BinaGajurkoMandir (in other words Gyane le sabai chorera Mandir matrai chodya) is Right! :-) Listen! Since both parties have 50% fault in it, your best bet is to tell the school that they goofed up. You, going back to the same school and taking full-time classes, is more than enuff for you to bargain for your rights. So, my suggestion to you is - * Tell your school that U HAVE BEEN taking full time classes therefore it is school's responsibility to write a letter to the immigration along with your reinstatement letter (explaining the real reason what happned) and submit it. Also, the reinstatement fee should be paid by the schooll, not you. Initially, they may ask you to write a check to the INS but you will get reimbursed. THERE IS NO NEED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. Sometimes those people or advisors don't know jack sh*t, so it's YOU who need to show them where school was wrong and what they didn't do. Be very proactive and to the point when you talk to school's officials. Just in case, if you still have to leave the country, just have all your transcripts ready, get a letter from scchool explaining what happened and how they failed to follow the procedure, You should be fine. Have everything in writing, because after all, it's your a*s on the line. I hope it helps. G'Luck!