Hello group,

Pleaee for those of you that have written the GRE and was successful could you please send me the materials and tips you used to prepare to get that good score? My email is tonero4urch@gmail.com

Thank you!

Hello could you send me the magooosh hard quants? My email is tonero4urch@gmail.com.
Thank you!

dubsy20:
Congratulations to the people that got their VISa. I tap into your testimonies. Please I want to ask, for the people that are getting admitted into 4 or more schools, does it mean Application fees were paid for all the schools or are there ways to get Application fees waivers.
Thanks

It's simple- if you apply to 4 or more schools that waive application fee then you won't pay any money for application fee but if you apply to 4 or more schools that require application fee then you pay application fee for the 4 or more schools. The thing is sitting down and be able to put in the work researching schools that can give application fee waiver. It's that simple.

revenant:

Congrats. Is it PhD or Masters?

Masters

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.He should be in his late 30's. His name is Mathew.

He was approving visas quickly. Me and my wife are 191 on the line. The last person that the black guy interviewed was 175 on the line so we were surprised when the VO told the guy calling people in for interview to call us without even following the line serially. I just thought he was determined to give us visa because even when we were in the embassy me and my wife were acting lovey dovey in the embassy and it seems he noticed it. Going for my visa interview with my wife made everything easy because I remembered how nervous I was the other times I went to the embassy alone. We were just discussing inside the hall waiting for our turn to the cynosure of all eyes. It was like...every eye was on us. It really relieved all my stress because i wasn't alone. I had fun as company in my wife.

When we got to the VO:

Me: A very good morning to you.
VO: Good morning to you.

Me: How are you today?
VO: I am fine and you?

Me: We are fine too.
VO: Okay (he took our documents which are i20 and passports and said we should place our fingers to do our biometrics and we did)

VO: Where are you going in the US?
Me: I got a fully funded admission with an on-campus employment as lab assistant in the department of Mathematics and Statistics in Georgia State University Atlanta- Georgia US. I have a deficit of 4,634 dollars because I added my wife as a dependent and my cousin Michael will pay the deficit.

VO: (He nodded and started looking at my my i20 and looking at the computer screen, he is probably reading the comments made by the other visa officers that rejected me in the past). He then asked me : Have you travelled to any other country apart from Turkey?( I guess he was looking at my DS 160 form and saw that I have travelled to France)
Me: I have been to France through Germany for a conference about Woman mutilation in Africa and the protection of the religious minority.

VO: How long have you been living in Turkey?
Me: I have been in Turkey since 2016. I came here on scholarship and i am leaving again for another scholarship in America. As you can see I am married to my Turkish wife (pointing to my wife) and i am on the verge of getting Turkish citizenship.

VO: (Nodding in approval) What is your plan after this program?
Me: I will be returning to my al mata to take up a lecturing job in Nigeria. I have a verbal agreement with the head of department that I will lead the Biostatistics lab that would be opened there.

VO: (He nodded and said) : "Good plan"
Me: Yes

All these while my wife was just looking and smiling sheepishly(lols) and waiting for the VO to ask her questions too and she was shocked when the VO said the golden words : "Congratulations I am approving your visas. Your visa will get to you(me and my wife) in 5 working days. Take care and follow the COVID 19 protocols when you get to America".
Me: Thank you very much and take care.
My wife : Thank you!

VO: Take care!

When we were going out of the interview room, my wife was like....Babeeee....i was waiting for his questions and he didn't even ask me anything. I replied by saying "It's the will of God".

Tears of joy was just flowing from my eyes because I have been denied 4 times- If you know what that means. One thing about this visa stuff, if you get American visa on your first attempt you won't feel the same happiness someone that has been denied before but finally got it feels. The person that has been denied before would always be happier than the person that got it on first attempt. It's only God that did this for me and my wife and not man.

N/B : I just want to tell everyone here on this platform. No one on this Nairaland US student visa section has the power to give you visa. Only God, you and the visa officer make it possible. Why i saying this? I want to tell you my experience with Fairheart. I am not writing this to spite him or make vituperative statements about his person- to me he is a great guy. I wrote Fairheart on whatsapp with the help of a friend who gave me his number. I told him all the issue I am having about being denied 4 times (two B1B2 tourist visa in Nigeria, one B1B2 tourist visa and J1 work and travel visa in Ankara -Turkey). I wanted to have a mock interview with him and he charged me 50k saying he doesn't do it for free. I said that's too much and I can't afford it at the time so I removed the mock interview out of the equation.
Then I asked him his candid opinion about my case because I was helpless at the time and that was due to my past experiences. He then told me that I should remove my wife from my dependant and come to Nigeria and apply. He said it would be difficult to get a US student visa from Turkey as a Nigerian. I told him okay that I will take my chances since I have already book my interview date. So I told him that if I don't get it then I can come to Nigeria and apply.

Behold my brothers and sisters, me and my wife got out visa today. Why am I saying this? Let no one tell you that you can't get visa no matter anywhere you are and no matter how many times that you have been denied. It's only the grace of God, you and the visa officer that decides the outcome of your visa interview.

That will be all for now. Me and my wife are celebrating and popping champagne...shhhhh...no disturbance. Lols!

If you could remember me. I am the guy that have been denied 4 times ( two B1B2 visa in Nigeria, one B1B2 visa and J1 work and travel visa in Ankara Turkey). Now I am married to a Turkish woman. This is to let you know that me and my wife's visa approved was approved today in Ankara -Turkey. Transcript soon. Follow this post!

Guys, please can you rate these universities accounding to rank, job prospects, alumni, learning experience, diversity, and great faculty members etc

1 Georgia state university
2 Florida International University
3 University of South Florida
4 Stevens institute of Technology
5 Middle Tennessee State University
6 Western Illinois University

N/B
I got admission in all of them but only one gave me funding (deficit of 4500 dollars), employment in the department as a lab Assistant and a monthly stipend.

ThePianoGuy:
this time should be different. You will get the visa

Amen oooo

HushTee:
You wil definitely be interviewed by the same VO because you'll move through the queues together as a family.

I think that if you have other sources of funds to cover the deficit (the source stated on your i20), just go with the evidence (bank statement), and prepare good answers, you should be fine.

As for the deficit I have a cousin doing his phd ( fully funded) in Vanderbilt University in Tennessee who is covering it. Also my Turkish wife inherited a house from her late father which we have sold. We have all the account statements.
Thank you for your reply.
Peace!

HushTee:
Visa Transcript

F1, F2 (wife and baby)
Location: Lagos (initial date was Jan 2024, but we were able to reschedule to July 8 2021 - we didn't apply for EA, we just found that we can reschedule)
Time: 7.45am
Status: Approved
COA: $104k approx. Fully funded (no deficit)

God did it.

I was interviewed first..... Dude seemed nice, he also did our fingerprint.

VO: What are you going to the US for? (I requested he repeat the question again though cos my baby's cries didn't make me hear the first time)
Me: I'm going for my PhD degree in Evolutionary Biology at Yale University.

VO: Can you say the name of the school again?
Me: Yale University

VO: How many programs did you apply to?
Me: Seven (six admits)

VO: So, why Yale?
Me: I talked about how the professors research interests aligned with mine, with specific research topics. I also talked about the presence of a strong network of researchers in my field who produce some of the best research in that field in the US. I forgot my practise (but uncrammed) lines at some point but replaced them with whatever came to mind regarding my research interests - they kuku have almost no idea what my research is about,

VO: Have you been to other countries before?
Me: Yes, India.

VO: For what?
Me: A research fellowship. I got a research fellowship and I went to India for a year to carry out the research.

VO: That's great, excellent. So, I see you're fully funded, are you aware of the kind of apartments there for you?
Me: Yes, one bedroom flat... One bedroom apartment

VO: Has your school settled it?
Me: I was about saying "no, but I've paid for it," only for him to say "I'm sure they have." I kuku kept quiet.


All the while I was being interviewed, my baby was crying seriously. When I finished mine, I collected her from my wife so she too can be interviewed. She cried all through, we didn't stay in any of the queues cos of that.


Then he moved to my wife
VO: What do you do?
Her: I'm a fashion designer, I run a fashion business.

VO: What will happen to your business here? (this was a slippery slope question that we already prepped for)
Her: I've handed over to my second in command for the duration I'll be away

VO: What will you do when you get there?
Her: I'll spend time with my husband, I'll take care of my baby

VO: So you don't have any intention of working in US?
Her: No, not at all.


After she was interviewed, she was told our visas will be ready in a few days. I heard that and passed her our baby to collected the white paper containing the pickup address. We had a long day celebrating.

I have a fairly okay profile. I'm a 2:2 BSc grad, really good MSc, a few publications and conferences, a few years of research experience (about 5 years including and a research fellowship abroad), I did TOEFL and scored 101 but didn't need to use it cos I did it because of only one school - Cornell (that rejected me), and had solid references.

I've been a silent observer here, but I'll just share my 2 cents / tips on a few issues that I find worrying on this thread.
Firstly, I searched and searched and for transcript from someone going for a visa interview the same day with all family members (to predict my chances. cos I'd been told by some people that we have low chances of approval if we apply together - terrible information) and someone who's going to an ivy league (to know if I'll get any privileges). But, that was ineffective, I guess my research skills just got the better of me (not sure I was mistaken to do that though). When I didn't find specifics on nairaland or quora or reddit (and generally on the Internet), I decided to read all transcripts in this particular thread from beginning till the end. The few transcripts from one-traveling parent and their F2 child(ren), and every other transcript including unsuccessful and proposed ones were very helpful in many different ways.

I'm indifferent to not sharing/not-sharing programs and schools in transcripts, everyone has a reason for not wanting to share theirs - I particularly don't like being bugged with questions that a simple googling and DIY can fix. But IMHO, sharing helps a lot in linking possible questions with program, cost of attendance, work/research experience, exams done, and CV record - a DYOR person would easily be able to put 2 and 2 together from your transcript.

One other issue that got me worried initially was the DS-160 question of "who's funding your trip." I picked "self." Apparently, it wasn't something to worry about. Also, I changed my current work on the form from my paid jobs to my volunteer (unpaid) research assistant job, just to avoid questions that I may not be able to answer clearly. I updated my profile four days before interview and went with the updated confirmation page only (since it was over 72 hours).

My wife and I practiced every kind of question regularly including slippery slope questions, and had my sister do a final interview for us using almost 70 questions (of cos, she had no idea whether our responses were good, but we know when they're not good). Every question we were asked was practiced - not one wasn't practiced. I feel like it's just good to prepare for every kind of question and have very specific and clear (not vague) responses to them all - you'll know if your responses are vague. Also, don't lie!

I'll rest. I'm deeply sorry this was long.

I wish every other person going for an interview (whether F1 or F2) all the best. God's favor!

Finally, I found the transcript of someone in my shoes. I am a Turkish Government scholar (I just completed my masters program in Statistics).

I got married to my Turkish wife this year and we are planning to go to embassy in Ankara Turkey and we hope we would be interviewed by the same VO at the same time like you and your wife. I got a funded admission for masters in Mathematics (Biostatistics concentration) program in Georgia State Univeristy Atlanta -Georgia with $57k COA and a deficit of $4360 (it should be a surplus of $150 if i didn't add my wife as dependent).

The problem is I have been denied twice in Nigeria for B1/B2 visa and twice in Turkey for B1/B2 visa and J1 exchange program (work and travel).

I don't know our stand now. I have since gotten travel history when i went France for a conference and i have also finished my masters here.

I am curious about my chances this time being that I am almost fully funded with graduate assistantship job as a Lab Assistant in the department with monthly stipend.

What do you think guys?

N/B:
Also as regards to hiding of school name and all, I think that by hiding school names the purpose of this page is being defeated. If we argue that people should do their homework and not depend on other people for school name then maybe this page should be closed because everything we get here can be gotten at the click of a button on Google.

I am a very open person and believe that no one knows it all. Can all the people that support the motion of hiding school name beat their chest here that they have not learnt one r two things from this page?

I am not against the hiding of school name for my own benefit ( I got more than the 10 US schools I applied to on my own), I am only saying it for some people that may not be like the few that knows how to get their information. This is because everyone is created differently.

I rest my case!
Peace!

Tega1986:
Hello and good afternoon All,

Who will one put as sponsor with Scholarship and Teaching Assistantship of 23,000 AND Deficit of 2532?

School, Parent or Self? Kindly help and advise accordingly please

School ofcourse .

kenwizy:
Hello guys

Please can I sponsor myself if I have a fully funded scholarship and what is the risk attached..?

Or must I always have a sponsor even if I have a scholarship or a full tuition waiver ?

Your response to this would be highly appreciated..

Thanks

If you have a fully funded scholarship then your sponsor is the organization or school giving you the scholarship. If it's partial scholarship then the school or organization is your sponsor then as for the deficit, you can sponsor yourself or any member of your family can sponsor you.

I follow a US student visa page on facebook and this is the answer someone gave in a visa interview in Phillipines. Sometimes I think this visa officers in Nigeria are hard on us Nigerians. Imagine...can anyone tell me boldly that if this person were to be a Nigerian and this interview were to be in Abuja or lagos that this person will be given visa? I don't just understand....sometimes all these make me wonder...

Malone122:
I don’t get how does the embassy freeze your account ?
Aren’t they just meant to check with your bank if the SOA is legit

When you hear "Account" it doesn't necessarily mean it must be "bank" related. In this case by "account" he/she meant his/her account on the visa interview booking website.
Thank you!

Milkshakes01:


Your CGI portal, the visa interview booking profile

Okay. thanks so much. Though Turkey don't use CGI. They have a different way to book for visa appointment.

chibertha:
Put her in your profile as your dependant.
So what applies to you applies to her too.

Which profile? You mean my DS160 form profile or my visa interview booking profile?

I am trying to book an expidite date for me and my wife. I am seeking F1 visa while she is seeking F2 visa. We want to travel together so we planned to go to the embassy here in Ankara - Turkey together being that we live here. Though the odds of my own approval of expidite date is high because of the 60 days period before the start of my program in August, i can't say the same for her. Can anyone tell me if she stands a chance of being given an expidite date too if mine is approved. Thanks my people.

solihp:


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.

Waoh...thank you very much. I so much appreciate this. I will definitely contact you. I can't wait. Shalom��

Oluwathoyin:
Your program is for 28months please, did you fill 28months or 2years as intended length of stay on your DS-form? Or what did you fill? My program is for 28 months too.

There is a dropdown box that ask you to input it either in "years", "months" etc and i clicked "months" and put it in "months" because there was no way I can put "2 years 4 months" there.

Laworldz:
Some of your answers are a bit not clear.
With what you have explained, it seems you want to stay back for PHD after the masters. Then when you answered what you’ll do after the MSc you said you’ll come back to lecture. Stick to one story.
Also reduce stating all your answers with ‘Apart from’

Thanks so much

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!

somtee747:
Hello everyone,

Is there anyone who has gotten admission to Georgia State University or still waiting to get?

I got admission for a master of Science program in Mathematics and Statistics (Statistics Combination) with tuition waiver and monthly stipend( though not much- $7000 a year)

Tulacious123:
Did the admission came with the GA?

Yes it came with the GA

Tulacious123:
Good evening all.Please is there anyone admitted to Georgia State University with fundings (GA,Fellowship etc) MSc in Public Policy.

I got admitted for a Masters in Mathematics and Statistics (Statistics Combination) with tuition waiver and GA position( Lab Assistant)

MelaninGemstone:
Bro, what did you graduate with please? I just got a response from the graduate office of Stevens, I sent them a mail inquiring about graduate assistantships and funding, and they said that I didn’t get funding because I didn’t finish with first class. Lol

I finished with a second class upper (Hons)

So I wanna know if anyone here finished with first class and still didn’t get funding from Stevens.

If there is someone like that, that means the school is just looking for money

I finished my undergraduate with 4.44/5 and my masters degree with 3.03/4. I applied for a master program again so I don't know what they are looking for that made me not to get assistantship. Na them sabi....

MelaninGemstone:
Please have anyone here ever gotten a graduate assistantship from Stevens Institute of Technology

Please reply

I think if you are given admission without assistantship in Stevens Institute of Technology it means you won't get any form of assistance. Assistantships normally come with the admission email/letter. I also got admission there without funding. I will decline soon.

Tulacious123:
Is there anyone who got admitted to Georgia State University (MSc)!or University of Texas, Dallas (MSc) or is currently schooling there? Kindly indicate please.Its urgent.Thanks

I got an admission for a master program at Georgia state Univeristy with tuition waiver and stipend

Novartis:
e be like say this school just dey dash Naija students admission because of money

Don't mind them. They just want the Nigerian students money. Whether you merit it or not they will give you admission because they need your money.

MelaninGemstone:
Guys, I just got admitted to Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ.

I’m asked to pay a $500 non refundable deposit to secure my seat and admission

They said this deposit will be added to my tuition fee

My problem now is, what if I’m denied visa, so my money is gone like that ?

Please who else here got admitted to Stevens Institute of Technology?

I got admission too for masters in Actuarial Mathematics and Decision Analytics for fall 2021 with no funding. They also told me to pay 500 dollars to secure my seat which will be added towards my tuition. I am gladly declining cos I got better offers. They are looking for money in the pocket of someone that is also looking for money. That is why it's not advisable to apply for admission to all these private universities- their sole aim is profit. They want me to pay for masters in America when i should be paid. Ain't nobody got time for that. Peace�

shams040:


Got Ph.D fully funded. Did interview with an Asst. Prof and we exchanged mails but might be rejecting it. I don't know yet. I think I applied around late feb.

I have a masters with some good publications.

Congrats man. I applied March 11th for master of Science program in Applied statistics.