fchow

I don't know much about the specific programs but I would say you can't turn down Harvard MPAID. They've got a great reputation and world class faculty, the eminent Dani Rodrik being one of them. Debt should not be an issue. Think of it as an investment. As part of your lifetime earnings 70K isn't a whole lot after coming out of any of these programs. Choose which program that will open the most doors. Look at past alumni placements. As prospective employers what they think.

My two top offers are for economics MPhil at Oxford and the MA at NYU. From the prospective of preparing myself to get into a top phd program afterwards, everything else equal, which school I go to?

It really depends on what program you want to specialize in. Each department has their own specialty. In terms of overall rankings on econ departments, all three are similarly ranked, although U of Guelph does come out ahead. Check out http://ideas.repec.org/top/top.canada.html for more rankings. Messing around their website will also give you rankings in specific disciplines, but these programs not being in the top may not show up on the list. I would say do your research and learn about the specific specialties in each program and see there are any professors you would like to work with. I hope this post is in time for your deadlines.