Happy Schools Blog
Impact: Day 1 CPT Universities vs New Unlawful Presence Memo
I wrote about the Day 1 CPT universities yesterday and why I think it tough times are ahead for students attending Day 1 CPT universities. What I wrote yesterday was…
60 Super Tips to Write a Powerful Statement of Purpose for Graduate School
Statement of Purpose (SOP) is the MOST important part of your Graduate School Application. As a prospective Graduate School student, you should be able to write a unique story describing…
IELTS Listening Section – Find Strategies via Trial and Error (4 Strategies to Try)
In this Part 2 of how to improve your IELTS Listening score include the following topics Importance of Mindeset IELTS Listening section strategies IELTS Active vs Passive Listening Tracking your…
6 Reasons Why Getting F1 Visa Is Only a Quarter of the Battle Won
I have been a fan of this blog since the days I was in my home country to the day I arrived in the USA to pursue my masters. However,…
Travelling to US on F1 Student Visa – List of Documents to Carry
After your F-1 Visa is approved, you would be frantically getting ready to rack and fly to the US. I was looking for a list of documents to carry with…
Low Starting Salary on OPT – Accept or Reject the Full-Time Job Offer?
As an international student on F1 visa, getting an invite for an in-person job interview is a big deal these days. After few days, you receive the phone call from…
Day 1 CPT Universities – Here’s Why I Don’t Recommend Them
You are attending a Day 1 CPT university for second Masters degree and your fiancee got H1B visa this year. And your fiancee has to attend the H1B interview. Your…
Mistakes in DS-160 Visa Application Form. How to Make Changes in DS-160?
Applicants applying for the US visa are required to submit the DS-160 online application form. For first time applicants, it may take over two hours to complete and submit the…
IELTS Listening – How to Practice to Improve Your Scores (Part 1 of 2)
Practice makes perfect. But, I was wrong when it came to IELTS Listening Test Prep. Repeatedly taking IELTS Listening practice tests did not improve the IELTS score in the listening…
IELTS Test Experience – This is How I Scored 9 in the IELTS Listening Section
I walked out of the IELTS Test. I came home and I started recollecting the answers for Listening Section. After a few minutes, I was able to recollect 38 questions…
H1B Visa 2019 Cap Count – Advanced Degree Applications Overtakes General Category
USCIS completes Random selection of H-1B Visa 2019 applications. So far everything is proceeding as expected (previous years). But, with a HUGE twist. USCIS for the first time in several…
Here’s Why F1 Visa Approvals in India Declined by 27%
You have your I-20 from few universities. And you are getting ready for F1 visa interview. But, you have one pending decision from your Dream school. Then your phone rings! It’s…
The Life of A Typical Long Distance Couple on H1B Visa & It’s Problems
I got married 5 years ago. My In-laws thought I cheated them. I’m spending every day, thinking, why did I come to the USA. I’m questioning my decision to study in…
H1B Visa 2019 Predictions – Can Applications Reach 300,000 This Year?
By now, you should have submitted all the required documentation to the Attorney to apply for H1B Visa 2019. Now, you are wondering about H1B Visa 2019 Predictions. Scouring through…
H1B Visa 2019 – New Memo, Lottery, RFE and Latest Updates
Are you applying for H1B Visa 2019 Fiscal Year? In a previous H1B Visa season with Lottery, the biggest challenge was getting selected in the H1B Visa Lottery. Since, last…
Ignore These 7 Job Search Strategies At Your Own Risk!
Warning: These Job Search Strategies for F1 Visa, F1 OPT Students, H4 Visa, even H1B Visa holders are not suited for mediocre” or “average” candidate. I just couldn’t convince her…
Here’s How Spill Over for Green Card via EB1, EB2, EB3, EB4 and EB5 Works
Have you wondered why the dates for EB2 India and EB3 India for Green Card are not moving and number of Green Card issued for EB2 India came from 23,000…
10 Tips to Get Into Top MBA Programs in USA or Europe
Most applicants decide to apply to MBA programs a year or two before the start of the program. But what if you have set eyes much in advance, say 2-3…
The New H1B Visa Memo from USCIS: Analysis, Potential Impact and FAQ’s
On Feb 22, 2018 USCIS published a new H1B Visa Memo titled “Contracts and Itineraries Requirements for H-1B Petitions Involving Third-Party Worksites”. Here’s the Press Release from USCIS about the Memo:…
21 FAQ’s About Filing Income Tax for International Students in USA
Filing taxes for international students can be a daunting task for some and for others, it can walk in the park. How do you feel about filing taxes? Do you…
How Not to Look Stupid When Communicating via Email
Last week, I realized a far more important problem that’s common and prevalent among prospective international students from India applying to study abroad. What problem is that? Lack of…
Does Your Email Have This Quality to Create a Great First Impression?
The first impression is the Best. When it comes to asking for help with a stranger or even requesting for a job interview, first impression counts. We use as primary for to…
I Increased GRE Score by 28 Points and Got Admit with Full Tuition Waiver (with Formula for Success)
Nandhini (Happy Schools Reader) wrote a comment about her American Education and Study Abroad experience at 5 Bitter Facts About Unambitious Students. Her thoughts and comments are something every student should…
F1 Visa Refused After 9 Months on 221(g). What happened Next is MIND BLOWING!
We often hear students attending F1 Visa multiple times after rejections. You will be amazed to see 6 to 7 F1 Visa rejections in a span of 6 months. Most…
I Lost My Passport With Valid USA Visa. What’s Next?
What do you do when your Passport with Valid US Visa stamp is lost while you are in the USA? That’s exactly what happened to a couple of students on…
The Role of Consultancies in the U.S. Admission Process – Student’s Speak Out
We have been covering the role of consultancies (aka agents) in U.S. College admission process. So, far we have seen a couple of experiences from readers (who were in India)…
Is it Possible to Get Green Card via EB5 Visa for H1B Visa and F1 Visa Holders?
Looks like several Indians holding H1B Visa and F1 Visa are interested in Green Card via EB5 Visa route. Are you considering applying for Green Card via EB5? I received…
Experience – H1B Visa Interview – Dropbox, 221g and Interview at U.S. Consulate in Chennai
Here’s an H1B Visa renewal Dropbox Experience in Chennai with 221(g) (happened in Mid 2017) as shared by an reader. As you read through the experience, you may realize the…
H4 EAD – Latest Update – DHS to Propose New Rule to Revoke [Feb 21, 2018]
DHS has published the Rule Making Agenda for 2018. It includes a Notice to Propose a Rule to Remove H4 EAD for certain spouses along with other Immigration related notices.…
IELTS Test Prep Tips: How to Score 8.0 and Above
I am Rizwana from Udaipur, India. Honestly, with just a month’s preparation using just the IELTS official guide, I was able to get overall band 8 on IELTS. Here’s my…
Studying in Sweden vs USA – Quick Comparison of Cost and Visa Options
I had an offline discussion with someone who completed three Masters Degree (India, Sweden and The United States). I learned a great deal from the discussion and figured it will…
Here’s Why I Don’t Regret My Decision To Study in the United States
When I chose to come to America, I was just 20. And, being the eldest daughter and grand daughter of the house, I was always pampered and never away from…
Why Is It So Damn Difficult for Non-STEM, Non-IT Students in the USA to Find a Job?
Let’s talk about the State of Job Market in the U.S.A. and chances of finding a Full-Time Job in the USA. By, Full-Time, I’m referring to Direct Hire positions, not…
The First 10 Seconds of Your U.S. Visa Interview – Narrated by a Consular Officer
Written by Jon Matzner – Former U.S. Diplomat and Consular Officer. During my years as a US visa and consular officer – I was asked several questions over and over:…
How to Select a Major in Your Graduate School?
What is the best way to select a major in Graduate School? The Simple answer would be, “Son find what excites you. Choose a job you love, and you will…
26 Things You Should Know (and Do) To Find a Full-Job on F1 Visa and OPT
Job search is hard and requires lot of effort. Here in Happy Schools, you have read several experiences shared by students about the process they took to find a direct,…
Here’s Why I Came to Study in USA At Uncertain Times – Interview with Preyksha
When you watch this interview, you are going to feel how a student is supposed to study and experience the American Education and Lifestyle in this President Trump’s Era. Introduction…
Case Study: F1 Visa Rejected for Fall 2017. What Are The Chances of Getting In Second Attempt?
Your fate to Study in the USA hinges on your performance during the F1 Visa Interview. I have seen on the faces of student and parents after F1 Visa is…
How I Got Two Full Time Job Offers After MS in IT – Interview with Bindhu [Master Class]
Bindhu recently (within last two weeks) started working as Data Analyst (Full-Time Job) in Illinois. She received two Full-Time job offers after graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas…
US Green Card Process Steps and Stages for EB1, EB2 and EB3
In this article (and video), you can learn about the Green Card Process and various steps involved for EB1, EB2 and EB3 category. You may be applying for Green Card…
Dropbox – US Visa Interview Program Waiver in India for F1, H1B, L1 Visa
US Visa Interview Waiver or Dropbox program was introduced in 2012. Since then several thousands of US visa interview applicants have utilized the dropbox in India. Note: If you qualify for…
$100,000+ Jobs for Data Analytics Graduates – Interview with Professor Max Kilger from UTSA
Masters in Data Analytics is the trend among Masters Degree. Over 90% of applicants for Masters Degree in Computer Science Graduates who came for my F1 Visa Coaching were going…
6 Reasons to Join GRE Coaching Classes. You Won’t Agree to #3
Do I really need to attend GRE Coaching class to get a good score in GRE Test? Well, first of all, this article – How to select the best GRE…
President Trump Signs Executive Order to Reform H1B Visa (& More)
President Trump signed the “Buy American, Hire American” Executive Order(EO) today. One of the key pieces of the Executive Order is to reform the H1B Visa program. There are so many…
USCIS Memo: Computer Programmer Would Not Generally Qualify for H1B Visa
I just completed a Facebook Live video to discuss the impact of the new memo from USCIS about “an entry-level computer programmer position would not generally qualify as a position in…
I Moved to USA for 11th Grade and Journey to Bachelors Degree – Interview with Niraja From UTSA
Nirja was studying 11th grade in Nepal. Then her family immigrated to the USA. She had to move to USA in the month of February (in the middle of High…
F1 Visa Interview Hyderabad 2017 – Shortest and Weirdest
You must be wondering why do I have a picture of a car for a blog post about F1 Visa Interview Experience in Hyderabad 2017. Trust me, there’s a very…
H1B Visa Premium Processing is Suspended for 6 Months
H1B Visa Premium Processing is suspended for up to 6 months by USCIS starting April 3, 2017. Let me highlight the following: Only Premium Processing for H1B Visa is suspended. This…
F1 Visa Interview for Attending High School in USA (& 5 Lessons Learned)
I found F1 Visa for High School interview experience while digging the archives for unpublished articles, experiences shared by readers. I didn’t realize, I missed this F1 Visa interview for…
H1B Visa: $130k Salary vs Trump vs Travel Outside USA
Oh My! What’s going on with the President Trump’s Executive Order, Travel Ban and ever growing rumors of H1B Visa Restrictions, minimum salary of $130,000. I know it’s a lot…