₦airaland Forum

Stantiques: Congrats bro ,

How was the toefl test like , wot aspect u like or shud someone concetrate on . I guess u went for MSC rite . I am presently prepaerin for toefl on saturday . I just want a high score .

well concentrate very well on speaking section and writing, cos reading and listening are quite easy if you're not nervous...you don't really need much preparation for toefl...for reading you need speed...most questions will still refer to the passage cos they will ask on every paragraph so it's better you go straight to answering the questions instead of wasting precious time reading the passage many times...use the question to read the passage if you know what i mean, on listening, just get the main points, you can jot if u wish but i'll advice you do more of listening, for speaking just say exactly what the question requests of u...same for writing and i see you scoring more than 103 that i scored cos i fumbled a bit in the speaking segment...the first question said i should talk about a common fashion trend in my country and i talked about the Senegalese fashion being worn by women but had my voice shaking a bit...but i gained myself back in the other 5 speaking questions...just go and write it with boldness...God is with you... i had Reading:26 Listening:26, Speaking: 24 and writing: 27...without any preparation except the sample questions i downloaded from the ets website....All the best friend!

shaanu: Thanks Walex57. I appreciate your response.

Please anyone in da house with a similar experience as concerning the nysc matter can help out..plsss!

Walex57 thanks once more.

well concerning the NYSC matter, one of my friends in Florida right now said he was requested to show his NYSC certificate but i guess that should be in the aspect where there had been a very large margin before you applied to the school, If you applied immediately after you graduated, then you shouldn't have an issue as well 'cos they rarely ask for NYSC certificate. But should incase you're asked why you didn't undertake the NYSC programme, you must look for a convincing excuse ooo...don't tell them you're presently undergoing NYSC cos that may be a chance spoiler!

shaanu: Hello folks. I really appreciate the job you guys are doing...God bless you all.

My visa interview is scheduled for July 9th at 10 a.m in Lagos consulate. I have got almost all my document ready.However I have two pressing issues that I need your help towards. First, while filling the 'parents' details in the ds 160 form, I only inputted my parents' surnames and first names because their second names weren't included in my birth certificate(although they are included in their international passports). Do you think I need to fill another ds 160 form in order to include their second names? Secondly, I am still serving and hope to finish by October but I have to resume for my graduate studies by August.What job experience do I tell the fill into the ds 160 form? Should I state any salary amount or should I just tick 'does not apply'? I am afraid to pull up anything that has to do with NYSC to the VO. Please help...I will really appreciate it.

I don't think your parents middle names should be an issue...are you taking their international passports along with you....then please it's better you tick "does not apply" in the issue of salary for work experience...maybe someone may have a better and brighter idea

leadzeal: Having 103 in teofl is no beans. So I ll say u re good to go. And to add to it, I advice you take a letter from the school indicating that d GRE is waived for u.

As regard sponsor, your mum as a sponsor wud b a gd bait for the VO since this actually indicate a strong tie to ur people at home. Since ur I-20 form don't bear any sponsor identity( but abeg double check d I-20 again) I advice u go with both but pose ur mum as d actual sponsor. The gurus in d house ll have more to add to this.

ok i'll send an email to the school ASAP concerning the GRE waiver..really i've checked my I-20 over twenty times sef...this is a brief on what was is on item 8:
a. stdent's personal funds $ 0.00
b. Funds from this school $ 0.00
c. Funds from another source $ Amount
Specify type: Sponsor
d. On- campus employment $0.00
Total $ Amount.

liteville: I also feel greatly indebted to come back here and say thank you to everyone who has at anytime contributed to this forum. I really can't count the number of times I've spent on this particular thread digesting the information in there. I read almost the entire thread starting from the "1st season" and of course the efforts have paid off. I went for my visa interview on Monday and it was approved. Below is the excerpt of the interview;

I had a little challenge before my interview. All applicants were being given a slip as we entered and we were being called for the document verification, biometrics and interview in a definite order. When I finished my biometrics and was waiting to be called for the interview, my number was skipped, I thought it was just an oversight so I didn't budge initially, but after about 6-7 people (whose number were after mine) did with my own name not called, I went to the woman who did the verification and she directed me to go to one window, where I was later directed to another window for my interview.

VO: Why have you chosen to go to the US for your studies?
Me: Because the US has a proven track record when it comes to educational advancement and they also have an excellent reputation in research activity

VO: How did you hear about the school?
Me: I came across one of their publications when I was preparing for my undergraduate research and besides a senior colleague is presently studying there.

VO: So you're working, where do you work?
Me: Told her the name of the company

VO: In what capacity
Me: Told her

VO: So how do you intend to pay for your fees
Me: Told her I got a graduate assistantship and my uncle will be paying for the rest

VO: Can I see your uncle's bank statement (before she completed the statement, she changed her mind and asked if I sat for any exam to qualify for the award and she requested to see them)
Me: Told her I sat GRE and TOEFL

VO: Did you apply to other schools?
Me: Yes, 4 other schools

VO: Mention them
Me: I did (thereafter, she said the schools I mentioned were rather random) and I explained that they're not random, that they all have something in common, and that's a lot of expertise in my research area ( I mentioned the research area)

VO: she chuckled; I really don't know what your research area is all about anyway.

You can go and pick up your visa on Friday, sorry Thursday.
Me: I said 'thanks' and I left her window.

PS: A black American lady interviewed me. When I got there initially, she was in charge of biometrics. A couple of friends said she'd interviewed some people earlier and that she was rather nasty.

I've heard a lot of stories before I went for my interview and I must confess it's really not as scary as it seems outside. (the interview wasn't up to 5 mins) Those who couldn't express themselves clearly were denied (not like my responses flowed well, but I was able to articulate myself and I think my responses made sense) Besides studying nairaland night and day, I made a list of my own possible questions and my own responses and virtually all the questions were asked based on the one I prepared for myself.
Also, my TOEFL had expired when I went for the interview but that was the TOEFL I used to secure the admission so I felt there was no need to take another one.
Another thing is, it's been repeated times without number, the importance of writing standardized tests (GRE and TOEFL; mind you that was the only document that was requested for me), I believe it shows your academic seriousness especially if you have a good score. You may be asked and you may not, but why would you want to take chances. The only exception to this rule would be, if you have a very very good transcript (and I'm talking 1st class students here) that may be convincing as to why your GRE was waived. In my own opinion, very few good schools would give you admission without GRE and the consular officers know this as well.
Lastly, God's favor is very important, I guess one can't ask enough for this. Prepare and pray well, and I believe you'll also have a good story to share at the end of the day.
To the old and new contributors -- gongo aso, superbrain, ojap, aroy1, impreriouxx, davidylan and so many others, thank you very much.

Congrats guy ...which consulate were u interviewed?
@gboyegaD, Leadzeal and Imperiouxx.....i wrote only TOEFL and scored 103 but didn't write GRE because the school didn't require it from me....i dunno if that will be a factor...also on my i-20 form it wasn't specified who my sponsor was and so i wanna switch to my mum as my sponsor...i used my uncle's account when applying to the school...or do i used both accounts cos on my ds-160 form i chose my mum as who will pay for my trip....i also wanna know if this won't pose any problem....thanks guys for your supports.

leadzeal: Dude u ve to select d date first b4 clicking on the re-scheduling button or whatever it is called. But d issue of it logging u out immediately, that I can't tell.. My next suggestion is to go ahead and make an emergency appointment.

It has opened and i've booked september 6 and clicked on the icon that i should be automatically rescheduled to an earlier date and i pray it works 'cos d date on my i-20 is august 27... if it doesn't i'll wait till my i-20 is 60 days to expire and i'll book for an emergency date cos my school is not accepting application for spring 2013 so i may not be able to defer it till then...please any other advice please...cos i'm confused.

GboyegaD: I would suggest you read around page 50 on this thread where someone talked about system doing some automatic fixation of earlier available space. I think that should help.

Thanks but i've been trying to book for a while now only for the portal to automatically log me out once i get to the aspect in which i'm to choose a date.... what do i do please?

Pls what do i do....my i-20 has august 27 as my date but on booking an appointment the dates avilable in lagos are in september and in abuja are in october...Please anyone who wanna assist me on how to get an earlier date say august 23 or 24....please it's urgent......