US visa denied despite $116k budget; One honest answer costs Delhi student his visa- Reddit analyses what went wrong

A Delhi-based student’s first attempt at securing a US F-1 student visa ended in rejection, prompting a flurry of reactions online as he sought answers on what may have gone wrong. The student was accepted into CUNY Baruch College for a Master’s in Finance, and appeared for his visa interview at the US Consulate in New Delhi at 8:30 AM.

The student then took to Reddit to share how his interview went

“VO: Hi

Me: Hi

VO: Pass your I20 and passport.
Me: Passed

VO: Going to City University of New York for masters?
Me: Yes

VO: How did you find out about this university?
Me: I was searching for colleges which accept 3-year undergraduate degrees in the US and that’s when I came across Baruch. I also read a lot of good things about this college on platforms like LinkedIn.”

The interview continued with questions about other universities he applied to, the University of Denver, Rochester, Babson, UMass Boston, Arizona, Stevens, and WPI, and his funding plan, which included a Rs 50 lakh loan and Rs 50 lakh in family savings.

Despite this, the visa was denied.

“VO: How are you paying for this?
Me: I have taken loan of 50 lakh and my father has savings of 50 lakhs

VO: Denied visa”

After sharing his experience online, the student asked, “Can someone please help me know why my visa got rejected?... Is there any point in reapplying?”

Many users responded with detailed feedback, pointing to red flags in the student's answers, especially when explaining why he chose CUNY Baruch.

“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,” wrote one user.

Others suggested the list of universities applied to seemed mismatched. “Rochester and Babson are top schools, not really in the same league as CUNY. It makes more sense to show you applied to schools of similar rank,” another noted.

One user flagged the order in which the student described his funding, “Always start with your parent(s)’ savings and then mention the loan. They know you have plans to work in the US to pay off the loans.”

Another suggested crafting a more personal academic connection to the school, “Better response would be — I’m connected with Prof Dixon on LinkedIn, who leads atomic research, and he’s mentored me... I just felt comfortable with his program and see myself excelling in the CUNY community.”