Ask A DSO provides practical guidance for universities navigating F-1 compliance and international students making important academic and employment decisions.

Led by Dr. Josh Schoonover, an experienced Principal Designated School Official who has supported thousands of international students, advised institutional leaders, and managed complex immigration compliance operations.

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For Colleges and Universities

Strong international student programs require more than regulatory knowledge. Institutions must translate complex requirements into policies, processes, documentation, and decisions that can withstand scrutiny.

Ask A DSO helps colleges and universities:

• Strengthen CPT policies and documentation

• Evaluate institutional compliance risk

• Prepare for SEVP certification

• Develop or expand international student programs

• Train DSOs, administrators, faculty, and staff

• Respond to regulatory and operational change

• Improve international student workflows and services

Whether your institution is building an F-1 program, reviewing an existing practice, or responding to a specific compliance concern, the goal is the same: clear, defensible decisions grounded in both the regulations and the realities of university operations.

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For International Students

Immigration rules can tell you what is generally permitted. They cannot always tell you what makes sense in your particular situation.

Ask A DSO helps international students understand their options, identify potential risks, and prepare for decisions involving:

• CPT and practical training

• OPT and STEM OPT

• Employment strategy

• Changes in academic plans

• Maintaining F-1 status

• Difficult or time-sensitive situations

You will receive practical guidance shaped by years of reviewing real student cases—not vague information copied from a government website.

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Experience You Can Trust

Ask A DSO was founded by Dr. Joshua Schoonover, an international education leader, Principal DSO, and university administrator.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Schoonover has:

• Served more than 10,000 international students

• Supported more than 4,000 F-1 approvals

• Guided more than 3,000 OPT and STEM OPT cases

• Overseen an international student population of more than 5,600

• Led a team of 35 international student advisors

• Advised institutions on compliance, policy, operations, and risk

His work brings together regulatory knowledge, institutional leadership, and practical experience with the decisions students and universities face every day.

Clear Guidance. Sound Judgment. Practical Next Steps.

You do not need more information for information’s sake. You need to understand what matters, where the risks are, and what to do next.

[For Colleges and Universities]

[For International Students]