KatieC

Normally, I would say go for adventure - living in a new city and going somewhere new and exciting sounds like fun. But the debt part makes it tricky, especially since you already have some. And it sounds like California has an awful lot going for it other than just funding; to me it sounds like you're really leaning towards that anyway, for good reasons!

Thanks. I'm visiting Harvard tomorrow, so I'm hoping that helps me make a decision and doesn't just make me more conflicted. One thing I've been wondering about is how the country I'm in will affect my job hunt. If I decide I want to stay in the Netherlands, it seems like having a Dutch degree might be a plus, but then again, Harvard is famous enough that the reputation will probably still be useful. But I wouldn't have the language experience or the student visa to job hunt on...

I hope it's not a horrible career-limiting move, because I'm planning on doing the same! There's a lot that goes into picking a school other than just its ranking, so if the lower-ranked program fits you better, I say go for it. If you're impressive enough to get into a top 5 school you can probably write a good enough resume to get into a job anyway.

The programs are both similarly interesting and a good fit, though to be honest the Groningen one is much more tailored to my research interests. You kind of said what I've been thinking, so thanks so much It's good to hear that my reasoning makes sense.

Hey everyone! I've been accepted into Harvard Divinity School for a MTS, and into University of Groningen (in the Netherlands) for an MA in the same field. Harvard is giving me a 75% tuition grant, but it's still quite expensive, obviously, so I would be going into quite a bit of debt. The Dutch school is a third of the cost, with much cheaper tuition, lower cost of living, and the fact that it's a shorter program. (My girlfriend lives in the Netherlands, as well, which is an added pull for going there!) Several people have told me that Harvard is worth the significantly higher debt because the prestige will help me to get a job. I'm hoping to go into the nonprofit sector, probably political advocacy of some kind specifically. What do you voices of experience think? Will the prestige of Harvard really help my future career so much that it's worth 40k extra?