HappyRoyla

I've heard back from all but ONE school (I applied to 9). I did an in-person interview almost a month ago. I'm dying since it's one of my top choice schools.

I applied to 9 programs. With application fees, GRE scores & transcripts, plus 3 in-person interviews, I'm out close to $3k. I was notified by one school they are suspending their program this year and refunding application fees! I'm still out $30 for the scores and transcripts, but hey, I'll take $75.

I'm a numbers person. Quality of education is important, but is it more important than the amount of money you'll have to pay back in the long-run? Cost of living is a huge factor in student debt. And Corvallis, OR is significantly cheaper than San Diego. Will you have opportunities at OSU to work on projects you're interested in? Consider also you'll have your entire career ahead of you. And first-time advisors can be extremely difficult and frustrating to work with since they don't have the experience advising students one-on-one. Food for thought. Go with your gut. I