Yes o, it was God's favour! Thank you. I said one has to be prepared because the interview is not always predictable.

Wealth7:



No matter how one prepares, God is a big factor in visa approval... Ur case is a big example.if u noticed, the Vo’s mind had already been made up u was gonna be approved. Trust me only God can perform such wonder. Stay blessed n enjoy ur studies.

Visa approved on the 4th of august 2018 after first denial, really grateful to God and everyone that has contributed on this thread.

For my first interview, I honestly wasn’t as prepared as I thought, I actually felt like it was going to be very easy to get.

Worst thing after the denial was when I tried to book an appointment and it just seemed impossible. The frustration was not here at all! Imagine the number of times I called them and they kept saying the same thing. My account was even frozen multiple times due to constant checking but thank God that’s all history now.

First interview transcript on the 23rd of may, 2018
VO- Why are you going to the US .
Me : I'm going for my masters in Industrial Engineering at texas A&M - Kingsville
VO : Why Industrial Engineering
Me : - (I think i said a lot of rubbish here) While working as a research assistant at **** and undertaking engineering projects, I realized that optimization would be required to reduce wastages and bla bla.. (i didn't make any sense, trust me)
VO : What kind of research do you do
Me : We research on Manufacturing systems, sustainability...(vo cuts in)
VO : How many schools
Me : 4 schools
VO : Name them
Me : Texas A&M, Purdue, Penn State, Stevens’s institute
VO : Why Tamuk
Me : Tamuk offers a specialization in sustainable manufacturing which is in line with my career interests and I was also awarded a graduate scholarship which made it more affordable for me
VO : Did you take GRE?
Me : Yes i did
VO : Can I see your report?
Me : I don't have it there with me
VO : But you know you should have it with you,
Me : I'm sorry i actually didn't know...
VO : Any relatives in the US ?
Me : Yes, My parents and sis,
VO : What are your parents doing in the US?
Me : My parents are permanent residents (lol, my mistake, i was tensed at this point, that was obviously not an answer to her question)
That was it! She said the usual then said the reason is not because I forgot my GRE report but she feels I have too many ties to the US



2ND interview on 4th August 2018

Interviewed by a very friendly white man at Walter Carrington, Lagos
VO – Good morning how are you doing?
Me: (Smiles) Good morning, I’m doing great, Thanks
VO – Can I have your passport and I-20
(Passes them)
VO - What school are you going to
Me - Texas A & M Kingsville
VO- And what course?
Me - Industrial Engineering
VO - Oh. What was your undergraduate degree and which school?
Me - I studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Covenant University
VO- (Smiles) Great! I think Covenant is one of the tops schools here, they have very good reviews (I just kept on smiling and nodding). How was your stay there, did you enjoy it?
Me - Yes I did
VO - Even with rules and regulations?
Me - Oh that wasn’t a problem for me at all.
VO - (Just laughing and typing stuff) What do your parents do for a living
Me - My dad is a medical doctor, he works with ***** and my mum runs her own business, she has a farm and – (cuts me off)
VO - You said you were going for mechanical engineering?
Me - No it’s industrial engineering
VO - Okay. I can see from your past transcript that your parents are legal permanent residents but I really don’t care about all of that
Me - (finally relieved cos that was my greatest fear), thank you
VO - Does your dad live in the us?
Me - No he doesn’t , he’s a medical doctor here in Nigeria, he only goes for holidays
VO - What are your plans after masters?
Me - I’ll come back to Nigeria to start my career as an industrial engineer and hopefully work in companies like General Electric, P and G.. (VO Cuts in)
VO - (Keeps smiling) How did your parents get their green card?
Me - I really don’t have all the info on that.
VO - (Laughs) Look, I will be issuing you your visa anyways I just want to know that’s all
Me - I’m really not so sure
VO -Did anyone file for them
Me - Probably my sis
VO - (smiles) Oh I see she’s a citizen.
Me - Yes she is
VO -(chuckles) Alright before I issue your visa, why did your parents leave you here, I mean they could have filed for you too
Me - It really wasn’t priority for me then and I didn’t think I would be going to the us
VO - Do you have statements?
(Passes them)
VO - (points at the bank logo) – whose account is this?
Me – It my Mums
VO - She lives in the us ?
Me - Yes.
VO - Oh what does she do?
Me - Sorry, I meant to say no, she’s there for holiday currently, She is still running her business here in Nigeria
VO - Oh she’s the one with the company
Me - Yes
(looks through statement for a while)
Me - (I was a bit tensed so I shouted) – I got a graduate scholarship so I would-( vo cuts in)
VO -(laughing) No need to stress I’ve already approved your visa just checking for something
Me - (Smiling) Okay thank you
VO - (picks up white paper) will you be living with your sis?
Me - At all, she stays in a different state
VO - Let me explain how this is done, you are to have your passport, I-20 and sevis payment, make sure they are together, makes sure you study hard cos it’s not always so easy, enjoy your stay in Texas. (passes white paper) pick up in 3 working days.
That was it people!! God showed me undeserved favor
Special thanks to tolatof, Mackynaija, monoemeks and everyone that contributed in one way or the other.


Lesson learned:
There is nothing wrong with overpreparation lol. Whatever you can do to boost your confidence please do, also don’t be over confident. Pray also for God's favour. It’ll be well for all of us.

Yes you can request for an emergency appointment but there is a low probability that you would get a close date for abuja. I initially selected Sept 19 and requested for an emergency appointment. The earliest date i could pick was 16th August.

Suppy083337:
Good morning nairalanders, pls i want to ask a question on what is not clear to me. I went for my interview last month 6th but i was denied, few weeks later inpaid another visa fee and i was able to pick 18th of this month which was last monday. I got to the stage where they need to check my documents, the lady that check my document said they can not interview me cos ibused the same DS-160 with the first interview i did and she said i need to fill another ds-160 and then schedule for anothet appointment. I paid another visa fee this morning and i tried to schedule appointment but there is a stage where they aske if i was denied in the last two months which i clicked yes, when I clicked yes and to proceed to the stage where i will pick date no date was avaialble. So i changed my interview location to abuja and the available date is 24th of September

My question is: If i pick 24th of september can i use emergency to pick a latest date. Pls help a broda in need of help.

Yep. Few people are having the same issue.

makaba10:
I was denied F1 Visa May 21, 2018 and I have still not been able to book another appointment as I always see "No appointments available", anyone with similar case?

Sirtenburg:




I filled my application yesterday and booked my appointment this morning.. my school is resuming August 30

Thanks. I still can't see any dates, i guess i'll keep checking.

Sirtenburg:



Yes.. I got August 2

Please when did you reapply and which state

No it isn't. I just checked and the earliest appointment date is May 7. It's probably a rumour.

ChristoBam:
Hello guys please is it true that visa interview dates are occupied till August so it's impossible to get an interview till August??

It's the same as what was sent to our emails.

insperyadyou:
please what's the content of the sms

Thanks so much. I'll do both.

Tamad101:
With what I have learnt here, you need to either request for a remark for the writing (for possible upgrade) or rewrite IELTS and aim to score minimum 7 in writing. I hope this helps

Thanks so much. I just recalculated with 7.5 in writing and it suprisingly increased to about 425. I guess that answers my question. I would ask for a remark or probably write it again. I really appreciate your response.

Ethelia:


Aww, did you ask for remark of the writing? You need atleast a 7 in writing to boost your scores. Try calculating your CRS again with 7 in writing and see how high it will go

Good morning all. I just started this process and I've read through the thread. I just want to know if i need to take ielts again.
My ielts score was LSRW - 8886.5
I have just one yeař experience and a sibling in Canada. I calculated my points earlier and it was not even up to 400. Any suggestion will be appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

MackyNaija:

For now, there is very little fund in this department. Zero your mind on that but mechanical and environmental has projects ongoing so they fund their students.

Remember there are limited on-campus jobs here too.

@mackynaija
Please do people get offers for assistantship (research or graduate) before resumption or it has to be after the first semester.

This is wrt industrial engineering program.

Congrats!!

schrisade:
Hello everyone. I refired and to God be the glory my visa was approved on Tuesday by a lady in window 1.
Transcript goes thus:

VO: Good morning
Me:Good morning ma
VO: Why you going to the US
Me: Im going for my Masters in Communication and media studies at Eastern Illinois University.
VO: What's your career goal
Me: To be a communication specialist. I want to be able to identify and develop the best communication strategies to solve communication problems when the need arises.
VO: Y eiu
Me: Cos the curriculum matches my carrier interest. Also, the communication and media studies programme is organized in three academic concentration which is the strategic communication, human communication and cultural studies.The strategic communication aligns with my professional ambition (Vo cuts in STOP)
VO: What's the requirement for the program? The credit hours, the core courses you'ld be doing what and what you would learn. (She was really focused here..we were looking at each other)
Me:A total number of 36 credit is required. I would be taking core courses like Communication theory, communication research methods, communication pedagogy, special topics in communication studies, organizational communication etc. Then I just briefly defined organizational communication and communication pedagogy.
VO: What do u do
Me:I work with a telecoms company
VO: Have you traveled out of the country before
Me: Yes
VO: Whats your highest qualification
Me: Bsc Masscommunication
VO: Who's sponsoring you
Me: My dad
VO: Can I see his statement
Me:I passed it. ( this time around I presented his personal statement and a letter from the bank though I also went with both the company's bank statement I presented the first time but she said she didn't need that)
VO: What's your father's name
Me: I told her
VO: How many siblings do you have
Me: I told her
VO: Do you have any relative in the US
Me: Not an immediate one (just as I filled in my ds-160)
VO: Any friends?
Me: Yes (I mentioned my friend's name and that my friend actually recommended the school being a student there)
VO: Typing....
VO: I would be approving your visa.............and handed over the white paper.

Yes. Definitely.
But since its for application you can send the unofficial transcript (if you have it) as most schools do not require the official transcript until you have been accepted.
Another option is to find a way to get your transcript to yourself probably by using a company you know you can collect your transcript from when paying in your school so you can have a copy which you will use for as many applications.

whandeykoal:
If IL be applying to two schools, will I have to pay for transcript twice for my school to send because it's different destination?

Sorry I'm just seeing this. You have to send your documents as an attachment to the graduate admissions email.

For the transcripts you can mail the unofficial one.

belragazzo:


Good day Ma'am

I have completed my application to TAMUK on the applyweb but I can't seem to find a column where I can upload my SOP, LOR, GRE Score and transcripts.


I checked the graduate catalog for Electrical Engineering department I can't find anything like that too.


Are these documents not required?


And moreover if I'm to mail my transcripts and GRE scores can I mail the unofficial copies pending admission decision or it has to be the official copies all the way?

Many Thanks.

CC: MackyNaija

Congratulations

MackyNaija:
As was said by the 'onye ochas'...

Monday, 18th December 2017 all results would be available online,

...so was it done.

All results were posted to my account around noon, Fall 2017 is done and dusted.

I won the battle, got a perfect GPA.
All the Thanks be to God, I put in my best and he confirmed everything.

It's actually for fall 2018. I'm even shocked they sent the admission letter this early. I just completed my application some days back

MackyNaija:


You are welcome but can you still make it for Spring?

Thanks a lot.

MackyNaija:


Congratulations on your admission.
The tuition waiver came within a week of receiving the admission.
Remain hopeful, that usually award it to people with good profiles coming in for thesis option.

Hey @mackynaija! Been following this thread for a while and i must say "nice write-ups " .
About your instate tuition, did you get information on it together with your admission letter or was it in a separate letter.
I just got a congratulatory email today for industrial engineering but nothing on funding.