AdilB990

Hey Lex, it turned out to be a very smooth ride. The interview was pretty straightforward. Took no more than 5 minutes. As far as I recall, the interviewer asked me about the university I would be attending, why I chose it, the field I would be pursuing, and how I plan to cover the cost. She did ask for my bank statement (which I duly handed to her), but she barely took a glance at it and gave it back to me. I have been to the US once before (in 2011), so she asked me about that as well. But nothing in detail. And that was it. She was smiling throughout, while I didn't show any signs of nervousness or hesitation, so that probably helped too. All in all, I received my passport with the visa stamp just 5 days after the interview!

I will be starting my MS in Transportation Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech this Fall! Will be great to hear from someone here who's also heading to Blacksburg?

First of all, congratulations on an exceptional score! Getting a maximum in Quant is no small achievement, you should be proud. Moving on, your score will be exactly the same as this, don't worry. I'm from the same field as you, and I can assure you that this score has the potential to get you into some top-notch schools. But of course, you'll have to make sure the rest of your application materials (SoP, LoR's etc) are as solid as your GRE score. Also, the fact that you intend to go for PhD ultimately will be another plus point for potential admission commitees. If you're a non-native English speaker like myself, then try to get a score above 102 or 103 in TOEFL; it will further boost your credentials. Having said that, it is never easy to predict one's chances. Anyways, before the application season starts, have clear goals that you want to achieve through graduate school. Best of luck!

LOL... Indeed it could. But since we're supposed to act like adults here, let's not.

Thanks for the feedback, random17. You're right, the best way for a smooth passage through immigration is to ensure that every device is charged enough (if not fully charged) to be turned on if required.

Hi everyone, I'll be flying out to the US very soon. I was wondering if there are any new travel regulations that I should be aware of? BTW is it true that all electronic devices (phones, laptops, tablets etc) are now accessed and screened by customs officials on US bound flights? Thus meaning that every passenger is expected to charge all such devices before boarding! Thanks, Adil

That's great, I took a couple of months off from work (don't ask me how ) for GRE preparation and my SoP. It helped a lot, I don't think I would've managed otherwise. I'm sure you'll be able to make the best of this time. As for Virginia Tech, you should definitely apply! It has a very strong engineering pedigree and is highly regarded not only in the US, but internationally as well. To be honest, I don't know much about their geotechnical faculty, but rest assured it'll be good. One of my classmates from bachelor's went for an MS in geotechnical back in 2008; he only has great things to say about VT! So if you ask me, go for it.

In that case, you're doing it the same way as me. I'm hoping to get some sort of financial assistance from the 2nd semester onward; but of course that entirely depends on how I perform in the 1st semester. Fingers crossed! With deadlines approaching, how's the progress on your application materials?

Oh okay, my bad. Maybe I'm confusing UIC and UC. Well, it already seems like a long time back when I applied. But I'll try to recall what I can. As you are aware, the obvious drawback of applying in Spring is that there are limited options. However, there are still a number of well-known engineering schools that do offer admission. If you're not applying thru a scholarship (like me) then, in my opinion, there is a bigger issue when opting for Spring intake: As far as I know, all TA-ships, and most RA-ships, are allocated in the Fall semester since universities receive their grants at the beginning of the academic year. This is true for most state universities to the best of my knowledge. I think NYU is a private school, so their policy might be different. You might want to look into, and contact, your potential schools to be absolutely sure.

Qasim, now that I've gone through the application process myself, I can probably share a few things from experience. Your scores are pretty good but it's almost impossible to predict how they will be interpreted. Having said that, if you can improve on your GRE Quantitative, that'll make you a stronger candidate. The response from ahlatsiawa is spot on: SOP and LOR's have greater weightage when one's application package is being assessed by the admission committee. But then again, it's not easy to predict how these admission committees work. They are an enigma, I tell you. Another bit of advice: apply to at least 5 schools; more if you can manage. That'll give you a school to fall back on. Btw, are you sure that UIC has a civil engineering school? When I was applying last Spring, I was interested in applying there (since I have relatives in Chicago) but, if I remember correctly, it doesn't have a civil engineering faculty. Anyways, best of luck as you begin this journey! I hope you achieve what you set out to do, Insha Allah.

Hardly any activity in this thread, so I'll do the honours. I'm heading to VT this fall. I've been away from academics for over 7 years now; which makes me feel very nervous and excited at the same time. Starting graduate school is a pretty big deal and the fact that I'm an international student makes it even more daunting. But still it feels great, I can't wait to reach Blacksburg. It'll be awesome to hear from others, like me, who're joining this fall or are already studying there. Adil

You have nothing to worry about. Your own account has $50K which is significantly more than your first-year expenditure (~$35K). They don't ask for the total cost of study, the amount mentioned on your Form I-20 is the one you need to be aware of. My first year cost is approximately $37,000, while the bank statements I provided summed up to $48,000. Didn't have any problem during the interview. Best of luck!

Let me add my experience as well. Despite the anxiety beforehand, it was very straightforward. I was asked about 6 or 7 questions and the interview lasted less than 5 minutes. The Consular Officer asked for my bank statement(s). She took a brief glance and finished off the interview with: "Everything is in order. Your visa will be issued and you'll receive your passport within the next 5 working days." I am so relieved that it's done and over with. Amazingly, the whole process took only an hour or so. Best of luck to those yet to appear!

Hello everyone! I have a query for those living in Blacksburg for some time. What is the average amount you spend on groceries/meals per month? I know everyone has different eating habits but I just need an approximate figure. (I'm an international student, thus need maximum feedback so that I can make a proper budget for my stay there.) Thanks in advance. Adil B.

Hi guys, I'll be appearing for my interview soon. I've seen a post in the other thread where a person's visa was rejected on account of failure to convince (or show enough evidence to) the interviewer on how his 2nd year of study will be funded. I'm starting to feel extremely anxious and uneasy since I haven't been offered any TA/RA-ship! Having said that, I'm fairly confident of getting some form of financial assistance from the 2nd semester onward. But looking at the situation described above, it seems that this answer will not be good enough for the consular officer. I should mention that my financial documents will cover a little over 2 semesters of study. However, I do not intend to (nor can I afford to) burden my family beyond the 1st semester. One aspect which makes me feel optimistic is that the school I'm heading to, Virginia Tech, does receive ample research grants, especially for the field I'll be pursuing. Anyhow, what should I do for the interview? I've already left my job and thus cannot fathom a visa rejection! Graduate school is a must at this point in my life and my career. Your tips and feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Adil

Hi guys, I'll be appearing for my interview soon. Looking at the post from Pinaman here, I'm starting to feel extremely anxious and uneasy since I haven't been offered any TA/RA-ship! Having said that, I'm fairly confident of getting some form of financial assistance from the 2nd semester onward. But looking at Pinaman's situation, it seems that this answer will not be good enough for the consular officer. i should mention that my financial documents will cover just under 3 semesters of study. However, I do not intend to (nor can I afford to) burden my family beyond the 1st semester. One aspect which makes me feel optimistic is that the school I'm heading to, Virginia Tech, does receive ample research grants, especially for the field I'll be pursuing. Anyhow, what should I do for the interview? I've already left my job and thus cannot afford a visa rejection! Your tips and feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Adil

Hello cheme2014 and samsales, Did you guys visit Blacksburg/VT? If so, I'd love to hear your feedback regarding housing and about the town in general. Thanks.

Good one, PhDerp!

First of all, congratulations on your success! With 5 acceptances already, I have a feeling it won't be easy for you to decide where to go. It's a good kind of headache, I say. I was only a novice about the whole application process when I joined this forum last year. And being an international applicant made it even more difficult. But as I scoured the threads and talked to others, I learned more and more about SOP's, LOR's, weightage of GRE scores etc. On my own, my SOP would've been mediocre - but with the guidance from some wise people here, I managed to improve it considerably. Furthermore, I came to know that the admission committees look at the application package as a whole. So, for instance, if you have a poor GPA, you can always make up for it by improving other areas of your application. In other words, GradCafe gave me hope when I was struggling, and that's no small achievement! As a result of all that, I managed to get into one of the top engineering schools in the US. So, a big thank you to GradCafe and all those who helped me out. PS. This feels like our Oscar's speech moment.