We often hear students discussing universities with high visa approval rates. They ask us to apply to universities with higher visa approval rates compared to others. While indeed, some universities have more approvals than others, does your visa approval depend solely on your university? Let's find out.
In Fall 2022, an engineering student from a tier 3 university from Andhra Pradesh has attended a visa interview in New Delhi with an I-20 from a tier 3 university from Oklahoma United States. The student was skeptic about getting his visa and initially wanted to get to the US with a tier 2 university such as University of North Texas or Wichita State University and then later wanted to transfer to the university in Oklahoma. We inquired about the reason behind his idea, and we were perplexed to that his friends reportedly told him that tier 2 universities have better visa approval chances compared to tier 3 universities. While there is certainly some credibility to this discussion, here are the facts:
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1. Preparation: While having a prestigious university name like Arizona State University may impress the Visa Officer (VO), we've encountered numerous students who didn't receive visas despite having I-20s from tier 2 universities. This is often due to insufficient preparation. Securing an I-20 from a top university is important, but students must also undergo at least 7-8 mock interviews on average to enhance their visa approval chances.
2. Percentage vs. absolute number: Many students overlook the difference between the percentage of visa approvals and the absolute number. For instance, a student claimed in December 2021 that a university in Connecticut had a better visa approval rate because three of her friends secured visas there. However, upon inquiry, she revealed that only 3 out of 8 friends who applied received visas, resulting in less than a 50% approval rate. While hearing about a few students getting visas for a particular university is common, it's essential to consider the overall percentage, as there may be twice as many students who failed to secure visas with the same university. We humbly ask that you refer to our previous post (https://www.achiever-overseas.com/post/top-reasons-why-students-fail-their-f1-visa-interview) to understand why the rest of her friends and many other students fail to get a visa.
3. External influence: Conversing with a student recently admitted to Kent State University, we noticed the influence of peers, faculty, family acquaintances' children, and overseas educational consultancies on their decision-making process. Unfortunately, the student was swayed by external influences that diverged from their long-term plans. External influences can significantly impact decisions, so we advise seeking information from experts rather than individuals with limited knowledge.
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