ponpon:
Those who have written the Gre, is it compulsory I pick 4 schools on the day of the exam for my scores to be sent or I can do that at my own convenient time, because I want to base my applications on my Gre score?.

Hi...You don't lose anything sending your scores on test day. You aint bound to apply or study in those schools sef. It just save you the cost ($108 to send that same scores to 4 different schools after the test day -$27 per school). So research some schools b4 test day-from average to top schools- mayb 2 "safe" schools and 2 "dangerous" schools.

MsNas:
@Topic:

Like I always say, America is what you make it out to be. Some people chose to see a glass half full, while some prefer to see it as half empty. It is what you make it to be. I know some of the issues I am gonna raise is over-flogged... but irrespective. I am gonna use myself as an example, therefore I will refer to myself a lot in this post.

1. Nobody said its easy. This is the same reasons why I tell people I know (on and off NL) to remove their rose colored glasses before entering America. Trust me, you will have it very very rough at the beginning. Make up your mind to start from the barest bottom of the food chain here and don't expect to be living the high life 1-2 years after getting here. I got here with no funding, cos I had conditional offer as I was switching from a Physics undergrad major to an IT graduate major. I was not supposed to get funding until I did my prerequisite courses and that should take me 1 and a half years. I paid my first semester fees no hassles, but because I knew getting funding for the next semester is gonna make my educational pursuits easier, I got good grades, pressed my graduate advisor, and while that one ran me around in circles, I pressed the graduate school. Point is I never gave up, I eventually got funding (almost 100% and I had just completed 1/4 of my prerequisite course) and my life became simpler. All these while, I never longed to buy a car (my friends were buying), never longed for vacations to Puerto Rico (people around me were going), I was simply focused on getting up the food chain. I have survived on $500 a month before (housing, bills, and to do fine girl o ). Be prepared to manage for at least the duration of your grad school or education. I rarely ate out when I was in Arkansas and when I do, its $8 Chinese takeout. The people there know me and my friends. Lmao. Anybody who knows me on this thread knows I am an advocate of "Bring plenty food from Nigeria".

The food I brought saved me most of the time cos I barely spent $70 on groceries every month. I never used to eat at fancy restaurants then, unless I go visit my Oga at the top . I learned how to live within my means. I learned to hunt for bargains and sales. I learnt how to look good but not live beyond my means and run into credit card debt. Where to buy a Micheal Kors coat that retails for $350 for $70 brand new, where to shop for the cheapest groceries, how to cut my utility bills and not have too much to pay at the end of the month, where to buy designer apparel for 1/10 of the original retail price. I learned and learned and those practices got me through the days when I have little or nothing and is also helping me with my savings.

2. I know this has been said before, but I would repeat it. People in certain majors have it easy, but they certainly don't get things handed to them on a platter of gold. This is no fiction, but I applied to more than 150 jobs before landing one. I would mention some monikers at this point ..... people like vivvysparkles, FideliaJohn and co that I came here with had it tough, but they eventually got great paying jobs with superb benefits after months of looking hard. They didn't relent and they were rewarded. even if you are not majoring in the so called hot majors, make yourself employable. I have seen some Nigerians on F-1 visa applying to jobs here with the Nigerian style of resume (date or birth, state of origin, religion. etc) Who does that? Which employer will take a second look at those kind of resumes?

3. Don't be stuck in your comfort zone. Most people that I know here went to school in one state and got jobs in another state. They looked for jobs outside of the state they studied in. They didn't get too comfortable. Do not concentrate your job search in one state and do not be afraid of change. Change might be what you need to get what you want.

4. Prepare to cry, prepare to be frustrated but prepare not to give up. I have been frustrated and angry after I kept getting reject upon rejects from jobs I applied to, I had wanted to give up but I could not afford to. One tip I always give to people is "Until you get what you want, you can afford to give up" When I was applying to those jobs, I would get as much as 8 "We are sorry" emails in a day. At some point, I even got angry and decided to stop applying. But I came here to win, I came here to survive and that is exactly what I am gonna do.

5. Ask for opinions. Ask people who know more than you and they can give you pointers. No man is an island of their own and some people know way more than we do. One of the things I am most grateful to is having someone who always was ready to go the extra mile for me with advise, counselling, resume help, interview pointers.... anything! You name it. Find someone to be your sounding board. Someone to bounce ideas off of and you will gain a lot. I never knew one could have a full time job(not internship), be a full time F-1 student, hold a full time graduate assistantship and not even be in the same state your school is located. I am doing that right now and I wouldn't be able to do that if I had not sought advice from people who knew better than me and could offer concrete advises on the way to go.

6. I saw someone complaining about racism. Lmao. You must be joking. We are NIGERIANS!. Racism is a small thing compared to tribalism and we are the grandmasters of tribalism. I went to school in the bible belt of Southern US (google it) where racism is at its peak, but I refuse to be daunted. I don't even think I pay any mind to it. There has been issues where people have been racist to me, I simply call them out on it, refused to acknowledge it or simply cannot be bothered. Who cares? I have other things to think of than to be thinking of racism. Someone even complained about the cold, lmao. We call one of my friends masquerade because of the way she dresses in the winter. Bundle up oga or madam, you're complaining about cold, people in Naija are complaining about excess heat. Be content.

7. Pray like never before. You sure do need it. Prayers bring good luck and we sure do need that to survive in America. If I tell you the story of one of my friends who also happens to be a Nairalander, you will marvel at the glory of the Almighty!! The person is doing so great now, you will not believe that's his/her story. Prayers have saved me many times.

8. Set realistic goals for yourself and don't "look face" so to speak. When I came here, I walk everywhere I went, my school city had no public transport and I had no car. What would I do? Make good use of my God given car aka my legs! If you see me walking around in the crazy Arkansas sleet, snow or rain, you will pity me. I even used that to keep my weight in check. Lol. I had friends who had cars, bought cars months after we entered America. I know people that got cars from car dealers and were paying monthly, but I am not here to keep up with the Jones, I won't put myself in financial distress just so I could belong. Let the people at home know your condition, don't pretend. If you pretend to be rich and having a ball in America, they will keep asking you for stuff and how many people you wan explain to for Nigeria that all those your Facebook pictures is just packaging? Infact, I deleted more than 400 people off my Facebook when I moved here. I don't need unnecessary stress or demands in my life

One problem with Nigerians is that they expect to enter America and magically things will start to fall into place. Wrong. even natural born citizens have it worse. You can't walk if you don't crawl. You have to fight double or even triple hard to get your foot in the door and trust me, you will forget the days o. Also, cultivate the habit of saving, even if it's $50 a month while a student. That way, it will be easy to save and not get caught up with the good life after you graduate, get a job and start earning them big bucks. That way, you won't end up like those people who have spent decades in the USofA with nothing to show for it. If you are lucky to have trusted people in Nigeria, invest some of those savings back home, real estate is easy money in Nigeria. I'd even advise on taking advantage of the current naira/dollar price in Nigeria and invest back home. $1K will fecth you nothing less than 300K in Naija right now, think about it. You will have something to fall back on if at all there is need to relocate after a while.

I bless the day I decided to quit my job and made the decision to move here, my life is much better, if I had stayed back in Nigeria, I will also be in the same rat race. I am not a millionaire neither do I have a fat bank account but my quality of life is much better. I was in Nigeria in December and I saw things first hand. If you don't have someone to get you in the door in Nigeria, OYO is your case. How many people are making it big and hammering millions on a day to day basis back home? Less than 5%. Majority are living paycheck to paycheck, and that's the fact. If you don't have someone to give you a job, or give you a contract, 80% are gonna end up with a job that pays less than 150K a month. That's even if you get the job sef. I graduated college in 2009 and I know a lot of my former classmates who are working extremely low paying jobs or even with no jobs at all.

Sorry for the long epistle.

Hello, pls reply; I sent you an email. Thanks.

Not a "sauce"' but you guys may not be contacted till Q4; resumption 2017 for a "selected few".

oganlalasokun:
Hello gurus,
I visited stanbicIBTC bank today and asked about how much rate they charge if I use their bank MasterCard in the US. I was told they will charge the normal rate of 199 naira per dollar with a maximum monthly withdrawal limit of $750 cash on ATM. Can is be true ? I mean 199 naira/dollar ?

Scam of the season!!! Those bankers are 419; they will not tell u all that it entails but I can tell you for sure, u can't withdraw from ATM in the US at #199 to a dollar, irrespective of which bank u use.

asadiaboymma:
Hello everyone!

Please those that travelled recently I have a question.

Please is it still required to carry some amount of dollars from Nigeria to US?

I ask because my friend is confused since GTB told him that he could use his ATM card there to do normal transactions.

Besides banks no longer sell dollars.
He also wants to know if it won't be an issue at the airport
Please suggest what he can do.



Please we need help on this regards urgently

TIA.

[color=#006600][/color]
If he can get cash, even up to the max of $10000, let him/her do. These banks wont tell u somethings; its when you get here that you will realize that there are some other subtle charges wen u transact here or use ATM here. Also at the current dollar exchange, its not economical at all.

armo:

Thanks bro..its newjersy institute of technology, they dont provide funding fr the first semester tho, perhaps from 2nd hopefully, we'll gt assistantships..

Congratulations and welcome to New Jersey(The Garden City).

This is a milestone @sirridy. Generations upon generations will find this piece immensely insightful and helpful. Great work. God bless u. U can pm wen u arrive the state.

warriboy21:

like i said..if u hv us licence u can get 240dolls for 6months...n sometimes it depends on d car...some newer models hv higher insurance...like my last insuraance i paid was 75/month..ie state farm insurance..but now dat i got us licence de r offering 50dolas/month but i priced it.because i want 40 or lower .de sed no that de dont price in d us..(rubbish )..so im quiting for a new company dis month end...

der r so many insurance company..just google

Hello guy, I PM u; pls check ur email.

femi321:
Hello, so I just thought of giving those preparing for GRE an advice..its not okay to just be preparing for GRE alone and not do INTENSIVE research and shortlist schools you will want to apply to so that you can send your scores to them on the test date for free. Dont waste those '4 free' slots to send scores on the test date like I did, this will save you cash. I remember I did research and shortlisted schools I will like to apply to but it wasnt intensive enough. it was after I had taken GRE I realised I can/wont apply to thoses schools due to one preference, reason etc. so inshort I ended up not applying to any of the 4 schools I sent my scores to and I am sure you know the implication (had to send to the schools I applied to at a cost, and dollar Naira exchange rate no be beans). Merry Christmas and happy New year in advance. Special shout out to sirriddy ..thank you brother for the year..i owe you

You are right guy. No need to waste that free 4 slots. Do ur homework well so that you will have schools handy on the exam day. You shld also have reserve schools in case ur scores don't turn out as u expect. Goodluck to those writing soon.

Hi everyone and compliment of the season. Thank God the semester is over so I can add a bit of information/experience here. B4 I came here, I used to be angry when I read that u will be question at the poe if u arrive latter than the date school resumes, even if its a day or a week; that one could be deprived of visa because of this also. By my experience in Nigeria, lectures dnt start sometimes 2-3weeks into a semester. Sometimes we call friends frm home to confirm things b4 we resume. To my dismay, it is not so here. B4 d semester commences, there is already a schedule of classes, who and who is to take any course, course registration etc. Infact I hv the calender of schedules for my school up to 2018. First week of lectures and u already have loads of assignment; 3-4 weeks into a semester, u hv midterm exams. Infact, ur final exam may just b 30-40% of your total score for the semester. There is no time to catch up or u knw, wait till end of semester, jack ursef like mad and still pass and rack-up good grades. So if u dnt start the semester frm the first day, u may be in for a shocker.

For me, it was double if not multiple stress, cause I virtually knw NOBODY wen I arrived. I had to get accomodation, furnish it and settle in b4 the semester commences. So if u are coming in the spring, or whenever, come in time, settle quickly and begin with others. Dnt stretch the yuletide to 15th, 20th etc of January and start rushing things. (NOTE: Am not saying u shld come 5months b4 school resumes or flaunt the 30days rule or whatever).

To all genuine visa hopefuls, favour will smile at you and you will get ur visa.

Merry Christmas.

Hi everyone and compliment of the season. Thank God the semester is over so I can add a bit of information/experience here. B4 I came here, I used to be angry when I read that u will be question at the poe if u arrive latter than the date school resumes, even if its a day or a week; that one could be deprived of visa because of this also. By my experience in Nigeria, lectures dnt start sometimes 2-3weeks into a semester. Sometimes we call friends frm home to confirm things b4 we resume. To my dismay, it is not so here. B4 d semester commences, there is already a schedule of classes, who and who is to take any course, course registration etc. Infact I hv the calender of schedules for my school up to 2018. First week of lectures and u already have loads of assignment; 3-4 weeks into a semester, u hv midterm exams. Infact, ur final exam may just b 30-40% of your total score for the semester. There is no time to catch up or u knw, wait till end of semester, jack ursef like mad and still pass and rack-up good grades. So if u dnt start the semester frm the first day, u may be in for a shocker.

For me, it was double if not multiple stress, cause I virtually knw NOBODY wen I arrived. I had to get accomodation, furnish it and settle in b4 the semester commences. So if u are coming in the spring, or whenever, come in time, settle quickly and begin with others. Dnt stretch the yuletide to 15th, 20th etc of January and start rushing things. (NOTE: Am not saying u shld come 5months b4 school resumes or flaunt the 30days rule or whatever).

To all genuine visa hopefuls, favour will smile at you and you will get ur visa.

Merry Christmas.

Happy bday Slimmy. Wishing the very best as u begin another glorious year. Hip...Hip...Hip...Hurray!!!!!

Walspring:


Sorry if you think my post is too harsh but most times my post is to wake them up from their sleep and most of their post will surely bring one or more excuses which you and I are all aware of the truth behind it unless if we don't want to say it .

But let me break it down this way; assuming she is planning to further more in Nigeria will she accept it when that person asked her to go and learn language for months before going to poly or university

Am sure she will want to attend poly or university here in Nigeria if I am not wrong and the only reason why she accepted to study language for months is because the person told her that it's cheap and affordable..

Sometimes not all advice(s) are good to what we want although it helps to open our understanding more and more, but we need to use our instinct and it's not about age because age is not wisdom and majority of people when they are still in secondary school like her age as you said wanted and planned to attend university to become medical doctors, lawyers, accountant, engineering and so on because I could recall those essay writing we usually write about future ambition, best friend, best food and so on during 1st, 2nd and 3rd term exams in secondary school days and through that majority of us started our plans to go to poly or university and not to learn language for months in a university

Don't be surprise when she post again and said that's not what I wanted but the person asked me to go for it and convince me that it's good, cheap and it's the best just like someone who want to apply for university and someone asked and adviced him or her to apply to CC that's it's cheap and affordable and take it to embassy when that is not the person wish and plans, also same applicable to someone that wants to apply for business administration course he or she knew is capable of doing with his or her ability but someone advice and convince him or her to apply for nursing or other course that he or she knew that she can't cope.

Sorry to say this I believe her parent won't allow her to go and learn language for few month in the US first but rather asked her to learn it as degree or take her to the country where that's the official language to go and learn for months


Let us imagine justwise the oga for this thread is going to USA to learn Indian or Chinese as language for months and not 4 years, if you are VO won't you think that he is not genuine with his application but assumed that he is an intending migrant

once more sorry if my posts are harsh but it might be controversial because hardly you will see my post to be harsh on people here and I don't usually take some post serious at first because they don't say the truth but later on they start confessing

I understand u bro, am just saying it generally to everyone here. Sometimes, pple ask asinine questions dat u are tempted to abuse dem (and even slap dem off the thread if its possible), however, we shld always apply caution and restraint. You knw dat even some veterans here(let me not mention names but we knw) have asked some "silly" questions dat I had to scroll up to see who asked such questions only to discover, to my bewilderment, that its "an agba" that has pooed. Every1 will just stroll by as if they didnt perceive the stench frm such poo. No one is an island and nobody knw pass.

Walspring:


Is that person an agent

That person didn't like you at all and you are too gullible to have listened to him..

Pls guys, lets tread softly. Some comments are demeaning and are scaring people from seeking help or asking questions(even when such questions are worthwhile). For crying out loud, she said she just finished from secondary school...I wonder how much we knew when we were at her age!!!

marshal02:


Havard Bawo? You wan pay 50,000 USD in tuition cost alone for me? Even if that kain money dey self, they still won't admit me Jare. Except Havard don get less privilege program. Lol. (nah joke ooh).

, You na big guy na!!!

kellycute:
Happy birthday to myself kellycute. Thank you Lord God.

Happy bday to you. WYLLAP.

DARKLIGHT:


Hi, Denvan! How are you doing? I will be coming to New Jersey this week. How's school?

That's great. I can't wait to see you!!!!

Congratulation Rolaesh... But that VO should be careful o... somebody may hv fainted by the hearing of the forbidden word "UNFORTUNATELY" b4 she would correct herself.

DanjaNinja:
Hi all, please, let me first apologize for the late post but i finally posted my visa interview here: https://www.nairaland.com/2557843/general-u.s.a-student-visa-enquiries-part/109#40196487

would post my experience in america soon.

Your transcript is wahhh!!!!. Make sense...very informative, educative and entertaining. Wafferians...YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE...

Warri. Dia Fada!
Warri. Dia Fada!
Warri. Dia Fada!

[/quote]
My guy, dis transcript is wahhh!!!!. Make sense....informative, educative and very entertaining. Wafferians...YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE...

topejohnson72:

If u are sure u passed your English language subject and without orijo, at least, at the level of O"level, u will realise that I am not actually travelling with my absconded wife and kids...... Read my texts very well and ensure u can read and understand English language well.
However, responsible people on this forum advices that I should travel before my visa expires and besides, myself and 2 of my friends are making is trip, or did I mention any kids/minor ?
Always read well and clearly before u make unreasonable judgement

Mr Man, u better get out of this thread b4 I lay a cause on you!!! Do you think everyone here is a fool

Cephas0009:


Of course, it definitely has to be with their card.. I have also changed my address to d billing address of my card, it still didn't work

Just a suggestion...check to ensure that you have sufficient balance on the card/acct. I also had similar problem; thought it was the address...changed and rechanged several times but to no avail, until my friend checked his acct balance. It was only the money I sent to his acct that was there and u knw there are surcharges aside the actual amount you want to pay.

Goodluck.

For those of us that want to create paypal acct, here is a web page I used when I was to open mine. And it worked perfectly. Just follow the instruction. Note: I can't get the page info, I just saved it on my laptop. But I think if you type "How To Open Paypal Account" on google, you should get something useful.

slimmy05:
Yes you can, the last payment I made was on a Sunday at Kroger western union. Maximum 48hrs

Hello bro, Please send me your number; I just sent u an email. Thanks

You mean "...applying for Fall 2016"?

Abigalbee98:
Kudos to d gurus in da ous......my quest i::::::
(1)is it compusory to liv in campus for under-g student......(2) can i work in my second year or semester if d school dnt allow freshman to work in first year....
(3)can i liv off school campus afta my first year....will b glad if any1 can reply to my msg

My answers...
(1) It is not compulsory.
(2) I dnt knw of any sch where there are restrictns to freshman work, so if ur sch is restricting freshmen, u may have to contact sbd in ur sch dat is not a freshman.
(3) If it is not compulsory as a freshman, then u can live off campus at any time.

I think we are not starting this thread (PART EIGHT, on the right note. How do we think a first timer to this part 8 will react base on the comments thus far!!! Lets tread with caution. All the best GREAT MINDS.

ddbluv:


Are you an account holder or they sell to anybody

Only to their customers; I hv acct with dem.

HoneyBronzed:


Hi do you have a naira master card on your account? Cos I dey bank now and they said they can't give me cos I have a naira master card.

I just got it today after I made the exchange yesterday. I got it so I can use it in US. However, I dnt think dey shld decline giving u in cash just because u hv a master card!!! At least u gat hold a few dough to get one or two things wen u get there.