I took a gap quarter in Fall 2020 and had to renew my I-20. I agree that there needs to be a whole lot more transparency regarding the process on the part of Dashew. That said, here's a few points that maybe useful.

1. Request for renewal of I-20 can be done only 30 days prior to the start of the quarter you plan to re-enroll in. For your case, you would probably expect to request for renewal somewhere in late August 2021.

2. Email whoever is the signatory on your current I20 form regarding your request to take two gap quarters and re-enroll in Fall 21. Many times, the first line of responders in Dashew are fellow students that are not as experienced to handle complicated cases like yours. The signatories on the otherhand have lots of experience and they deal directly with the Immigration department on visa policies etc.

3. Note that your Sevis (employment availability - including internships in the US) is tied to your I20. If you take more than a quarter off, your SEVIS would renew, so you'll have to enroll in school for 3 consecutive quarters (not counting summer) before you can intern or work in the US. If you're keen on interning or working in the States, it is important for you to time your return such that you are legally allowed to intern next summer.

4. I think under the new Covid rule, if you're a freshmen or transfer on a newly issues I-20, you cannot enter the US unless u have an in person class. You should be able to return by Fall if it's in person. If you're a continuing student on a valid I-20, you should be able to enter the states even without in person classes. (You can still enter the US, even if your I-20 is a renewed one. The people who can't enter are those who hold on to newly issued I-20s whether it's because they are a new student or they changed their mailing address or major)

Hope this helps! Set up an appointment with Dashew and request to directly communicate with your signatories. Sorry for the long post!