<p>If the loans are small (less than $5,000/year), I think I’d choose Chicago. But Stanford is one of the best universities in the world too, and no loans is better than small loans, and you really can’t go wrong here.</p>
<p>I’m a city person and a lover of cold weather, so in my eyes Chicago trumps Palo Alto (and Los Angeles) every time, but it’s true that in California you’d be wearing shorts and sunglasses all year long, which some people find very appealing.</p>
<p>Stanford’s art department may be better than UChicago’s, but UChicago is working to improve its reputation in that respect, and Chicago itself offers incredible cultural and artistic opportunities.</p>
<p>I don’t know what to tell you. I’m biased toward UChicago, but I don’t want to give you biased advice. Just close your eyes, think about where you want to be four years from now, and your gut feeling should do the rest.</p>
<p>Or just flip a coin. You really can’t go wrong with these two schools.</p>