Tried it twics about ten years ago - during the first attempt, the computers were down at the embassy and they just told her flat out “no” to keep the line moving. Second time - the embassy worker doing the interviewer told her to “give up”, and that she would “never go to the U.S.”. Bout a year later, she came on a K-1 - been married almost nine years now.
If you're bringing ANY cash to exchange - make sure it's in new-ish $100 bills - with no markings, and dog-eared. Let your bank know ahead of time, and they'll have new ones for you.