confusion123

Received a full tuition fellowship + stipend at HKS, so after some soul searching and figuring out what I want, I've decided to attend HKS!

Inspiration: 2019 version I'm trying to nail down where I want to go over the next couple of weeks, and I'm sure many of you are in the same spot. I hope we can bounce ideas off of each other! Coming from: NYC Deciding between: Princeton SPIA MPA - 100% tuition + stipend Harvard Kennedy MPP - They haven't released results yet, but employer will pay tuition + stipend assuming I get in Yale Jackson MPP - 100% tuition + stipend UC Berkeley Goldman MPP - Close to 100% tuition, but relatively easy to get an on campus job for $ and tuition remission Columbia SIPA MPA - 80% tuition Other factors: My #1 goal was not going into debt, and I feel like that goal is achievable given my options. I would've liked to travel to each campus to get a feel for them, but I'm extremely busy over the next month with work and personal commitments, so I'm unable to see any school in person (except Columbia). I know alum from each school except Yale, so if you have insights there, let me know! I currently know one person at SPIA, one person at SIPA, a few current/formers at HKS, and one at Berkeley, and they're all telling me to go to their respective school! I went to Michigan for undergrad, so the idea of possibly going to a smaller school and being part of a small cohort is foreign but exciting at the same time. I want a program that's somewhat rigorous and challenging. I don't have super niche interests, so the lack of class choice isn't really a concern for me. I plan on staying on the public/non-profit side of things for the foreseeable future, but if I were to do a switch to private sector at some point down the line, I think I'd be OK with a degree from any of the schools I mentioned. I'm planning to go into state or local policy/government after graduating, so I probably should've applied to Sanford... but I don't want to live in NC! Again, I don't think I'd have a problem going that route if I attend any of these schools though. How I'm leaning: I'm leaning Princeton. I ruled Columbia out because of cost, and I ruled UC Berkeley out because I want to stay on the east coast. Yale is currently at the bottom of the list of schools I'm currently considering because of how new the program is and the fact that I'm not really interested in international affairs. I'm leaning Princeton because of its smaller class sizes, great student outcomes, and its proximity to DC/NYC. I was originally leaning Harvard, but just from looking at current/former students on LinkedIn and talking to my friends that are current/former students, it's moved down on my list. I want to have more experienced, public service committed classmates, and that hasn't really been the experience of my friends. I know it's a big school, so that might not be fully representative. I was told that many students have private-sector backgrounds and intend to go back to the private sector after leaving the school too. The weather also sucks! I recognize the Harvard name would carry more weight in certain circles, but I doubt at this stage in my life that I would be denied an opportunity if I chose Princeton over Harvard. Head: Princeton Heart: Wash between Princeton/Harvard Wallet: N/A