<p>It sounds to me like you are more excited about Notre Dame, and will probably enjoy your time there more than you would Chicago. Since money also works in favor of ND here, I think that sounds like the better choice for you. I also wouldn’t worry too much about South Bend as a college town. I think it gets a pretty bad rap, even though it’s a nice enough city, and the university has been working very hard at improving the surrounding area for the past few years. Plus, you’ll probably spend most of your time as a student on or near the campus.</p>