First and foremost, you need to recognize the reality that CPT authorization is a benefit under the F1 international student visa. So, no matter how much you want to evade the fact that you are still a student, your first motivation for applying to CPT schools can only be: being a full-time student driven by the thirst for knowledge and self-improvement!
Although we all know deep down that the main purpose of choosing a CPT school is to maintain legal work status in the US, it should never be openly discussed.
Many students think that they can just get by with the academic requirements and focus all their energy on full-time work. However, there is a bottom line to just getting by, which is to never let your GPA fall below the minimum requirement of the school. Otherwise, you may find yourself being expelled from the school without even realizing it.
Secondly, many schools have already set their arrival frequency and time to meet the minimum requirements of USCIS. So, never challenge the attendance check for in-person classes. If you miss one class and the professor records it, the school may terminate your SEVIS record. In that case, all your previous efforts will be in vain.
In summary, choosing to study at a CPT school is by no means an easy path. Students need to strike a balance between work and study.
Following the previous point, this is definitely not an easy path. The journey is filled with difficulties and challenges. Besides achieving work-study balance, you may encounter various problems during your studies, such as dealing with difficult professors or uncooperative classmates in group work, while others are out having fun while you're stuck at home doing homework on weekends.
In addition to the pressures and responsibilities in work and life that you have to handle alone, self-doubt may arise: What is all this for? Isn't it better to go back to your home country? With parents around to take care of you, you don't have to juggle school and work. At this point, a wave of students may start regretting their initial decision, especially for those who come from wealthy families who could easily inherit family businesses back home.
Therefore, if your determination to stay in the US is not so firm, it's better not to embark on this "one-way road." The most important thing is to clarify what you want and stick to the path you have chosen because "all roads lead to Rome"!
In fact, many schools that offer Day 1 CPT have solid and reliable qualifications with a history of over a hundred years. Such schools naturally won't lower their own standards because of a few exceptional students. If your previous degree's GPA was too low and did not meet the school's requirements, it's better not to try applying to these schools.
Some executive programs in certain schools require applicants to already hold a master's degree in the US before applying. If your highest degree so far is a bachelor's, you do not meet the school's admission criteria.
Some other schools require students to have an internship offer letter from the first day of enrollment. So this criterion may not be suitable for students who are temporarily laid off and do not have a new offer letter.
But I believe most of you are excellent and easily meet the admission requirements. You may face the challenge of not knowing how to choose the right school before applying. In this case, you can always contact us to seek assistance from CPTDog for free, let us find the most suitable school for you!
Some students may just want to find a mediocre university to maintain their legal status. In this process, they may come across some seemingly "cheap and good" schools where the academic pressure is not high, and the professors are not demanding. It may sound great, but at this point, there is a risk of falling into the trap of unaccredited schools that lack proper accreditation and credentials.
If you choose such a school, it is better not to choose the path of Day 1 CPT from the beginning. Even if you go to this kind of school, there is a chance that someday the school will be terminated by USCIS, and your I-20 will immediately become invalid, leading to the termination of your legal status in the US. You may not even realize that you have become an illegal resident overnight. I believe that unless it is absolutely necessary, no one wants to violate the law.
Related reading: ➡️ Common Pitfalls in Day 1 CPT
Choosing to study at a Day 1 CPT school requires individuals to have strong proactive planning abilities. There are many things that you need to take care of yourself, such as how and when to transfer the SEVIS Number under F1 visa, who to sign the CPT agreement with and during which time period, and whether there are any alternative forms. Additionally, each school has different frequencies for Day 1 CPT authorization updates, and one small mistake could lead to illegal employment. How to respond to warnings from low GPA schools? What preparations should be made for international travel during the CPT period? What should be done if changing employers during the CPT period?
The above questions are just a list of common issues encountered by me and my classmates, not to mention that everyone's situation is different, and the difficulties encountered vary. Therefore, students choosing to study under Day 1 CPT should be proactive rather than reactive individuals. If you are someone who waits until the last second to start worrying about finding a solution or expects others to solve all your problems, then this path may not be suitable for you. It's important to do thorough research and be well-prepared before problems arise, so that you can handle them calmly when they do.
Many students who cannot find suitable Day 1 CPT universities in their own states inevitably consider going out of state to study. In this case, they have to deal with issues like booking flights, hotels, and Uber rides. Although the on-campus frequency of many Day 1 CPT universities has reduced to once per semester for in-person classes, it's still inevitable to embark on long-distance journeys alone. These universities typically have three semesters or four quarters per year. So, the frequency of traveling throughout the year would be around three to four times. Of course, most students in LA or NYC can easily find suitable schools locally, so they naturally don't have this concern. However, students who prefer to have someone accompany them need to consider whether they can endure the pain of commuting long distances alone.
This point is the simplest and most practical one. Day 1 CPT schools generally do not offer full scholarships, so even if you can obtain partial scholarships, most of the tuition still needs to be covered by yourself. Additionally, the immigration authorities require students to provide sufficient bank statements to support the full tuition amount before enrollment. Although these bank statements can come from family or friends, it is an unavoidable condition.
Currently, the lowest tuition among schools nationwide for Day 1 CPT programs is around $3,000 per semester. The minimum total cost for the entire program is approximately $18,000. So, students choosing Day 1 CPT should not harbor unrealistic fantasies that this path requires no financial investment.
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Interested in Day 1 CPT or having status issues, CPTDog’s consultants can help!