tonero4urch:


You know we agreed that I will contact you after I get my visa. Now I have gotten my visa. Can we connect? My email is tonero4urch@gmail.com. You can as well drop your email so we can communicate and probably exchange number so you can tell me what I need to know about GSU and Biostatistics concentration of the department of Mathematics and Statistics. You can probably advise me on how I can get accommodation. I will be expecting your email.

I believe we already spoke on LinkedIn, I’m sure you didn’t know that’s me

tonero4urch:
Visa Transcript

Consulate: Ankara -Turkey

Attempt : 5 (two B1B2 tourist visa in Nigeria, one B1B2 tourist visa and J1 work and travel visa in Ankara -Turkey).

Interview : As a family (with my Turkish wife)

School : Georgia State University -Atlanta Georgia USA.

Cost of Attendance : 57k dollars

Funding : I would say i am fully funded (monthly stipend and an on-campus employment as a lab Assistant) because without adding my wife as dependent I should have a surplus of 150 dollars but because I am going with her i have deficit of 4,630 dollars)

Program : Department of Mathematics and Statistics (Biostatistics concentration). I already have a masters in Statistics degree from Ankara university Ankara - Turkey which was on scholarship by the Turkish Government.

Visa status : Approved

Nationality : Nigerian

Date :July 28

Interview Time : 10:45 am

In time : 11:15am

Out time: 12:00 noon

Visa interview duration : less than 3 minutes

Visa officer: Black American guy.

Congrats and welcome to the program I just graduated from

Approvalll:
Guys is it possible for me to still make it this fall if my interview date is on the 16th of august and the start date of my I-20 is also the 16th of august while classes start on the 23rd of august please I need advise what should I do in this type of situation

Have you tried requesting for emergency request?, if not, try to.

If you have, you might need to make do with the August 16th, all you need to do is ensure you arrive at any city in the US on or before that 23rd. You can also request for 1 week extension from your school in the main time.

But considering that today is just July 14th, try your possible best to reschedule your appointment using emergency request.

Toxhaino:
Guys I need help on how to start and also to know if my Wes report mainly done for Canada PR purpose could suffice for this US scholarship journey

BSc Physics
3.73/5.0
No GRe, No toefl

Thanks

For Physics, why don’t you try to prepare and take the GRE, you still have time if you’re preparing for fall 2022.

If you can take the GRE, it gives you better options and chances and you’d be able to get some schools that actually do not need the WES and would give you funding.

kastgeraldino:
Some of us have 1.5 hrs to catch a connecting flight. So thank your stars

If you arrived at the first city in the US and your next flight is in 1.5hr. There’s a high probability that you’d miss that flight cause the first city is your point of entry and it might take a long time. Leaving at least 4 hours in between is more ideal.

Shasha1995:
Please did anyone receive his or her I20 via email. I learnt that people got theirs as hardcopy via courier but mine was sent via email. I hope it may not pose a challenge at the visa interview. Thank you

You can use the soft copy you got via email, just print the i20 clearly and you’d be good.

tonero4urch:
Hello people, could you guys help with looking at this mock interview questions & answers and evaluate by constructive criticism etc.. Here it goes ;

Why are you going to the US?
A: I’m going to the US for my masters in Statistics ( Biostatistics concentration) in the department of Mathematics and Statistics at Georgia State University in Downtown Atlanta Georgia - USA.

Q: How Many Schools did you apply to?
A: 13 schools in the USA, 2 in Canada and 1 in Singapore

Q: How many of them offered you admission?
A: 6 of them offered me admission while others are still pending.

Q: Why Georgia State University ?
A: Apart from the fact that they offered me full tuition waiver, an employment and a monthly stipend, Georgia State University stands out for me because they match my objectives, training opportunities and field research . These are in line with my goal of being a lecturer after my Masters and PhD Programs. Also, apart from the fact that he has been helpful to me through out the admission process, I am particularly fascinated by the research work of Professor Gengsheng Qin. He researches on "statistical methods in diagnostic medicine and biological research" ; " survival analysis" etc which will be very effective in my quest to being a biostatistic lecturer of note after my PhD studies. I also chose this school because of its rich culture of faculty and student diversity.

Q: Where is Georgia state university located?
A: It is located in Downtown Atlanta Georgia USA.

Q: Why do you want to have this degree?
A: My dream is to impart knowledge to the younger generations and in order to do that having a masters and PhD degree will increase my market value when i return to my al mata (Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka) in Nigeria

Q: Who is your sponsor?
A: My school( Georgia State University) is sponsoring me. They offered me a tuition waiver with an employent as a graduate lab assistant and a monthly stipend. The deficit will be covered by my first cousin Mr Michael Uhuegbu.

Q: What does he do?
A: He is studying for his PhD in Vanderbilt University right now.

Q: Are you married?
A: Yes i am

Q: Do you have a relative in America?
A: I don't have a immediate relative but i have a first cousin by name Mr Michael Uhuegbu

Q: Why is he sponsoring?
A: He has been so passionate about my career and I told him about my ambitions. After i got my admission and he saw the funding deficit he immediately said he would cover it.

Q: Why do you want to study in the US?
A: Apart from the part that the US is known to have one of the best education system in the world having my education in the US will expose me to the advance practical and theoretical aspects of statistics. Also like I said having a master and PhD degree from an america university will do my credentials a whole lot of good on returning to my al mata Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.

Q: How did you get to know this school?
A: After outlining my aims and objectives I decided to do a comprehensive search to find and filter schools in line with my goals. I did this by using google and other academic websites like USNEWS.com etc

Q: What is your study plan/What are the courses you’ll be taking?
A: It would take me about 28 months to complete the total of 30 credit hours ( comprising of 24 hours coursework and 6 hours thesis research). My courses include but not limited to Survival analysis, Advance methodologies in Biostatistics, Linear Statistical Analysis etc

Q: What’s your plan after graduation?
A: With my updated knowledge of the various aspects of Statistics and its application, I’ll be coming back home to the role of a lecturer in my al mata Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.

Q: If I give you this visa, what will you do?
A: That means I have 28 months to equip myself with the theoretical and practical skills needed to be a lecturer and then I will head back to my al mata Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nigeria to take up a lecturer role and impact knowledge. My al Mata have since been experiencing dearth of statistics lecturers and i I would like to fill this void.

Thanks!

You’re coming to my school (now alma mata), department and course.

You can check my transcript around June 19 2019 and July 18 2019 for some help.

I like that you wrote Masters of Statistics cause although it is Masters of Mathematics, it is confusing to associate Mathematics and Biostatistics together as you would see in my transcript. The issue is what you’d write on your DS160 and what is written on your i20 cause I know it would be Masters of Mathematics except things has changed.

During my time, I wrote Masters of Mathematics with Concentration in Biostatistics and that was what I said during the interview.

Whenever you get your visa, please reach out to me, I can connect you with other Nigerians who resumed in the department this Spring and I can also provide you with some course materials.

All the best.

Rosesaregreen:
Please I need clarification on some questions.
I’m torn between epidemiology and biostatistics as a masters in public health. Most universities now have them as separate concentrations and biostatistics has better job prospects.
I’m bothered about the masters of science in biostatistics and how it stacks up against an mph in biostatistics. I leant universities and pharmaceutical companies prefer the msc because of the thesis part which I’m trying to avoid. I just want a professional masters.
but state health departments and hospitals prefer mph in epidemiology.

1. So is an mph in biostatistics regarded in the field?

2.Or will an MSc in biostatistics be better?

3.Also how stressful is an mph in biostatistics? in terms of assignments, practicals etc..
I have always loved numbers and calculations even if I had to drop it with going into the medical line.

4.Will not having a degree in statistics work against me if I want to go for msc in biostatistics instead? I mean more of the workload part.

Some US Universities have the msc under the department of biostatistics but for others it’s a joint effort between the dept of biostatistics and the school of public health and some others have it totally under the school of public health.

5.Do you think going to a program that added bioinformatics to it will be better ?

6.Also how do you build a resume for biostatistics and informatics?

I’m in the health field and I am exposed to community medicine but no further exposure to statistics.

7.Where can one with a degree with bioinformatics work in?
All my searches on google lumps biostatistics with mathematicians and statisticians so I can’t get a clear view of what to expect.

8. What hours of the day are you at your freest while doing an mph. Whether in epidemiology or biostatistics?

Thank you for all the replies.

Hello, I don’t know if someone else has responded but this is in line with my course as I graduated with MSc in Biostatistics this week.

If your background is health related, go for the Mph, I think they have lesser and simpler calculations in comparison to the MSc.

The mph would actually give you an edge when you’re trying to get a job in a health related field cause most of the requirements would be taught to you in the mph program.

The MSc is a bit Statistics oriented so you might struggle with it, for my MSc, thesis was compulsory and you would have to do a lot of code works and things really related to Statistics.

Although for jobs, the two degrees can apply for exactly the same job.

I hope this helps.

All the best.

Favournice001:
Hello please I need help completing DS-160 form, under primary occupation section of the form.
I selected Student as my occupation and then filled my school name and address thereafter, but when I got got to the START DATE I entered the date on my I-20 but it tells me error!
It say I’m not suppose to enter same date as today or a date lower than today’s date, but I enter August 23rd not April or May!!

Please can someone guide me through this challenge, I don’t know what to do again!

The form is asking you about your occupation right now and not in the future. So you have to put your current employment status. If you’re unemployed you can put that and explain the reason why.

horlahsunbo225:



Too much Georgia stress

Hahaha, right!

kastgeraldino:
How is this a problem? And how are you so sure that you are right because without even any research one can know that Passport Book Number is not just 32 or 64 pages. Some countries have that in addition to passport number, so it is not every country that has Passport book number; it is just an inventory control number in some countries. Afaik, the only important number is the Passport number.

My bad! I read it wrong, I thought I saw that he didn’t write his passport number at all

.

obajoey:
Thank you beautiful sister.

You’re welcome

obajoey:
Pls I had a GA interview yesterday, during the interview the director asked me "what is my schedule (study plan) for next year" I didn't get the question well, but I said something about the total semester hours for the program, but it seems that was not the right answer. So he said the GA will require 20hrs work/weekly and he said some students take 3credit hours, some 9, but I must say I really don't know how to answer that question.

I have checked the program brochure and all I could see is the total credit hours for the core course (s) and for the electives too.

Pls I need to know the best way to answer that question pls...

Tell him you’d be taking about 9 credit hours per semester because that is the minimum requirement for international students.

Picricchem:


Embassy Location: Abuja

School name: Kennesaw State University, metro Atlanta Georgia.

Program: Ms. Chemistry.

UG Degree : Chemistry.

GRE & Toefl Scores if there is Any: 304 no toefl.

GPA : 3.07 Wes (2.2 gpa)

Status: Appoved

Financial Aid/Funding:
GTA : 32,300
Deficit = 14k +
COA = 47K
Sponsor: Uncle

I heard about Kennesaw state university from Brown2green. May God bless him.

I'm grateful to God Almighty that made today possible. Everything started in 2019.
I wrote GRE and applied to schools but they all rejected me then I ran to Nairaland to tender my case.

One angel saw my case on Nairaland and sent a mail to me. We call him Pepe �. I thank God for using Pepe for me. He told me to go and do WES so that I can get admission and funding. I told him it wasn't possible becos I didn't have that kind of money. He pressed on me until I did WES, then my story changed.

I am so happy right now. Only God could have done this.

I planned to have my interview at a later date but I just discovered that my passport will remain exactly 6 months tomorrow. God gave me today's date in short �

Interview
Vo: good morning
Me: good morning sir.
Vo: do you have up to six months on this passport.
Me: yes sir. It will remain six months tomorrow.
Vo: where are you going in the US?
Me: I'm going to kennesaw state university for my Master's degree in chemistry. I got this offer in 2020 but due to covid lockdown I couldn't secure an appointment.
Vo: oh, I see.
Me: yes sir. In fact my assistantship was kept for me.
Vo: nodding in agreement.
Vo : why do you want to have this degree?
Me: I planned to join a multinational company here in Nigeria as a research and development Chemist, and this degree will put me in the best position to achieve that.
I'm currently eyeing Nestlé, OLAM, and Unilever.
Vo: where are you working presently?
Me: I'm working with Nestlé Nigeria on contract. I joined them pending the beginning of my program as I can't take up any permanent appointment until I get my Master's.
Vo: nodding in agreement.
Vo: have you travelled out before?
Me: No sir.
Vo: who is your sponsor?
Me : named him.
Vo: what does he do?
Me: he holds the position of vice president at OLAM international. So he controls all their manufacturing activities in Nigeria.
Vo: didn't get OLAM so I spelt for him.
Vo: why does he want to sponsor you?
Me: he was the one that advised me to go for my Master's abroad to gain a better research knowledge and international exposure before I join their company as R& Chemist. He promised to render all the necessary support and he's doing just that. In fact he gave me the money last year before I realized I couldn't go.
Vo: the money is in your account?
Me: No sir. In his account.
Vo: do you have his statement?
Me: yes I do. Gave him.
While he collected it to check, I quickly added.. that's just his transactional account, not his salary account.
Me: the assistantship I have has covered full tuition and living expenses, he's just covering the miscellaneous expenses.
Vo: checked the i20 again, then drop the account statement and then he said something I didn't hear and gave me the white paper.
Me: still standing at his front like I was in another world.
Vo: you are free to go.

Hallelujah!
The security there said it was the longest interview.

I appreciate everyone on this thread. Thanks so much!

Spence, thanks so much for words of wisdom.

Pepe my brother, I love you so much.

Glory be to God!

Welcome to Atlanta city, you’d love it here. Congrats on your approval as well

Adeola123vfm:
Hello, please I need clarity on this

1. A school is requesting I send my SOA to process my i-20. Can I send my personal SOA regardless of the balance, supposed it's a fully funded offer?

2. Will my name be automatically used as the sponsor on the i-20 or is there any implication of me sending my personal SOA to the school?

3. Can I make use of the statement of account that bank sends to one's mail every month or I need to go get it at the bank?

Bosses in the house ....please help answer this

If you have a full funding without deficit, your school shouldn't ask you for SOA. Send them the offer letter, I think that should take care of it once they see that you have no deficit

KemLaughs:
Hello and Happy Sunday�! Please is there anyone here who was denied in Lagos consulate and approved at Abuja here? I'll like to ask a few questions.

I was, in 2019

Phateemah8235:
I picked Jan 22 after my emergency appointment got approved but I still have the reschedule button on my portal. So can I still go ahead or still keep looking for date?.y Lagos deh do like dis na, from Jan 22 to 29.

If you have only picked a date once, you can still reschedule. No need to cancel your appointment, go to the reschedule page, if you see a closer date pick it.

So that if you don't see a better date you'd still have your previous one. So don't cancel, just reschedule

.

Gabby1234:
Hi guys,

Is COVID-19 test needed for US or in the booking of flight

Depends on the airline you're going with, I know Qatar requires, British Airline and Delta air doesn't. So confirm with the airline you're going with

statemanui:
Good Afternoon guys,
Please I would like to know the appropriate option to choose from in the 'Select Appropriate grading scale' part using the WES iGPA Calculator?

Thank you all as I anticipate your response.

The option you picked is right

kennedyemmy:
Hello House. Can I take a Bank Statement printed in July 2020 to an Interview in January 2021?

No you cannot

Goodwishes123:
I just wanted to confirm is it true if you are going to the US the first time as a student you need a return ticket .. or one way is okay as well..
because someone was saying you need a return ticket and I also have someone saying other wise

No, not true, you only need one way ticket

[quote author=Jidebambam post=97540955][/quote]

Yes, his status would be on administrative processing first, it will change to issued soon.

signalBen:
“What vaccination test is required for someone traveling to the USA?

The immunization you need depend on your school, go to the site for international student and get the immunization requirements. There's no general one

godguy:


Thanks for this, a BSc (Mathematical sciences) with 2.1 (3.9 CGPA) (graduated from Nigeria, with 6 years experience as a Statistician in Nigeria, can he apply for PhD directly in Computer science or Statistics

Yes you can, Math, Stat and Computer science are all tied together so you should have the prerequisite to study a PhD in the other two courses with a Math BSc.

You can also check the admission requirements for each school to know the prerequisite needed

olaolu39:
Please I have my Visa interview date and location changed from Lagos to Abuja.

Can I change my pickup from DHl Lagos to Abuja or It is fine to receive my passport in Lagos even when i have my interview in Abuja.

You can pick it up in Lagos, that was what I did during my time. Interviewed in Abuja, picked up in Lagos

BGodsonMay:
Good day everyone, I will like to ask;
Is it compulsory for the bank to address to the school on the letter of reference for a SOA or the usual "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN" Is acceptable??

The SOA will be submitted to different schools for consideration. Thanks in advance.

No you don't need to do that

Event14:
g

The thing is so funny, I have already traveled long way to be in Lagos, supposed to be interviewed tomorrow. My school resumes January 4 and I was rescheduled to January 5

Maybe you should go there tomorrow since you're already in Lagos and see what happens

Phori:
okkk thanks man i also need yhis info.. but the thing now is on my visa appointment, my DS160 comfirmation number and barcode is there... will I be able to print out anoda visa appointment letter with the new Ds160 confirmation number without loosing the appointment?

Yes you'd be able to print another visa appointment letter without losing the appointment

STTITUS:


Thanks. But how do I fill a new DS-160 form?

You can put your old DS-160 form number on the page, it will ask you if you want to retrieve it, say yes.

Then you'd have a new one which would be filled partially, so you can go through it and answer the parts not filled out.

Or you can just start another form entirely, same way you started the old one.

Then you can get your new form number and update on your visa page

STTITUS:


Alright. Gracia. Do you think I can register as a new user then, fill in a new DS-160 form and then, replace the old DS-160 number with the new one?

Just fill a new DS-160 form and replace the old number with the new one on your visa page. You don't need to register as a new user