Day 1 CPT : How to Choose the Right Program

Ravi seemed to have a solid understanding of What is Day 1 CPT when he came to us, as many of his friends were already using it. However, he still had concerns.

Ravi's Concerns:

1. He witnessed some of his friends receive RFEs after being selected for H1B due to their use of Day 1 CPT. He is keen on staying in the US long-term.

2. His career is just taking off, and he has the opportunity for a promotion this year after working for the same employer for the past two years while on STEM OPT. He worries that if the gap between his OPT and Day 1 CPT is too large, his manager will not agree to it.

3. Despite his friends' recommendations, he is unsure which specific program and school are best. He feels that his friends only attended one school without comparing options, and most were referred by their friends without conducting their own research. 

Our consultant provided a personalized Day 1 CPT program list to Ravi by addressing Ravis's concern one by one. 

Accreditation and Schools' Reputation 

One thing to watch out for is the accreditation and past reputation of schools. There are thousands of schools in the US, many of which claim to be accredited. However, not all accrediting institutions are equally reputable. In the US, regional accreditation is more important than state accreditation. Reliable accreditations include:

• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

In addition to these general accreditations, some schools also have their programs accredited by specialized accrediting bodies. Some reputable program accreditations in the US include:

• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for business programs
• Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for engineering and technology programs
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for nursing programs
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) for counseling programs

Go Beyond the Accreditation 

Accreditation is one thing, but how a school treats its students is another. Some schools may have all the necessary accreditations but lack good "customer service." This is important because, unlike regular programs, applying for Day 1 CPT requires frequent interaction with the administrative team at your university, from obtaining authorization to renewing it periodically.

Most Day 1 CPT universities require students to maintain a 3.0 GPA while keeping their CPT active. Occasionally, students might get into a grading dispute with professors due to late assignments or other reasons. Many students in Day 1 CPT programs have full-time jobs outside the campus, making it challenging to balance work and study. Although not common, disputes over grades to maintain CPT status do happen.

Some schools have a supportive administrative team that helps students navigate these challenges, allowing them to pursue academic advancement while applying what they've learned at work. Other schools might lack sufficient staff to respond on time, potentially leading to students losing their CPT authorization.

Renewing CPT also requires careful timing. Before your new CPT authorization is approved and after your old one expires, you cannot work legally. Day 1 CPT universities with strong administrative support can process your renewal on time, ensuring you don't miss work.

F1 Visa Passing Rate and ReEntry

Although your school's ranking does not affect your ability to pass your F1 visa renewal interview, attending a more reputable Day 1 CPT university can offer additional support. A well-regarded school may have a more involved DSO who can assist you if you encounter issues during the F1 visa application process or at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when reentering the US.

F1 to H1B RFE Support

Similarly, a reputable school can provide strong RFE support and help lower your RFE rate in the first place. For example, one of the schools we work with, Westcliff University, has a low RFE rate. According to their staff, last year, 95% of students who received an RFE successfully passed and obtained their H1B. Those who didn't pass had issues related to their employers, not their studies.

An accredited school can help you gather all necessary documents in case of an RFE, from class attendance records to an explanation letter from your DSO.

Choose the Day 1 CPT Universities Near You

When discussing RFEs, students should be mindful of the distance between their chosen school and their residence. From our past experiences, students who choose schools that are too far and inconvenient have a higher chance of receiving an RFE. This is because USCIS officers may question the genuineness of your choice, especially if you already have a similar degree.

Ravi came to us wanting a school close to him because he doesn't want to spend too much time and money on traveling. This is also a great point for trying to get into Day 1 CPT universities near you.

Most accredited Day 1 CPT universities have relatively lower on-site requirements compared to traditional schools. However, when they do require you to attend on-campus classes, it usually takes up the whole weekend from Friday to Sunday night. This means you'll need accommodations if the school is too far away. Many students overlook this part of the cost when choosing schools.

Choosing Day 1 CPT Universities: Proximity and Future Plans

Does this mean you absolutely have to limit yourself to schools close by? Not necessarily. However, you do need a convincing reason in case of an RFE.

One of the most common reasons is that there are no similar programs available within your state. Besides this, several common situations might lead students to choose out-of-state schools:

In one of our previous cases, a student located in Arizona, which has a reputable Day 1 CPT university (Ottawa University), still chose to study in California. During our consultation, she explained that she wanted to relocate to California for career development reasons. Attending a school in California would help her build a network there. This is a logical and sound reason, and she did find a new job and move to California mid program. Even though she never received an RFE after being selected for H1B two years later, we believe she would have been able to explain her decision convincingly if she had. 

When selecting a Day 1 CPT university, consider not just proximity but also where you envision developing your life in the near future. Choose a school in that area. This approach is quite common among our students, which is why schools in or near major cities are the most popular.

Choose a Major Related to the Job You Want to Do

To have your CPT authorization approved by your DSO, the job description on your offer must be directly related to your academic program. For instance, Ravi is a web developer with nearly three years of experience and a potential promotion to a management role. Programs that would support his work and align with his job include:

• Computer Science
• MBA
• Information Technology
• Project Management

Cross-Reference: How We Helped Ravi Choose His Day 1 CPT University

Based on Ravi's background listed at the beginning of this blog, there are the Day 1 CPT universities available for him:

Monroe College - New York
New England College - New Hampshire
Harrisburg University - Harrisburg
Saint Peter's University - New Jersey

Since he wants a more affordable option with minimal travel and needs an intake opening in mid-July or early August this year, we recommended New England College because:

• It is two hours' drive from Boston, where he lives.
• It has a program starting on July 15th, which aligns with the first day he can use CPT.
• It offers EMBA, IT Cybersecurity, and IT Project Management majors, all applicable to his situation.
• It requires on-site attendance only one weekend per semester, meeting his minimal travel requirements.
• Among all these choices, it has the lowest tuition.

We sent all the information and an application fee waiver code to Ravi. He decided on the EMBA program because he wanted to demonstrate his commitment to his boss and his dedication to learning managerial skills.

Important Notes:

NEC requires all students to have a job to enter their programs, as they are designed as executive programs focused on on-the-job training and improvement. If you don't have a job yet and are enrolling in a Day 1 CPT program to secure internship opportunities and start your career in the US, NEC may not be a good choice for you. However, this was not an issue for Ravi, which is why NEC was listed as the top choice in the personalized Day 1 CPT program list we provided him after his first free consultation with us.

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