First off, major life decisions suck! However, I'm very grateful to have these choices. Congrats to everyone on their various acceptances!
So here's my dilemma. I attended Columbia's Admitted Students Day and loved the people, school, city and curriculum. But it didn't change how expensive it is to attend Columbia. With scholarships, tuition alone is still going to cost me around $30,000 a year. When compared to UNC's in-state tuition of around $13,000, it's hard to justify considering that they are equally ranked. The only thing holding me back from UNC is that I went there for undergrad and would like to experience a different educational environment, and I have wanted to live in NYC for as long as I can remember. I am also really drawn to Columbia's advanced generalist track, the most similar concentration at UNC is their self-directed option.
The thought of being $80,000-100,000 in debt as a social worker is terrifying. I've extensively researched the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, but I just don't know what to do. I'm so torn.
Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated!!