rejected by University of Iowa but admitted in the remaining school)

VO: I actually graduated from University of Iowa but from the Statistics program offered by the College of Education
Me: oooh waoh, that is really nice, (smiling)

VO: I would be approving your Visa, the program at University of Iowa is actually nice, I wish you were going there, have a nice study in GSU, he said something about the visa pick up and resuming not earlier than 30days of the program start date
Me: I smiled, thank you sir and have a wonderful day

Ps: anytime he looked at me, I smiled

No document asked except passport and i20

I have two more posts incoming

Hello, Please what material did you use for your Quant?

NwanyiOkpa:
Hello, Please what material did you use for your Quant?

I watched all magoosh videos, used Manhattan textbook and did a lot of online practice tests

This is so great. Pays to be well prepared. Congrats to your sister and I wish her the best in her studies.

jyemsta:
My younger sister VISA APPROVED...................................

I got her I-20 about 10 days ago and i remembered not finding a date earlier than December 18th. My trick for getting a closer date (November 18th ) was to check the USA embassy website between 1am - 2:30 am, your chances of getting better date is higher.

My little advice: When applying to schools, please be involved in the process because it gives you at least 20% of your answers during interview. Although she was just out of secondary school, i made her write a SOP demanded by one of the schools (that gave her clear vision) and i sent her compiled transcript i downloaded on this forum for personal study. 8 days to her interview, i paid my cousin who recently finished NYSC to go and train/sharpen her interview skills for the last 7 days........They have 3 sessions of interview daily and i call in at midnight to conduct the 4th and check her progress. After the first 3 days of shaking, she became so confident and i knew what was left is PRAYERS......
Depending on your personality, always get someone to conduct series of interviews with or you stand in front of a mirror and practice like you mean it...........Say it out with strong expression and you realize they stick.........

You: Good morning
VO: Good morning

VO: Where are you going or which school are you going
You: I am going to the united states for my bachelor degree in Microbiology at Bowling Green State university, Bowling Green, Ohio.

VO: How many schools did you apply
You: I applied to four schools namely; Bowling green state university, East Tennessee State University (Johnson City), Tennessee State university (Nashville), and California State university (East bay)

VO: How many schools admitted you
You: All four offered me admission, but I choose Bowling Green State University

VO: Did you write any exams (e.g., SAT, TOFEL, IELTS, ACT)
You: No, it was not required. Especially when I have an outstanding WAEC result

VO: Why did you choose Bowling green State university
You: I choose BGSU because of the outstanding curriculum and course content that matches my career goal of becoming an Immunologist. Also, they offer scholarship opportunities for outstanding student like myself, and the region is also relatively cheaper and known for it very low crime rate

VO: Why did you choose Microbiology
You: I choose microbiology because since I was 8 years old, I have always loved to take care of sick people and also know why they fell sick. During my secondary school days, my best subject was biology and I was also the health prefect, this equally increased by passion for the field.

VO: What is microbiology
You: Microbiology is the study of microorganisms or microbes, which are unicellular or multi-cellular organisms and causes infections, they are too small to be seen by naked eyes but by microscope. Some branches of microbiology are, immunology, virology, & parasitology, etc

VO: What is immunology
You: Immunology is the study of the immune system in all organism and is a very important branch of biological sciences. The immune system helps us to fight and protects us from infections.

VO: How old are you
You: 17 years, but I’ll be 18 by January next year

VO: Do you have family in USA
You: Yes, I have a brother who is a Traction Power Engineer @XXXXXXXX in California

VO: How long have your brother been in the USA
You: Like 3 years now

VO: Where are your siblings
You: 1 is in Germany, 1 in USA, and others are working with different ministries and companies here in Nigeria. I am the last born of the family

VO: What does your parents do
You: My dad was an .......... of Customs, Federal Operations Muritala International Airport Ikeja and my mum is a .............. with the Lagos State ministry of education, Alausa Ikeja.

VO: Who is sponsoring you
You: My Eldest brother

VO: Why does he want to sponsor you& not your parents
You: I submitted both my brother and my parent bank information, but the school used only one because the amount in the account was enough.

VO: Can I have a look at his bank/financial documents
You: Yes sir/ma……..then pass the bank papers

VO: Where will you be living in the USA/school
You: I will be living in the school hostel for my first two years because this is the policy for new international student in Bowling green State University

VO: I will be approving your VISA, do you have your repository fee?
You: Yes........................

ALL GLORY AND HONOR TO ALMIGHTY GOD.....................

A friend got admission + assistantship for M.Sc. at Austin Peay back in 2018. She's been encouraging people with Computer/statistics/finance background to apply, cause it's almost certain you'll be funded. It's a pity that's not my field.

horlahsunbo225:
People in this thread have gitten there visa with
Austin peay state university
University of Houston
Kansas state university
Saint cloud
NCAT

When u are less busy check those schools ranking

PremiumTrends:
A friend got admission + assistantship for M.Sc. at Austin Peay back in 2018. She's been encouraging people with Computer/statistics/finance background to apply, cause it's almost certain you'll be funded. It's a pity that's not my field.

I got my eye on that school

Yeah, you should go for it, especially if your background is synonymous to the listed. Plus, I think you need to check the department that's offering assistanship at the time, cause she said something like funding rotates between the departments. I'm not certain though

horlahsunbo225:
I got my eye on that school

No one is even talking bou entering d USA as an undergraduate
Any chance of getting a good scholarship? And then what are the criteria? Intending on applying to a school dat accepts WAEC.. Any chance

A quick and well detailed reply will be ultimately appreciated Thanks in anticipation

Pamtoye:
No one is even talking bou entering d USA as an undergraduate

Any chance of getting a good scholarship?
And then what are the criteria?
Intending on applying to a school dat accepts WAEC..
Any chance


A quick and well detailed reply will be ultimately appreciated
Thanks in anticipation

- Have a good WAEC/GCE. Get it evaluated by either ECE or WES. ECE does the job faster but they literally slash your GPA. Your evaluated gpa should be 3.5+/4 to stand a good chance.

- Take the SAT (1300+)

- Focus on HBCUs. They are usually more generous. Also to apply to some non-HBCUs too.

Funmi27:
Not just Abuja.... Lagos is not smiling too, I witnessed 4 f1 students denials mine was d 5th in d 3rd of January. Twas all abt couples, expedites nd partially business Visa approvals. All is well nonetheless.

From personal experience, approvals for F1 visas in spring are usually very low. Plan towards fall. My suggestion though...