Jona48:
Good morning guys, please let's keep being safe for ourselves to make this place active and informative.
A friend of mine promised to sponsor my masters degree in US. But the condition is that I will look for a school in Philadelphia because that's where she's based.
N. B. I know this part may not really be the best place to ask questions, but I'm doing it so I can useful tips on how to go about. I'm a complete novice, so I will be needing a from-the-scratch Information.

Okay Sir/Madam. Kindly go to Google and in the search box type in: "Universities in Philadelphia"
It'd bring out so many options, then start clicking the schools, one by one, to streamline your search, based on your choice course. You could use USNews(link below) for the search. Start from here, while you await more hints from the elders. Good luck.
https://www.usnews.com/

Muleriders:

Boss, I got your PM, hit me up by weekend, I will be chanced

Okay Elder. Many thanks for your esteemed audience.

Muleriders:


WES isn't scam, they calculate by scores and not grade.
for example, tosin scores 61 in Nigeria university and his school recored B while wes record as B- (61- 64),

Tolani scores 68 in Nigeria University and her school recorded same B while wes record as B+ (65-69)

The above is just a scenerio( not real US grade) . Same B from naija, different B (B+ and B-) from wes.

Summary, WES favours high scorers in a grade range. Hope that helps.

For example, mine was 2.8/5.0 from naija while my WES was about 2.9/4.

Others 3.0/5 from naija might fall lower if most of thier scores are lower in a grade range from naija. Hope that helps.

Thanks Muleriders, for the explanation. Still, I'd like to know how they(WES Officials) get each student's raw scores, for example, "80 over 100" or "75 over 100", since most transcripts don't have such; only the unit loads and the grades.

Deegayes:
I just got my visa approved about 30 minutes ago . Thanks to everyone who took their time to post on this thread , it helped prepare me for the likely questions.
However, I made sure to not read people’s answers because I wanted my own responses to be unique .

Thank you so much once again.
It was my first time
No travel history
No funding
Only applied to one school

Congratulations!

Next2Bezee:
Hey house

I was just admitted to my uni of choice for fall 2020, Mnsu, and my i20 is ready to shipped.

My question is how soon can I go to the embassy for the f1 visa interview, for fall 2020. If I go next month, will be too early?

Hello. What was the shipping cost like?

francophone134:
that's what i don't understand about WES, is it that they gv gpa by random or what? �. Some got gpa of 3.75/5.00 and final wes was 3.08, another got even got lower gpa of 3.70/5.00 and wes evaluated to be 3.29/4.00. Wes na scam las las[color=#990000][/color]

Honestly, I don't really know how they evaluate/convert 5-point gpa to 4-point. Let's hope for the best.

iwriterng:

Mine was 3.29, and I graduated with 3.70/5 (five years program).

Okay Elder. Atleast, you were able to get what you wanted.

kilankoazeez:
To best answer your question I think you should state such schools here, so people can help verify, but if you want to do the research on your own, google extensively about such schools and verify their rankings from different sources before you can conclude. Although, we have schools that the VOs in Nigeria can't give you visa for (i.e Lincoln University or so). I hope you understand my point.

Okay Elder(s), for a start:
1. New Mexico State University
2. University of Idaho
3. University of Utah
4. Wesleyan University
5. University of Teledo
6. Bowling Green State University

Thanks Elder(s)

Sandrahopes:
hello Thanks for your reply, I did it and I got 3.08 do you know if the official one would be higher or less.


Hi. Kindly use WES iGPA free calculator for rough estimate. But follow through their main evaluation process for detailed information.
Link: https://applications.wes.org/igpa-calculator/

Hi. You're welcome. To be sincere, I might not be able to tell whether it will result to a higher or lesser version of the estimated figure. But there's room for optimism.

Barigous:
Guys,
I'm looking to start free GRE meetup sessions @Ikorodu, Lagos for 2020 applicants. Anyone interested should send a direct message. Once the venue capacity is reached, then no more. Let us do this together.
#vision2020

Hello. Is this GRE session active? I stay around Ikorodu, Lagos, and I'm interested. Thanks.

Schrodinger1:


While this might be relative, generally, a highly ranked school should fall amongst the Grade A schools, say: A+, A & A-.
They are usually in the Top 30 - 50schools in the US.
Use usnews.com and msinus.com to confirm these categories.

Please Elders, if a school falls within the ranks 150 - 200, is this a red flag in any form?

JejeIsLife:


You should have include your son. You son would have serve as a strong home tie.

The V.O knew your age is beyond B.sc, knowing fully well that you might have done a first degree here in nigeria.

I will advise you to re&apply again and add your son.

Justwise over to you sir.

Based on this event, are there specific age ranges for various degree levels in the US? If yes, kindly state them. Thanks.

Sandrahopes:
Hello everyone. Please who has an idea of what 3.75/5 cgpa would be on a 4 point scale. I would appreciate a response thanks.

Hi. Kindly use WES iGPA free calculator for rough estimate. But follow through their main evaluation process for detailed information.
Link: https://applications.wes.org/igpa-calculator/

urstruly1:
Living in a low trust society that is Nigeria...

It is very refreshing to be able to put ur full trust in a person you have neither seen nor spoken to before, all based solely on Nairaland recommendation and even blindly transfer money to him for a crucial payment of the SEVIS fees, all $350 (a sizable amount at that) and for that person to deliver within the time the person promised... It is rare...

@Walspring thanks alot for your reliable and timely service. Appreciate you..

That's cool

Pefuele:


UPS/FedEx is another means.Shipping is another but very slow and free in schools that offer it.

Please, what is the difference in delivery time between UPS/FedEx and Shipping?

Finally am in the US, its a wonderful world here, I entered through New York and then Transited to Minneapolis from there, Please my best advice is that you should eat before taking off cos them no dey get better food for airplane ooo, keep your I-20 with you at all times, learn to say no to those airport guys asking you for money at every point, one of them even said I should give him dollars when I told him I don't have any Naira with me and also don't mind those making POE sound like one Post Visa Interview, its really very simple, I was asked how long I intend staying and where I was going to, they didn't even ask me to present my connecting flight ticket, the whole process was like 30secs and they just let me lose into the streets of New York straight, things are relatively easier than I imagined. Only thig now is that am still afraid to spend Dollars, I always think twice when I convert the prices to Its Naira Equivalent... 15usd for a plate of pasta that wont even make sense at the end of the day, #5400 just imagine..

That's the naira-to-dollar shock, I guess.

folmus:


Check your prospective schools for minimum TOEFL requirement: most universities require 79 minimum for graduate studies. TOEFL is not used to give any funding but to measure your proficiency requirement. So if you meet the minimum, don't waste money writing another.

The most important is your GRE score. Aim for a very high score.

Good luck!

Are there schools that can fund prospective students without GRE?

TheNoble007:
Visa approved this morning at the Abuja consulate. I was scheduled for the 15th of August, but was fortunate to have rescheduled to 9th of August and do you know that I did that on the 7th of August?

Profile - BSc. ( Hons) Physics from the University of Jos Nigeria ( top of graduating class of 2017), 2 Published papers and abstract. Two awards from the American physical society. GRE physics -91 percentile (s). One Harvard e-print( NASA/SAO).

Funding- merit scholarship of $22,627 + teaching assistant position starting this fall and subsequent semesters. The merit scholarship has nothing to do with the teaching position funding. Course- masters in optics / optical sciences

Interview : window 8, had rejected someone already before I went to meet him..

VO - Good morning, pass me your passport

Me - hope you slept well! Here is my passport and i20

VO- okay why are you going to the City University of New York?

Me- Apart from the fact I was awarded a generous merit scholarship which of course I am grateful for, I chose this school because of the on going research of my..... VO cut in... He was amazed at the scholarship amount.

VO - how did you get this scholarship?

Me - my excellent undergraduate grades, previous research and awards... Cuts in again.

VO - which school did you graduate from?

Me- University of Jos, Nigeria

VO- that's a very good school you know.. I concurred.

VO- okay, what's optical science?

Me- I was surprised at the question, but I went ahead to give him a detailed answer.

VO- from your answer, I must tell you that you are a credible student.

Me- thank you sir.

VO- Great, but you know that New York is very expensive.. I have been there when I went for a burial.. I couldn't hear him clearly.. I don't want you to go and struggle even though you will be given stipends.. So where are you going to stay? Your accomodation? I don't want you to stay in an uncomfortable housing?.... We both laughed and our laughter echoed. Okay I will be approving your visa but I will advice you, make sure you study well, and don't forget to come back home if things go rough... Congrats again on your scholarship.. Then passes the white pick up paper, and the congratulations slip.. Have a great day.

Me- Thank you very much sir.


NB - I really thank Jesus Christ. If you don't believe in God, please I do. He has led me through since my undergrad days and during the demise of my dad. And I believe He will make me perform exploits..May God name be praised.. I wish those who are yet to be interviewed, a successful visa interview...

Amen

yuscodguy:


There are lots of them but I am sure you will not like to apply to school that won't fund you also, if you are not writing GRE for admission please write it because of visa interview. Some VO want to hear that you wrote standardized test.

What if standardized tests were not part of the requirements during application?

calculator123:

Nobody should jump Into a PhD program out of lack of choices.
A PhD is like a full time job where you put plenty hours for meagre pay. If the aim for doing a PhD can be achieved with a Masters, then it would be pointless to do one.
The basic reason should be because you want to extend the boundary of human knowledge. When shit hits the roof, only your "strong why" would keep you going.

Your post got me deep-thinking.

calculator123:

A PhD is a research degree as such one has to have a knack for research.
A PhD is hard to bag, thus you have to have a very very strong "why". Ever wondered why people commit suicide because of it? Even those who finished it just wanted the struggle to be over.
Please and please don't do a PhD because of monetary reasons, do so because you are cut out for research.
This book "PhD grind by Philip Guo" will help you better understand why.

That's True-talk.

TyTos:
Hello guys, i just gained admission, my gre was waived due to coronavirus
I have heard that embassy wont give admission to people who dont write gre. What am i supposed to do now?
I have paid for gre but it was suspended for now

Please where is the source/link to this info?

Brown2Green:

As far as you have deficits put the details of your sponsor.

Only those with ZERO deficits are safe to use School as paying for their Trip.

Okay. Great thanks.

HerMoney:
Hello guys.

I'm new to this particular thread. Please help me out. I have admission for Spring 2020. (January 2 to be precise)

When is the best time to go for my interview, that won't be too early or too late. I am ready to book the interview but I want to know the best time to do so. Your advice will be appreciated.

Thanks Everyone.

Good evening Everyone. Please, is it possible to book an appointment for visa, for a 5-year course starting in 2020 hopefully, with a passport that will expire in 2023?

mzhorlah:
Bowling Green State University

Okay. You're on point. Thanks.

kilankoazeez:


Use niche.com to ascertain that

Thanks Sir

mzhorlah:
Check Bgsu, Ohio. They are currently waiving application fee and test requirements for students.

Please, is it Ohio State University or University of Ohio?

LagosismyHome:


We should always aim to be truthful.... if your dad sister is in the US why did you click no. You should have clicked yes which is truthful and then at the interview explain you are not intouch if asked

How about a distant relative that an applicant has never met, can one consider that as an option?

Sosao:
My sponsor got his statement directly from the bank with the stamp and all
At this point I Don’t know what to think or do cos school resumes very soon and my status was last updated on the day of my interview

Hello. Do VOs accept electronic version of a sponsor's SOA that was printed by the applicant?

Scott200:
you could also take your GTA offer letter to the interview. If it can be updated on your I20 that will be great, you could DHL document before August 6th. dhl takes roughly 4 to 5 days

Please Sir(s)/Madam(s), what's the most affordable and time-saving means of ordering for an I-20 document? Thanks in advance.

acebolted:

Some AP cases last longer because of additional information on the research you'll be taking part in when you get to the US......those cases are taken to Washington DC for verification

Wow! What if there's a sudden change in research interest, after the visa interview, will the applicant be penalized for not communicating the change to the VO?