visa_interview_process.rtf

Hey guys, I need your serious help whoever can help me figure out what's wrong in my profile and how should I improve it before next Visa interview:
Also, people who are sharing their experiences are all whose visa have gotten approved, but if you ask me within all my visits to Visa Interview centre, I have seen candidates who are getting rejected frequently also, so its a myth that everybody who applied for fall 2020 visa got approvals. The percentage ratio may lie around 65-35% for approval and rejection respectively.
Visa Interview Attempt 1:
Location: Delhi Embassy
Date: 24th August 2020
I was having an afternoon slot, while my other friends were having early morning slots, so they went early and then called me up saying that their interview is already done as officers are taking interviews before time only, so they asked me to come early irrespective of slot. I went directly inside after security checks and then to the Interview Counter as soon as I entered the US Embassy, there was no waiting queue. Because of this sudden hurry I became little nervous.
VO: Good Morning
Me: Good Morning sir
VO: Pass me your I-20 n passport
Me: Yeah sure
VO: When did you went to the Vac?
Me: Pardon me, could you please repeat sir
(Again second time he told the same, I misheard the Vac as Bank, so i said I went a month ago, but I asked him again as I was confused why will he ask about bank at the start itself, then he said VAC in abbreviations, I replied I went for it yesterday)
VO: Seems like your Biometrics haven't got updated yet, can you just come up here again
Me: yeah sure
(He asked me to keep the hand on machine
I kept the right first as he didn't mentioned, he passed a wierd reaction n then finally did the whole biometrics)
(I knew the first impression wasn't good but still tried to not loose my cool and prepared my mind to be calm and confident)
VO: So which Visa you are going for?
Me: I have applied for a F1 visa.
VO: Why are you going to US?
Me: I am going to pursue Master of Science in Computer Science at XYZ University.
VO: How many universities did you applied to?
Me: I applied to 6 universities
VO: (nodded to carry on)
Me: (told all names)
VO: Okay why this university?
Me: The CS program at this university has been ranked at 50th Position by cs ranking, and it is the largest university in Virginia...
VO: (interrupted me) Tell me something different..
Me: The CS coursework is flexible enough to allow me to choose courses of my interest..
VO: (again interrupted) So other universities don't have flexible program?
Me: Actually, in this university I can choose subjects related to my specialization.. the coursework is of 30 credits n I can choose....(explained about the coursework) Also I have gone through research work of A and B professor and I liked that so much.
VO: How are you going to finance your education?
Me: (asked to repeat) then told
I have taken an education loan of $47k from Prodigy Finance for first year and my father is also sponsoring me with the $15k. ( The total amount was around 1.4 times the I-20 amount for 1 year which is $50k) and also I have got an pre approved loan of $47k for the second year.
VO: What does your father do?
Me: He has  retired from the government bank after serving 35 years there and he gets a pension of XX.
VO: (2mins of typing)
Unfortunately I can't approve your visa this time!
Note: I realised that I was sounding as if I have prepared all the answers and just telling them fluently without any stop in front of Visa. So I improved on my tone so that it sounds more natural and real.
And also I modified the 'why this university' specific answer to be more practical.
Visa Interview Attempt 2:
Location: Delhi Embassy
Date: 31st August 2020
This time I went super early to avoid last minute hustle and get relaxed before interview.
It was a early morning slot they asked us to sit and wait for some time around 45 mins, I and another person were the first to go to the counters. The same previous officer was standing just in the next counter for which the other person went.
Me: Good Morning Ma'am
VO: Good Morning
Pass me your documents
Me: yeah sure(passed)
VO: Looks like your Biometrics haven't got updated yet. Do you have a passport size photograph with you?
Me: Yeah I do have..(given)
(Took fingerprints again)
VO: Okay so why are you going US?
Me: I am going to US to pursue Master of Science in Computer Science at XYZ University
VO: Why this university?
Me: The CS coursework at this university aligns with the area of my Interest which is Machine Learning. And I am impressed by the reasearch work done by professor X and Y, thus want to study under them in future. Also the h-index of cs faculty is excellent.
VO: Have you considered any other universities?
Me: I have got admits in 2 other universities
VO: Okay then why not them?
Me: Those universities were not offering me machine learning as specialisation and in the third University I didn't got admit in my desired program, they offered me M Eng in which we need to complete 30 credits within a year and again machine learning specialisation wasn't there. And I didn't wanted to loose grades because of hurrying up things.
(I was optimistic that I will get visa this time she was looking happy with my replies and I was saying things confidently with natural tone and without mumbling)
VO: What are you doing since graduation?
(I asked her to repeat that)
Me: I have been working from 2 years at Cognizant as a programmer analyst and ..(told about job)
VO: seems like your Visa got rejected a few days ago
Me: Yeah
VO: so what have changes have you made this time?
Me:(I wasn't expecting this question, I prepared for if VO asks for the reason of rejection but didn't prepared for this at all)
I have updated my profile and researched about my university so that i can know my course well.
VO:(within seconds) Sorry I can't approve your visa this time also.
Me: Officer, can you please tell the reason for that?
VO: sorry I can't tell, just read this slip carefully before applying again (passed 214b)
Me: Okay thank you.
I seriously don't know what could have went wrong in this second attempt.
I knew I had flaws in first attempt but this second attempt was more devastating as I don't even know the reason for rejection.
Visa interview Attempt 3:
Location: Mumbai Consulate
Date: 3rd September 2020
I was really cool this time because I knew chances of getting approval are so low, but I just wanted to give a try at a different location which is Mumbai as few days ago a person got Visa approval for the same university same course. Also, I already resigned from my previous job and started taking online classes and submitting assignments but after 2 rejections, I thought if I start online this fall and got rejected in spring again then this whole semester would be waste as online classes may not be there in spring so i may need to drop also, so its better to give another try. So, just wanted to try the luck, also I talked with counsellor he told me to say my both parents are working (and to mention that my father joined this private company/business after retirement if VO asks) and show increased savings, but I can't just double or triple savings amount because VO may get doubtful about it as within same week how did I arranged this much money. Okay, so here is how it went:
The number of candidates in Mumbai were little less as compared to Delhi. And even the process was smoother than Delhi. Also the speakers are better than Delhi embassy as they are top mounted which enables better hearing unlike in Delhi where they have placed a small box near the counter window. The VO on counter, for which I was about to go, just rejected a guy however he told very good answers and even with confidence. Then came the turn of a girl, and she answered that she chose this university because it gives her practical knowledge and, the VO cross questioned her ohh other universities are giving practical knowledge, then she replied saying not more than my university. Then she asked some finance questions and approved! I was confused but at the same time I was chilled whatever happens.
VO: Nodded me to come forward and wished Good Morning
Me: Good Morning Ma'am
VO: How are you doing?
Me: I am good officer, how about you?
VO: Okay pass me your documents
Me: Yeah, here they are..
VO: So why are you going for this university?
Me: I am going to pursue Master of Science in Computer Science.
VO: Okay so why this university?
Me: The CS coursework at this university aligns with the area of my interest which is Machine Learning and Graphics....(told about there is one professor who is conducting research in same field on which I worked in my previous Job but my skills weren't enough to handle whole project, so that's why want to study under him and enhance my skill to join my previous job at higher level in India.)
VO: Okay so how many universities did you applied to?
Me: I applied to 6 and got admit in 3
VO: Okay what are they?
Me: University of..... And University of....
VO: Could you repeat the name slowly?
Me: (this time clearly n slowly)
VO: Okay so why did you applied to only these universities of all in the US?
Me: Actually these universities are offering some great courses in Machine Learning as I want to specialize in that.
VO: Okay, which year did you passed out?
Me: 2018
VO: and what are you doing since then?
Me: I have been working in Cognizant as Programmer Analyst on Machine learning project from 2 years using Java, python.
VO: How are you going to finance your education?
Me: My both parents would be sponsoring my education and I have taken an education loan also.
VO: What did you parents do?
Me: My father owns a textile business and my mother is a landlady who gives house on lease to tenants.(actually its bit true my family have a textile business mainly run by my uncle and we do lease house also)
VO: How much they earn?
Me: Their combined salary is 15lakhs per annum.
VO: Okay and how much savings do you have?
Me: We have 20 lakhs of savings.
VO: What are your plans after MS?
Me: I would like to come back to India and join my previous job at a higher level so that I can handle whole project on my own.( I should have told I will utilise 1 year of opt then come back but it just went in flow)
VO: (2 mins of typing... I crossed my fingers down the counter, the interview went so good, I answered all questions confidently and to the point, so I was literally thinking I will get it this time)
VO: So let me tell you some rules...( I thought she is going to talk about quarantine rules after going there and she is approving Visa but I kept a break on my thought..)
So actually we check the overall profile of the candidate before giving Visa and your overall profile doesn't qualifies the eligibility, so I can't approve your Visa this time.
Me: (fully disappointed even after having such a great interview) Okay, officer could you please tell any specific reasons for this?
VO: So as I told we look for overall profile of candidate, and in your case you don't seem eligible right now, moreover you can go through this slip once.
Me: Okay, Thank you officer.
Don't know what could have went wrong this time! The only thing which came in my mind was may be because of savings, although I told her about education loan but she didn't asked me the amount of loan which is already covering my whole I-20 amount of 1 year. I thought I should have mentioned that even when she didn't asked. I thought I should have told her that i have already started taking online classes so that she thinks that I am dedicated about study only. At last I couldn't have doubled or triples my savings, so next time I am thinking to do it and have all documents.
Guys, anything else which you suggest I should be improving to get my visa approved? I need your real help to get started with my education there. And please don't react with laugh as its not good to do so over somebody's helplessness.
Can anyone of you help in figuring out the reasons, what could have went wrong and what should I do before reapplying.
What they exactly want from me to update in profile, in second attempt they haven't even asked for finance else I could have added more funding. Should I mention about house property of around 60 lakhs also? If yes what all documents would be needed as a proof?
The university is good, haven't heard a single rejection in many years, all say I should have got visa with this. Considering all this I left online classes and deferred my admission after 3 continuous rejections.
Anyone who faced rejection if they could help me out with all this, as I will be reapplying for spring around October end.
Also, if anybody wants to suggest some consultancy which is good at handling rejection cases, please go ahead.
Thanks in advance!!