Embassies and consulate US F-1 visa interviewing.?

Question

I remember once asking if a students F-1 could be refused on the bases of the school not being famous or being a community college status and the yahoo embassy and consualte officers rightly tell me its NEVER like that,and there is no discrimination to once collegeg as long as it can issue an I-20 and its accredited,but i was soooooooo stunned when a collegue of mine went for an F-1 visa interview and was just refused on the bases that Old Dominion University in Virginia a private university is not an Ivy League school. Is this really accepated or part of the code of ethics or the modus operandi of the US consulates?the officer saaid he had no problem but just bcos the college is not an Ivy leaguy school.On that unfair instance what can he do?What else can students like me who want to enter a community college do?Why is there soooo much discrimination in issuing F-1 visas?Why are this Ivy league schools uphold soo much by this consular officers,does every american attend an Ivy league

Answer 1

I find it very unlikely that a person would be turned down on a student visa application simply because he was accepted by Old Dominion University. I think it's even less likely that the consular officer would actually say that openly as his reason for the decision. Maybe your friend couldn't tell the officer why he decided to apply there. There are many thousands of foreign students here attending non-Ivy League schools, including community colleges. That's not to say that indiviual officers might look at students attending smaller schools in out of the way places at bit harder. But if the applicant can tell the officer why he wants to attend a particular school and explain what he intends to study and why, he's much more likely to be approved than if he can't explain why he applied to some small school in rural Idaho.

Answer 2

I doubt that your colleague was telling you the truth about the reasons why his F1 application was rejected.

I find the most likely reasons for his refusal to be that he could not provide sufficient ties to his home country or that he could not provide a satisfactory response as to why he wanted to attend Old Dominion University.

A university not being an Ivy League school is not a basis for an F1 refusal. There are hundreds of international students each and every year who are granted their F1 visas, the majority of them will not attend an Ivy League school. Do you know why this is, because there are only eight of such schools and many students cannot afford the cost to go.

There is no discrimination in regards to age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation or which school you decide to pursue you education with when a consular officer is deciding on your F1 application.

Granted you may get a consular officer from h**l who is just having a bad day and will refuse you, this is known to and does happen. Every officer is different.

If you want to attend a community college then apply, I know many people, some of which are friends of mine who are international students and started their education in the States as community colleges. The officers know why people do this and that is because it is a cheaper option.

In regards to you friend, all he can do is reschedule an interview and this time have all his application forms filled in correctly, all the required documentation to support his case and prepare well for every possible question which could be asked.