u/IAmTooFaced

To the upcoming applicants for MSCS or any program in US, please don’t select university based on prestige while compromising with location, finance or anything else. Your visa acceptance is based 10% on your answers and 90% on your luck. University tier literally does not matter. And believe me when I say this, the mood of visa officer, your luck plays a huge factor.

I was student for fall 2026 at SBU MSCS, my visa interview was only 30 seconds and no question were asked which can reach to a conclusion.

I was very active in this subreddit to filter universities and many people were telling to not go to NEU, ASU, other cash cows or not so very known university. The visa acceptance has nothing to do with that infact I have seen many people got accepted to NEU and ASU.

My point is don’t believe too much on someone else’s words and select university which fits your needs. If you have a friend group going to some lower prestige college let’s say UTD, while you are getting NYU. Don’t just select NYU because it has good visa acceptance rate according to this subreddit. Look at other factors, if you are fine with more cost, alone living, etc go for it.

Also, the case might be different for other countries but this post was specifically for Indian students.

University - Stony Brook
Course - MSCS
Slot - 9:30 A.M
Counter - 35

Reached the centre by 8 and joined the queue. Came out by 10.

Many F1 visas were getting approved which made me calm a bit.

Officer - Blonde/Ginger(Don’t remember exactly due to lighting) American guy with moustache.

When my turn came and was about to reach the counter the officer told me to wait for a min with his finger gesture. I smiled and waited. He came approximately 15 mins later.

He seemed chill and seeing that I was also feeling confident.

The Interview-

OP - Good morning officer!
VO - Good morning!

(Even before he asked I passed the documents I had in my hands as the managers told to keep those in hands but while giving I hesitated and he gestured to give them with smile)

VO - What is your name again?
OP - Gave my full name

VO - Do you face any harm in your country?
OP - No. No officer.

VO - Will you have any threat when you will return to your country?
OP - NO.

VO - Do you have any work experience?
OP - NO. I am still doing my undergraduate.

VO - Who is going to sponsor you?
OP - My parents are sponsoring me.

VO - What are your sponsors doing?
OP - My father is a real estate investor and my mother is a housemaker.

VO - Unfortunately I cannot approve your visa today
OP - Oh! Its fine. (I just walked away with my head facing ground processing all that and feeling really sad)

The whole waiting time was about 2 hours but the interview was barely 30 secs or even less.

My thoughts -
Honestly I feel that I may have given very short answers but I also gave to the point answers without anything extra details which many people advise to do so.

I wanted to explain in detail but it just ended so quickly I never got the chance. I never thought that he would suddenly reject me.