Grad school debt

stickypenguin
Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:37:54 +0000

I’m in a little bit of a quandary and am hoping someone can help me out!

I received a last minute offer from the University of Michigan this past Friday. Before the option was on the table, I was happily planning on attending UCLA (Masters in Public Health). While Michigan has a slight advantage as far as program and reputation go, I’m not convinced it’s worth the extra money.

However, because MPH programs are for the most part unfunded it will cost be approximately 40K more (!) to attend UMich than UCLA.

I’m of the opinion that because I’m entering a field where there will likely never be lucrative pay (starting salary is 40-60K), I simply can’t disregard the amount of debt I’d be taking on in accepting Michigan’s offer and, consequently, should attend the cheaper program. It’s not like I’m comparing a first-tier school to a third-tier one; I’m deciding between two schools that are both ranked in the top ten in the field.

My mother thinks I should attend Michigan (even though she won’t be the one paying the bills) because it’s considered more “prestigious”.

Am I underestimating the “prestige” factor of Michigan? Is it really worth an extra 40K (and relocating)? My logic says no, but I’m definitely open to advice!