US Masters Fall 2020 Admits – Should you go this August, Defer your admission, OR take online classes?

Many who have received an admit for the Fall (Aug) 2020 intake from a US university for their Masters program, are still in a dilemma on whether to join the university this Fall, or take online classes, or defer your admit- to Spring or Fall 2021? In this article, I have listed down possible options and my recommendations.

Please note that these are general guidelines.

OPTION 1: JOIN THE US UNIVERSITY IN FALL (AUG) 2020 

Some universities are conducting on-campus classes this Fall. As of today (14 July 2020), however, there is no official update on when the US Consulates in India will open. Suppose they do open by 01 Aug 2020, you still can manage to secure a visa slot (using the emergency visa process if required) before the start of your semester. Another challenge in this case would be that international flights should start operations in August. Assuming all this happens, should you go this Fall ?

My Recommendation: For those with 2-3 years of experience, it may still be a good time to go to the US now. There is no risk in this scenario, except that this being the election season, you may here some news and speculations from US officials about upcoming immigration law changes that may make you nervous. There is no reason to be. Just focus on your education and don’t let the rumors stress you out.

Now in case consulates and/or flights don’t restart by August 2020, defer your admit to Spring/Fall 2021.

IMP: For those who have recently graduated from college and whose final exams are pending, please DO NOT plan on starting your Masters on campus in Fall 2020. Many Indian universities may conduct final year exams in Sep 2020, and you will have to be here in India to give your exams.          

OPTION 2: ONLINE CLASSES IN FALL 2020

Some universities are offering the option to take online classes in Fall 2020 and join on campus in Spring 2020.

My Recommendation: If possible, avoid this option. One of the reasons being that if you take the Fall semester online, and join the university in Spring, you will not be issued the CPT (Curricular Practical Training certificate) in summer of 2021. This means that you CANNOT take up an internship in summer.  Very few universities, however,  have confirmed that they will still issue Summer CPTs for those taking the Fall semester online, while most universities have said that they will NOT issue CPTs if you take the Fall semester online. If your university if NOT going to issue you a summer CPT, then avoid taking online classes in Fall 2020.

Another risk in taking a full semester online, is that in case you are not able to go to the US in Spring 2021 (because your visa gets rejected, or for any personal reason), you may lose most of the fees you paid the university.

Also US education is not just about ‘learning’ the subject. It’s the whole experience of traveling and living in a foreign country that maters too. You would be missing out on this for a whole semester.

OPTION 3: HYBRID OPTION

Few universities have given students the option of starting the course online in August and joining on campus mid semester, whenever consulates/flights restart. Students may join on campus as late as Nov 2020 and will still be issued the Summer CPT.

My Recommendation: Again if you a candidate with 2-3 years of experience, this is something you may consider. This is as good as joining on-campus in Fall 2020 (OPTION 1), but with a little delay.

OPTION 4: DEFER YOUR ADMISSION TO SPRING (JAN) 2021 

The disadvantage of this option is that students joining in Spring will not be issued the CPT (Curricular Practical Training) in the summer of 2021, which means that you CANNOT take up an internship in summer.  Only students of those programs where an internship or industry experience is mandatory and included as part of the curriculum, will be given the CPT.

Additionally since you wouldn’t be eligible for an internship in summer, your only options for summer 2021 would be either to take courses, or find an on-campus job, or take a break.

My Recommendation: Unless you have 3+ years of experience, avoid going in Spring. For younger applicants with less or no experience, the internship experience becomes crucial during your job search, and graduating without an internship is not always the best option.  

If you join in Spring 2021, you may be eligible for a CPT in Spring (Jan) 2022, but it depends on your department if they would allow you to intern in the Spring semester. Plus, interning in Spring also extends your overall program duration.

OPTION 5: DEFER ADMISSION TO FALL (AUG) 2021 

This should be the preferred option for most students for several reasons. Hopefully, by Aug 2021 the whole COVID pandemic gets over with. The economy and job market would be on a rebound. US elections would be done with and there would be more clarity on the immigration laws.

My recommendation:  If you are a fresher, preferably defer to Fall 2021. Use this time to secure a job or some work experience, upgrade your skills, and build your profile. For those already in a job, stick with it for another year or find an alternative one.

Again these are general guidelines. Several factors such as the program and university you intend to join, funding options, your overall profile, your current job scenario etc would influence your decision. I would be more than happy to discuss your individual case with you. Feel free to get in touch over Whatsapp at +91-9819783682