Hey everyone,
I’m in a bit of a tough spot and could use some advice. My OPT is ending soon, and I haven’t landed a job yet, so I need to switch to Day 1 CPT to stay in the game. I have a Bachelor’s in Data Science, and now I’m trying to decide—should I go for a Master’s or take the PhD route?
I know PhD programs with Day 1 CPT are harder to come by, but is it worth it in the long run? Or would a Master’s be the better (and more practical) choice while I keep job hunting?
If anyone’s been in a similar situation or has any insights, I’d really appreciate your thoughts! Thanks in advance!
Ah yes—the good ol’ “OPT’s ending and I still need a job” panic. Been there, counseled that.
If you’re trying to stay in status and stay employable, a Master’s with Day 1 CPT is usually the saner, faster, and more job-friendly choice. PhD programs with Day 1 CPT do exist, but they’re rare unicorns—plus, unless you’re really into academic suffering and publishing papers no one reads, it might not be worth the trouble. Consider DBA options too. I heard DBA are more like Doctoral level MBA, probably making things easier for you.
TL;DR: Master’s = practical. PhD = long haul with lots of hoops.
Choose your chaos wisely, and best of luck out there!
— Jill
Thank you! I will take a look at DBA programs.
definitely master first then DBA, with the current selection rate its so common that you can’t get h1b in 2-3 years, after master day1cpt you can still go for dba, but if you have done your dba and still don’t have h1b, man you are cooked, there’s no higher program to extend your stay
That’s a very good point. Thanks for the advice!
masters are also usually cheaper so you could consider that
Agree. Don’t waste the chance and you might get into h1b next year too
I prefer Master again since it’s much cheaper..
doing another masters gives you more options to try something new, if you go for a doctorate it’ll be hard to go back to a masters
Thanks everyone for the great points!