₦airaland Forum

bracelum:
Your comment has changed from "ALL ACCOUNTS" to "ALMOST ALL ACCOUNTS".

Again, I will reiterate that you are making a false statement by making a general statement using a small sample. A lot of my clients with no financial aid secured visas without AP. You don't know up to 5% of Nigerians that appear for F1 visa interview (neither do I). So, why make a general statement using the small sample you know? We are not in the beer parlor, so stop making such comments without key facts.

Your matter needs deliverance. You told someone to take a recent statement to avoid AP as if recent statement will prevent AP. why make a general statement using the small sample you know? We are not in the beer parlor, so stop making such comments without key facts.

bracelum:
This is not true. A good number of my clients have secured visas (within the last 30 days) without school funding and they were not placed on AP.

I'm telling you what is obtainable now. Most people are placed on AP to verify their Account Statement. Abuja Embassy verifies almost all Account Statement. Don't come and be arguing over this. It's the norm now. By the way, all applicants are always on administrative processing before it turns to issued or refused, what differs is the number of days it takes. Some same day, some few days and some few weeks.

bracelum:
I'm not an elder. Please just call me Bracelum (with no titles attached) - that would be fine.

I would suggest you take a more recent bank statement (less than 1 month) to avoid running risks of being placed on AP.

AP is very common now. Once you don't have funding from your school, they will place you on AP to verify if your account statement is legit. People using fake bank statement caused all this.

Mosminic:
Good day house, just registered for the GRE, to be taken by september. Graduated with a CGPA of 4.66/5.00 Industrial Chemistry, applying to four universities. Recommenders are all Professors and also going to take TOEFL September. Any need for safe schools? Applying for Phd in Environmental Analytical Chemistry.

University of Kentucky, Illinois Institute of Technology will offer you admit with full funding, just try and score above 300 in GRE.

dumbiri99:
Happy sunday house. My interview is tomorrow, is it okay to wear my native wear to interview, the other cloth i brought got burnt this morning.

You can wear anything you are comfortable with. Just be presentable.

bracelum:
If that guy collect PhD in Economics from Cornell, University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, UCLA or UCSD, no be small doors go open for am either from Naija or anywhere in the world.

Na just patience and good planning

Exactly. He should rethink and restrategize.

Chidon40:
Well Noted.
Thanks a lot. I appreciate your honest feedback

I prefer my job in Nigerian University than working outside thereby contributing to another man's economy while mine perish. It's not mainly about the money because I am equally on a good scholarship here and can as well secure a job with a good pay after studies in China. (Its personal though). Honestly, I thought about quitting the employment on the basis that I can secure another university upon my return whenever am done with studies abroad But on a second thought, securing a lecturing job in Nigerian federal university is really difficult considering the corruption in recruitment into federal establishments.

Story that touches. You clearly don't know the doors a PhD from a good US university will open for you when you return back to Nigeria if you want to. You can give it a try and see if you will be approved but @bracelum gave a good advice.

user4321:
With all the "Bleep" and "I answered" there's absolutely nothing to learn from your transcript. Congratulations.

Wanted saying same. The transcript is good for nothing.

Let me reserve my space here

Leoney:
Hello everyone,
My visa was approved on May 24th at Abuja, sorry it took long to come back and give thanks to everyone in this group, work has been tight and I only just collected my passport yesterday (not an excuse though). Thank you all for your wonderful contributions to this thread and also @Time2win for the mock interview a day before the interview, your drills were just what I needed to put my mind at ease, even asking questions that up until that moment I had not anticipated.

The interview was very, very brief. To provide a context of how short it was, I had my interview after @Amyfid12 and her interview went exactly as she described, I thought she was very articulate and spoke really well, but she was stopped right after she said Aunty. After her interview she was just outside the interview door arranging her documents when I met up with her, and we walked out together. I genuinely felt for her, I just think the lack of assistantship was the issue.

To the interview proper.

Me: Good morning (she did not smile or really look up)

VO: Pass me your passport (I did), I-20 too (I did also)

VO: Why this University?

Me: This university is unique to me for several reasons. Firstly, it is a research active institution and the research of Prof. Madsen who is a pioneer of sorts in geophysics also attracted me to the institution. Secondly, (VO cuts in)

VO: I see you have full funding from the university.

Me: Yes, I do

VO: Congratulations, your visa has been approved blah, blah blah.

So, thank you all for your continuous contributions to this thread.

Congratulations! One thing i noticed about Abuja embassy, if you have full funding, they don't drill students unlike Lagos embassy.

seun407:
Hi guys! I noticed I didnt add my NYSC experience in my ds160. My interview is for 20th June. I filled the form 18th May. If I should update the form today, will it affect me in anyway?

Nope, it won't affect you.

NewAjala:
PROFILE


Background ➡ BSc Industrial Chemistry

GPA ➡ 2.83/4.00 (WES), 3.16/4.00(WES 300l + 400l only)

Job ➡ Graduate Trainee (Disco)

Degree of Interest ➡ PhD

Research Experience ➡ none

Research Interest ➡ Chemical Biology, Neuroscience(Neurodegenerative disorders), Biosensing and Imaging.

University of Interest ➡ University of San Francisco, University of Utah, University of Kansas, Vanderbilt University, University of Virginia, Brigham Young University, University of Nevada,...(still open to further suggestions)

GRE + TOEFL ➡ Under preparation.

Aim ➡ Tuition waiver + stipend

Semester ➡ Fall 2020 ( due to people saying fall has more funding opportunities, previously had Spring 2020 in mind).



I need some criticisms, advice and contributions.

Vanderbilt and University of Virginia is too ambitious. Look for more safe schools. It will be hard to get into UVA if you don't have MSc.

shogunley:
Like in such mail, can I put as part of reasons that I've bn to the embassy and denied because of funding

You can inform your department about that to see if they can assist.

dreambound:
I've been to the University of New Mexico (as part of my high school robotics program last year)...Nice school...

Are you married? Kids?
I think (without enough funding) 'What would this degree do for you?' didn't show enough reason to return, (though it's a possible reason) since it's almost hard to believe that someone would return from the United States after paying over $24K per year to take up a lecturing job at a (federal?) University.
I think chances would also have been higher if you were married with kids, and if you had a closer relative sponsoring you.

I don't think it's a nice idea to pursue a PhD without good funding. Also a distant uncle sponsoring you for 5yrs, period is too long for someone to do. Funding played a major role in the denial and the kind of sponsor he used.

shogunley:
Thank you, immediately she heard uncle, her face changed, started typing and then made the statement....

Almost everyone is using Uncle aside those that got full funding. Alot of transcripts that I reviewed recently were mostly uncles. Most V.O will frown at it if you don't impress them from the beginning.

shogunley:
Visa denied yesterday 7/6/2019, Window 5
VO: Where are you going to in US
Me: University of New Mexico, Alburqurque, NM
VO: For what purpose
Me: To pursue a doctoral degree in Statistics
VO: What will this degree do for you
Me: It will give me a better chance of getting a lecturing job here in Nigeria at my Alma mata and also will be able to conduct meaningful research.
VO: Did you write any standardized exam
Me: Yes………….. Toefl: 92, GRE 302 ( wanted to show her but she said I should not bother)
VO: Any scholarship? (she rushed to check I-20)
Me: Yes Partial scholarship
VO: ok…..so who’s paying for the remaining
Me: My uncle, Mr……
VO: (Typed for some seconds) Am sorry, you are not eligible for Visa now

Total cost: 36,512
Funding: 12,082
Deficit: 24,430

Deficit is much for a PhD and for an uncle to sponsor you. Try and get a fully funded PhD program. Also this uncle sponsor thing is getting rampant.

bracelum:
You wrote a hell lot of content, but frankly, you didn't write anything meaningful here.

When you hide important content, prospective candidates have little information from your experience to guide them in their pursuit. If previous candidates were not very open with their transcripts, I don't think you would have gotten some information to help you with yours. If everyone behaves like this, this thread will not be useful to anyone.

You wrote a lot of content but you didn't write anything meaningful

Goodluck to you!

He already explained why he redacted some details. The write up is interesting to read though.

@sharwama oya share the testimony

Brown2Green:
This is no new news na.

It's news for some people

yemyem4uall:
Hello Gurus in the house. I Seek your advise some weeks ago that if to deposit my tuition fee before going to embasy make sences but you advise me to abort the mission. my admission comes without funding; Tuition fee of $23k and living expenses of 14k. I later wrote to the Academic Chairman to please give me funding if truly he want me to come and study in his institution and for visa sake. He sent a letter to me that he has reduce the tuition by $ 16k and Stipends of 5800 Per semester but its for Second year of my program but second semester of my first year wil be consider if per chance fund is available but is not commiting him self for that. Now, my interview is nest week , although, i have my corporate account that covers all expenses. Pass me your i 20 and passport, do i need to give him the letter immediately since the funding is not written on I 20, or i should allow him to request for who is funding my program.
I Have bachelor degree in Mineral Resource Engring and i am going for Msc in Mineral Resouces Engineering at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. I will apreciate your advise.
I

Reschedule your interview and ask your school to send you a new i20 reflecting your funding. The authenticity of the letter clarifying your funding might not be easy to prove to the V.O. The best way they can get it is through the i20. So get a new i20 please.

LagosismyHome:
I just want to point out , a salary of $90,000 a year comes to about 65,000 a year after tax . You still have to factor the owner of this salary will pay Mortage or Rent , Food , Clothes and other bills . Easily that can slash that 65,000 to half of what is left or less than half . If he has children and family then there hardly anything left self. Then to tell a VO that person would sponsor a non biological child with that figure 38k on a 90k salary

Let pray you are just ask on a high-level who is your sponsor and what does he do, without going into breakdown of salary . Once you start breaking it down, you see it not easy for someone working abroad to fully sponsor someone. but Nigerians never believe. Some people have successfully sponsored but its not easy and kudos to those sponsors . A man earning 90k in the US with a family is not a rich man at all, so welldone to him

I love the way you broke it down for him.

RichieCobby2019:
It was $40000 in April, but some withdrawals were made in May and the balance came down, Can I send the Statement of February to March and March to April, leaving the current statement, that is April to May out??

Still won't work. Will your uncle use 100% of his money just for you while you ain't his child. Why not check if you can get loan from prodigy or mpower to support the One you have.

RichieCobby2019:
Going for undergraduates study.
Total Cost of Attendance on i20 is $40,500 per year.
Scholarship of $2000 per year leaving $38,000 to be covered.

Sponsor resides in the states and his Bank Statement has ending balance of $35,500.

Will this affect chances of visa being approved?

Chances of getting your visa with that SOA is zero if a V.O checks the account statement. Unless you are approved without them requesting for SOA which I doubt is possible now.

dreambound:
Kai..Lord help us..
What kind of Bewitched VO is that?

The only issue (which I don't see as too much of a problem for a final denial) was the what would this course do for you.. From past transcripts, I've seen that if you add too much intro to your responses, the VO would cut you off. It's like they want direct (ish) responses. It also affected you in what does your uncle do... I wanted to say your response to what would this course do for you made her loose interest, but it's like she already predetermined the denial from before the 'Good Morning' ... tchai. Cursed VO.

VOs' default response is no...we are meant to prove to them in a short period of time that it should be YES. So just make every response sharp and convincing, especially at the beginning, and especially when the VO is cursed like that �

Why abuse the V.O, your choice of word is totally not called for. You don't know what the fellow filled in his DS 160. Also saying his uncle owns a printing press doesn't portray the uncle as a strong sponsor. There are better ways to say and portray the person as a good sponsor. A contractor to the state government to supply educational materials can fit in well and still serve same purpose. The essence is to show that your uncle can comfortably sponsor you.

Kaylhey20:
To the gurus on this platform, please on the Ds-160 form . When asked who is paying for your trip. Should I put who is paying for the travel ticket or the university contact ( I have been awarded a full ride scholarship by the university).

Please, quick response.

If you got a full scholarship, you can choose self or parents. That's who is paying for the remaining things left like flight fee, little cash to settle down and the likes.

doziej84:
Is it possible to change the Passport photo on my ds-160 after submitting it & booking an interview date?

my interview date is a few weeks away....How do I go about it?

You can't edit ds 160 after submitting. Recreate another one with the old number, you don't need to start filling it afresh, then make the changes you want. Then edit your appointment profile page and insert the new ds 160 number.

Develpeast:
Please someone should give me a straight and definite answer to this question. Do I stand a chance of getting my visa application approved as I have not travelled to any other country before?

You stand a chance. Prepare very well for the interview

KingStefan:
Ofcourse!
Travel history doesn't matter for an F1 application.

Depends on the V.O you meet. Though many people get visa without any travel history, travel history matters and helps.

Amyfid12:
Good morning lovely people. It's been a week i was denied visa at the US embassy in Abuja. To say i was devastated is an understatement. I thank God for the support system i have in terms of family and friends that encouraged me that all things will work together for my good. I had to come out here to get advice on how i went wrong. I applied to 6 schools, 5 admits and all for Masters in Public health. They offered me admission without funding. I reached out to them but there was no assurance i will be given a GA position. I decided to go for West Chester University, Pennsylvania and the total amount on my I-20 is $29,525. My aunt who resides in US is my sponsor. I prepared well for my interview and ensured my documents were complete. Below is my interview transcript on 24th May:

ME: Good morning
VO: Good morning, pass me your passport and I-20
ME: Sure
VO: Why did you choose this school?
ME: I chose this school because i'm interested in an ongoing research by Prof xxxx on xxxxxxx. Also, the school mandates it's MPH students to complete a 6 credits, 300 hours community service course called Bleep. ( The VO cuts in)
VO: What do you do?
ME: I'm a pharmacist working with xxxxxxxxx
VO: Who is your sponsor?
ME: My aunt by name xxxxxxxxx
VO: types for some seconds and handed a green paper to me, that it will explain my denial of Visa.

All these, didn't last up to 5 minutes. I was shocked because i expected questions on Why US? Why MPH? What are your plans after the MS program? Can i see your SOA? which she didn't ask me.
Please, where did i go wrong? Mind you, i didn't stutter cos i prepared well for this interview. My school starts in August and i don't know what to do.

Which state is your aunt in? Is it close to the school you applied to or in same state?

dreambound:
Good day...
So my I-20's funding section has $35800 grant from the University and $4500 on-campus employment. I did not apply or request for on campus employment. Is this normal? How do I explain to the VO about how I got that.

Ask your school. They are in the best position to answer that.

AgreatMan:
Just as a side note, a lot of programs are starting to dump GRE and this standardized test myth might not hold water in a few years.

This is a graph of top 50 US schools. The percentage shows the number of programs who have dropped GRE requirements for their respective courses and that number is growing year over year.

If it's not pure madness, I don't see what someone going to study public admin is doing with GRE.

The exam doesn't correlate with ability to publish papers in graduate school; it doesn't account for the number of times a candidate wrote it; it also doesn't consider the financial constraints that applicant had while writing it. The more money u can through around on practice material, d better for u. all it does is get alot of Asian kids in who quite a lot of times don't look as bright as their GRE suggests when the heat is on.

I doubt if engineering programs will drop it.

Brown2Green:
To get funding for engineering programs before arrival is almost impossible. Especially for Msc.

Depends on schools sha. Generally, funding for engineering isn't easy.