Strail19

Hello Everyone! I have been working on applications for months now, and I guess its finally decision time. I didn't get in to any of my top 3, so i'm struggling a bit to figure out which choice is best. I've narrowed it down to 2 main options: Virginia's Batten MPP or Georgetown SSP. The differences in program focus are obvious, and I'm concentrating on sorting that bit out on my own. Here, I would like to ask for advice primarily in the realm of return on investment. Batten provided significant funding, Georgetown offered none. So, in tuition alone Georgetown would be about double UVA. Double. Then consider living expenses - I can easily get a room in Charlottesville for around $500, DC would be closer to double that as well. I can support myself in Charlottesville on a basic student job, but in DC I would most certainly be looking for something more significant while i'm in school. If my goal is to work in the public sector, taking on enormous debt is risky. My question is - would Georgetown afford me significantly greater opportunities than Batten? Living, working, and making connections in DC would certainly help, but I was attracted to Batten originally because of it's proximity to DC anyway. I am confident that UVA will create decent career opportunities and that I would leave grad school without enormous debt. Can I be confident that the debt at Georgetown is worth it? Can I expect my earning potential and job options to be that much higher with Georgetown, or is it as risky as it seems? I understand none of this is certain. I think i would be taking a risk on UVA as a relatively new program. And, I understand the more important decision is figuring out which program is a better fit for my goals. I'll work on that - but any advice on my ROI concerns is greatly appreciated in the mean time.