Howdy my peeps
Bet everyone's wondering how the interview turned out for me. Hmm..............not quite like I expected. Anyway, here's how it played out.
The interview was quite intense. The interviewer stated that she had concerns about my transcript because I submitted a copy which was stamped "STUDENT'S COPY" and she said that, from what she had been told, universities in Nigeria DO NOT give out student copies of transcripts to graduates. I told her they would BUT ONLY on request and they usually would not give out more than one copy to the student. In addition, it is stamped STUDENT'S COPY so that the recipient would not be able to use it to process applications for higher degrees or post-graduate diplomas.
She then proceeded to grill me about courses I wrote in my first year, my research project in the university, subjects I found difficult. Unfortunately, I mentioned two courses which I had intended to write as electives but which I had to drop as I had a bout of ill health during the semester as courses which I had written. It was after the interview that I remembered that I had ended up not registering those courses and therefore they would not be listed in my transcript! I went back in to inform her about my mistake and she promised to include that as part of her report. I stressed to her that the transcript was genuine and I had not doctored it and I invited her to carry out a security check on the document to confirm its genuineness. I also asked her to highlight any other concerns she may have about my application as I would not want to shoot myself in the foot (my very words) but she said that was the only concern she had.
She also asked me about my employment history as well as my reasons for switching jobs when I did. She asked for my complimentary card which I did not have with me (as it was not SPECIFICALLY requested for) but I told her that I had my office ID CARD which she said was not necessary for her to see. In addition, she stated that I did quite well in my IELTS exam which she found unusual as, according to her, most SINGLE APPLICANTS do NOT score that number of points for English proficiency. I found that slightly disturbing and I hope that it has not engendered any bias with regards to my application and how it is being assessed.
I have to say that I found the experience quite disturbing because I would imagine that a security check ought to have been carried out on my transcript or any other document which I submitted along with my application BEFORE I was invited for an interview. Having had the application rejected erroneously in the past, I am surprised that such a concern was not addressed specifically before the interview date. The interviewer did not request any specific document from me with regards to the application. She only stated that she would present her report to the visa officer who would take a decision on my application.
Well, my representatives have written to them asking that the visa office do not reject my application until the transcript has been verified/checked out. I've also asked someone in my school to help me process another transcript to be sent directly to the visa office.
So that's it. I'm still waiting to hear what their decision is going to be.
Congrats to Boljet once again (we were in Ghana together and it was a lovely period) and to the recently awarded PRs. I pray the rest of us will experience their joy as ours too and very soon.
Bet everyone's wondering how the interview turned out for me. Hmm..............not quite like I expected. Anyway, here's how it played out.
The interview was quite intense. The interviewer stated that she had concerns about my transcript because I submitted a copy which was stamped "STUDENT'S COPY" and she said that, from what she had been told, universities in Nigeria DO NOT give out student copies of transcripts to graduates. I told her they would BUT ONLY on request and they usually would not give out more than one copy to the student. In addition, it is stamped STUDENT'S COPY so that the recipient would not be able to use it to process applications for higher degrees or post-graduate diplomas.
She then proceeded to grill me about courses I wrote in my first year, my research project in the university, subjects I found difficult. Unfortunately, I mentioned two courses which I had intended to write as electives but which I had to drop as I had a bout of ill health during the semester as courses which I had written. It was after the interview that I remembered that I had ended up not registering those courses and therefore they would not be listed in my transcript! I went back in to inform her about my mistake and she promised to include that as part of her report. I stressed to her that the transcript was genuine and I had not doctored it and I invited her to carry out a security check on the document to confirm its genuineness. I also asked her to highlight any other concerns she may have about my application as I would not want to shoot myself in the foot (my very words) but she said that was the only concern she had.
She also asked me about my employment history as well as my reasons for switching jobs when I did. She asked for my complimentary card which I did not have with me (as it was not SPECIFICALLY requested for) but I told her that I had my office ID CARD which she said was not necessary for her to see. In addition, she stated that I did quite well in my IELTS exam which she found unusual as, according to her, most SINGLE APPLICANTS do NOT score that number of points for English proficiency. I found that slightly disturbing and I hope that it has not engendered any bias with regards to my application and how it is being assessed.
I have to say that I found the experience quite disturbing because I would imagine that a security check ought to have been carried out on my transcript or any other document which I submitted along with my application BEFORE I was invited for an interview. Having had the application rejected erroneously in the past, I am surprised that such a concern was not addressed specifically before the interview date. The interviewer did not request any specific document from me with regards to the application. She only stated that she would present her report to the visa officer who would take a decision on my application.
Well, my representatives have written to them asking that the visa office do not reject my application until the transcript has been verified/checked out. I've also asked someone in my school to help me process another transcript to be sent directly to the visa office.
So that's it. I'm still waiting to hear what their decision is going to be.
Congrats to Boljet once again (we were in Ghana together and it was a lovely period) and to the recently awarded PRs. I pray the rest of us will experience their joy as ours too and very soon.
