pomtown

Hi everyone, I'm hoping for some insights about the funding process that might help me wrap my brain around the costs/benefits of my degree. Accepted: - Boston U ($10K merit) - Columbia - Drexel ($15K merit for each of 2 years) - Washington University in St. Louis - SUNY-Albany - Yale It seems like Drexel is the obvious choice, just because their funding offer is so substantial. But, am I selling myself short by going to a less competitive / lower ranked / newer program? Would the additional loans I'd have to take out to fund, say, Columbia, be worth it? I'm interested in a discussion that might help others in similar situations. I'm planning on getting my MPH in Social/Behavioral with a focus in Public Health Communication/Marketing (WashU is my personal top choice for this reason). I'm also planning on deferring enrollment for one year, to continue working and paying down debts from undergrad.