Deferring Admission to Spring 2021 vs Fall 2021

[PRM]

I am an International student who was to enroll in grad school in the US in fall 2020, but my school just announced plans for the fall semester and all classes will be taught online. The school has encouraged all new International students to defer to either Spring or Fall 2021. However, I am torn between the two. I am leaning towards Spring 2021, but my worry is that, the pandemic may not be fully under control by then and travel restrictions and social distancing could still be in place. I am also hesitant to choose Fall 2021, because it is such a long wait (13 months away).

Anyone with thoughts on this? Or anyone going through the same?

Edited July 9, 2020 by PRM

[PsyDuck90]

Can you defer to Spring and then again to Fall if things are still not good?

[PRM]

@PsyDuck90 I reached out to the admissions office and they said that, they cannot provide an answer at the moment, it will all depend on how things unfold then.

[AP]

Do you want to defer? 

 

[nęm0]

Pick Fall 2021- Gives you time to apply to other schools to get better opportunities

Edited July 10, 2020 by NK Advocate

[prokem]

Depends. I think if you can get some sort of job or other fulfilling thing to fill up your time, definitely do Fall. I think it'll be easier to make connections and bond with your classmates when you come in with a class rather than dropping in in the middle of the year when those who started in fall will have already made close friendships etc. If you don't have any options for things to do between now and the fall, then I'd say defer to spring 

[PRM]

Thanks for your thoughts @prokem @NK Advocate. I will be deferring to fall 2021. It is such a long wait, but after thinking it through and assessing the current situation (pandemic & economy) in the US and globally, I feel fall 2021 is the safest and better option. Hopefully things will be back to normal then and we can have a full grad school experience.

[nęm0]

11 hours ago, PRM said:

Thanks for your thoughts @prokem @NK Advocate. I will be deferring to fall 2021. It is such a long wait, but after thinking it through and assessing the current situation (pandemic & economy) in the US and globally, I feel fall 2021 is the safest and better option. Hopefully things will be back to normal then and we can have a full grad school experience.

Cheers to that M8