Big Question: The Money or the Name?

[labmouse]

I've just gotten off of Concordia University's waitlist.

Concordia has an international tuition of 10k. Even if I don't get any funding, with living expenses, I wouldn't need to take out more than 20k to go to school for a year. The program is 2.5-3 years long, with me looking at 60k max in loans. I'm in contact witht he school and will find out more about my aid package tomorrow.

Parsons has name recognition in the US that Concordia(which is in Montreal) does not have. I have 16k in scholarships, but that leaves me with 18k to cover tuition and 13-17k for living(including food, housing(mostly on campus since I'm really far away to apartment hunt)transportation and insurance). Parsons is a two year program, with me looking at between 31k-35k a year, a worse case scenario of 70k in debt when I'm done.

I have been thinking about each program more and have been wondering if I should go with the better aid package, since I'm planning on teaching.

[graphikchik]

Not sure I have an easy answer for this one. I think it depends on which program you feel would be best both educationally, financially, and in terms of meeting your career goals. What are the outcomes of the grads for teaching? Does one program have a better record for their MFA's going on in academia (especially in the areas of the country/world you are interested in working)? There are a lot of factors that have to go into making these kinds of decisions and it's never easy. Money is important, but fit is just as important and maybe more so since you will have to spend the next 2 -3 years in this program.

That's just my thoughts.