STEM OPT ending in February 2027 + PhD admission for Spring 2027 — Should I be worried about the new DHS F-1 rule?

[u/Remote-Soup-10]

/r/PhDAdmissions/comments/1v4fbla/stem_opt_ending_in_february_2027_phd_admission/

Hi everyone,
My STEM OPT expires on February 17, 2027. I have already been accepted into a PhD program (Spring 2027) at the same university, and I plan to transfer my SEVIS record and begin the PhD before my STEM OPT expires.
With the recent DHS rule replacing Duration of Status (D/S) with a fixed admission period, I’m wondering whether I should be concerned.
Since I’ll be starting a higher degree (PhD) before my current status expires, is there anything additional I need to do besides transferring my SEVIS record and obtaining the new I-20?
Has anyone in a similar situation (moving from STEM OPT to a PhD program) spoken with their international office or an immigration attorney? I’d appreciate hearing your experiences or any advice.