Just one straight answer cost a Delhi student his US visa, Reddit speculates what went wrong

Hindustan Times

15-05-2025

For many Indian students, the dream of studying in the United States comes with years of preparation, exams, financial planning, and finally, a nerve-wracking visa interview. But for one young Indian applicant, all it took was a single answer to unravel that dream.
The Delhi native claimed he had secured admission to the Master's in Finance program at the City University of New York (CUNY) Baruch. On paper, everything looked promising—an I‑20 form, a strong academic background, and financial backing through a $58.5k loan and $58.5k in savings. But when he walked into the US Embassy in New Delhi for his F-1 visa interview, things didn't go as planned.
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The applicant posted on Reddit narrating the experience, the visa officer asked standard questions—what university he was going to, why he chose it, and how he planned to finance his education. He responded that he found Baruch while 'searching for colleges which accept 3-year undergraduate degrees in US' and that he 'read a lot of good things about this college on platforms like LinkedIn.' That's it.
Following those few minutes, the applicant was left with a denied visa. 'Can someone please help me know why my visa got rejected? I will be grateful if anyone can provide any insights. And is there any point in reapplying?' the Delhi guy asked.
Now, some Redditors feel his 'why this university' answer lacked depth and showed no real personal connection to the program. 'Your answer doesn't show commitment. It feels as if you searched up the universities you were accepted into in 10 minutes and decided your future career,' one user commented.
'Never given an interview (upcoming) so don't know but, your why university answer was not it. It felt as if you first decided to go to the US and then started looking for universities. It should be the other way around.'
Another commented, 'I thought the reason for his rejection was coz how he answered his finance question.'
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While many empathised with the applicant, one pointed out gaps in his responses. He didn't elaborate his repayment plans for the loan. 'The question about finances - always start with your parent(s), savings and then loan. They know you have plans to work in the US to pay off the loans,' the Redditor said.