Agriculture & Food Science — what the record shows
7 coded decisions · read for the reasons cases fail, not to score you
Fewer than 20 coded cases at this depth — figures shown are for Researchers & Academics.
How cases like this are judged
These figures are for the Researchers & Academics profile — too few cases at this depth for its own. Of the 423 decisions there that reached the merits, here is where each Dhanasar prong was found not established. 28 more never reached the merits and are not counted below.
Prong 1 — national importancenot established in 129 of 380 (34%)
116 of those were the deciding prong.
Prong 2 — well positionednot established in 194 of 303 (64%)
175 of those were the deciding prong.
Prong 3 — balance of factorsnot established in 36 of 132 (27%)
27 of those were the deciding prong.
Where cases like this most often fail
What this profile cannot afford to skip
- ✓Under Prong 2, USCIS evaluates whether the person is well positioned to advance the endeavor. A record of success in related or similar efforts is a key factor, distinct from general qualifications.
- ✓Citation counts alone are trained to be insufficient. Officers weigh a qualitative account of why the work matters. Show what the citing papers built on yours, not an h-index screenshot.
- ✓Letters must name your specific endeavor and trace how your work shaped later work. Officers are trained that letters praising skills in general terms do not add value as evidence.
The appeal outcomes behind these numbers
Shareable finding
Agriculture & Food Science: record of success insufficient in 57% of failures
451 coded decisions, 2016-2026 · record of success insufficient in 180 · denial reversed in 71
Adjacent profiles
7coded decisions sit under this profile. A placement shows where yours would sit among them, not what it predicts.See where your profile sits — 90 seconds →
Statistics from the coded record (2016–2026). Methodology