Setting the Document Folder for Visa Interview

While going for a Visa interview, there are numerous documents which you need to carry along with you. The documents are of three types - legal, academic and financial. Legal documents include your passport, fee receipts, I20 etc; academic documents include your degree, marksheets and score reports; and financial documents include your CA statements and other supporting documents. [See, Documents for Visa for a checklist of required documents.]

It is suggested that you arrange these documents in a harmonium folder having 12 pockets. The pockets should be properly labeled so that you can have easy access to these documents at the moment you are asked for them. Here is a recommended arrangement for these documents:

1: Passport, HDFC Bank Receipts, DS Forms (Appointment Letter, 156, 157 158), SEVIS Receipt and I 20. DS 156, DS 158 and I 20 needs to be signed.

2: CA Statement, Bank Statement and Affidavit of Support. Bank loan sanction or pre sanction paper in case one has that.

3: Score Reports (SAT, GRE, GMAT, TOEFL)

4: Mark sheets (10th and 12th with the Passing Certificate and Bachelor’s Mark sheet with the Final or Provisional Degree. If the degree is not available then the Bonafide Certificate will do. )

5: Letter of Recommendation, Statement of Purpose and Resume (Graduate Students)

6: In case of students that have work experience, Appointment Letter, Salary Slip and also the Income Tax Papers (if paid).

7: Supporting documents for the Liquid Assets. This will include all the things that are listed in the CA documents, liquid section. E.g. – Pass Books or Bank Statements, FD’s, LIC Policies, Kisan Vikas Patras etc.

8: Supporting documents for the Immovable Assets. This will include registration papers for the property and also the evaluation report of the properties that are listed in the CA documents.

9: Income Tax Returns and also the Salary Certificate On The Sponsor or the Salary Slip.

10: Acceptance letter from the university, any financial award statement. Also, carry copies of correspondence with professors, if any.

11: Other Acceptances and Rejections

12: Certificate of Achievements [...] Read more!

GRE: Verbal Section Strategies

This post is in continuation to the series of posts on GRE, contributed by the author of: GRE: How to Start Preparing? The author scored 1510 [Q:800, V:710, A:5.0] in the GRE. This post postulates the important strategies to be followed for each type of questions in the Verbal section.

The verbal section measures the test taker's ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it; analyze relationships among component parts of sentences and to recognize relationships between words and concepts. The most important requirement for scoring in the verbal section is by improving your vocabulary. I had discussed details about it in my previous post. Here, I list out the strategies for each type of question in this section, viz. Sentence Completions, Analogies, Antonyms and Reading Comprehensions.

Sentence Completion:
1. Before looking at the answers, try to complete the sentence with words that make sense to you.
2. Don't rush your selection. Consider all the answers to make the best choice.
3. Use the context of nearby words to figure out unknown words.
4. Don't overlook the reversing effect of negative words (like not) or prefixes (like un-).
5. If you're really stuck for the meaning of a word, try to think of other words that have similar prefixes, roots, or suffixes.
6. Eliminate choices in double-blank questions if the first word alone doesn't make sense in the sentence.
7. Let transition words (like although and likewise) help suggest the best answer.

Analogies:
1. First: create a sentence in your mind that uses the two capitalized words.
2. Learn to recognize common types of analogies.
3. Eliminate answer pairs that are clearly wrong.
4. Beware of possibly correct answers that appear in reverse order.
5. If more than one choice appears possible, analyze the words again.
6. Consider alternative meanings of words, as well as alternative parts of speech.
7. If you don't know the meaning a word, try to recall if you've ever heard it in an expression. The context of the expression may suggest the meaning of the word.
8. Beware of obvious answers! They may be there only to mislead you.

Antonyms:
1. Use word parts (prefixes, roots, suffixes) to figure out the probable meaning of unknown words.
2. Be aware of secondary meanings of words. For example, 'appreciation' can just as readily mean 'increase' as it does 'gratitude'. When no answer seems correct, look for an alternative (or 'secondary') meaning for your antonym/opposite choice.
3. Consider the 'feel' of the word. It may create a sense in you of its meaning, such as a word like 'grandiose'. It may have a positive or negative connotation, which may help you to eliminate some choices.
4. Try to think of similarly constructed words that you may recognize and that may give you a clue as to the meaning of an otherwise unknown word.
5. Think of a recognizable context for a word you don't recognize. Let the context of the word in a phrase or sentence suggest its probable meaning.
6. Think of an opposite meaning for the capitalized word, even before you look at the actual choices.
7. Read all the choices before selecting your answer.

Reading Comprehension:
1. You should base your answers to the questions solely on what is stated or implied in the passages.
2. Read the italicized introductory text.
3. Skip questions you don't know. Return to them after answering other easier questions.
4. First and last sentences of each paragraph are critical.
5. Find the right spot in a passage by using any line reference numbers that appear in the questions.
6. Answer questions on familiar topics before unfamiliar topics.
7. Read the passages before reading the questions.
8. Don't waste time memorizing details. [...] Read more!

Make Cheap International Calls

Most of you who are planning/going to USA would be making a lot of calls to seniors and university officials. The costs of these calls from normal phones is very high. But, you can make international calls at the charges of a local call through internet without any compromise in the voice quality.

Skype is the best service for making cheap international calls and is most widely used. It delivers crystal clear sound just like a normal phone. Calls to US can be made for as little as $0.021 - thats just over 2 cents, even less than Re. 1. You can buy credits for as little as $10 and use it till it gets over (though, you would need to make atleast one call in 6 months to prevent it from getting expired). You can also take a unlimited calls subscription for just $2.95 month, which also gives you a free international phone number and a voicemail box.

You will need to download a small Skype software to be able to make these calls. This software allows you to make free computer-to-computer calls and even supports video calls. You need to buy credits to make calls to landlines and mobiles in USA. You just need to connect a headphone and a mic to start talking. Also, a variety of devices(Skype phones) are available which can be configured with Skype by changing the software's input/output device settings. These devices allow you to dial numbers like from a normal telephone instrument. It is ideal to buy one for your family, so that they can get a familiar interface when they need to talk to you.

So, click here to download Skype and buy credits to make cheap international calls.

P.S.: For great telephone deals in US, visit: Great Deals @ USA [...] Read more!