I recently finished my MBA at a top program on a full tuition scholarship (took myself off the waitlist at Dartmouth), so let me add my two cents to those weighing their options...
Go to the school with the scholarships or aid.
Graduating with ~$70k in debt compared to many classmates who are ~$200k in debt is an incredible and freeing thing. I was able to take the perfect opportunity after school because of this. Even with a full scholarship, the program cost me about $40k a year. Boston is an expensive city that eats through your income especially if you plan to go out and make friends with your classmates—something you should do. After graduating, the competition for jobs did not come down to which school you went to (except at the elite firms and this really only applies for MBAs—it came down to what you learned and how you interviewed. Yes, my school has a great brand and so does Harvard but take the brand off and pick the right program for you. That makes the difference so much more than you think it will.
p.s. Does anyone know how many people get off the WL at HKS? I'm assuming it's a relatively good number considering the few financial aid options.
