The global pandemic situation has created a lot of confusion for international students wanting to apply for studies abroad. Let us discuss the exact implications of COVID-19 on Fall 2021 admissions and the most popular asked questions which are popping into the minds of students.
Question # 1: Will The Intake Increase?
For Fall 2021 applicants, recent stats and surveys tell that the intake or seats may increase. The admissions for Fall 2020 are still ongoing, which is not normal if the situations weren’t the same. Now, what this implies? The universities have extended the application deadlines. Even the GRE/GMAT score requirements have been waived off.
Some students who receive admits, might defer their admissions to next Fall/Spring or decline the offer in favor of a better university. What happens next is that the university will make an offer to the students on the waitlists. This process continues until the university fills up their intakes and get their revenue. This is especially valid for top universities, with so many applicants and so few acceptance rates. So to answer in a nutshell, yes, the intake count might increase, but this should not stop you from applying now. We do not suggest it for you to believe things that are not in our control yet. Instead, focus on what you can do, and improvise your profile, because the hard truth is that the admissions are about to get harder, even if intakes are higher than usual.
Question # 2: Will It Get Harder To Bag Admits In Fall 2021?
Moving on to the second most asked question that will it get harder to bag admits in Fall 2021? The answer to this is Yes. The admissions will be going to get harder in Fall 2021. It is recommended not to fall into the trap of some consultants or non-validated content you find online. Another critical point here for people who have deferred the admits will build up their profile until next year. Later, when they apply in 2021, they may feel that they deserve better universities, hence increasing the competition. They may treat these deferred admits as backups and go on to try for better universities. Therefore, race increases significantly next year.
Question # 3: Trump Administration – OPT, H1B ( For USA Applicants Only )
The final thing that will affect the admissions now is the Trump administration. You may already know about the 60-day ban imposed on certain visa types starting in late April. If they continue to show a negative outlook towards the OPT, H-1B visas, most students will not want to pick the USA as their study abroad destinations. This is because there is no way to get the Return-on-Investment when these visas are limited any further. Be prepared to know that any potential changes in these visas may be an influencing factor, given the current situations.
