Help!! I was accepted to Columbia SIPA a few weeks ago and offered 40k annual scholarship, plus admitted to the IFP which comes with an additional $9,500 fellowship (1 year). Super stoked on this (SIPA has always been my dream program)!! I decided to leave my future self with debt and I committed and paid the 2k deposit. Fast forward... just found out that I was admitted to Princeton WWS off the waitlist. Full ride + living stipend. Here's the dilemma: SIPA has always been my dream school. NYC is my city, all my friends and my partner are there, I love it, want to be there. But I would have to take on about 50k - 75k total debt (that accounts for living expenses). OR, I take Princeton WWS, no debt, but have to live in Trenton for 2 years. Am I being irresponsible to pass up the free ride?
PS. I have an financial aid appeal in to SIPA, but despite my best efforts, I won't hear back about it until after my WWS decision is due.
Thoughts?