Columbia vs. Boston College Social Work fall 2013

[mswfall2013]

Hello all,

 

I have been accepted to Columbia, Boston College and Denver for my MSW. I am pending at BU but I do not care as this is now out of the running.

 

I received 12k per year from DU and 14.5k per year from Columbia including 4k work study. I have not yet received BC's acceptance packet but I am assuming that being a male with several years solid work experience I will receive 20k per year. BC tuition is about 5k per year cheaper. This makes the COA at BC about 45k per year while the COA at Columbia will be about 55k per year. Going to Columbia will cost me 20k more total. These numbers include health insurance, living expenses etc.

 

My decision is between BC and Columbia. BC has smaller classes taught by full professors so the education is probably better at BC (I beleive Columbia uses students in the PHD program to teach large classes for the most part). I like Boston better than NY. I am torn becasue I like the idea of the Columbia name and Ivy league pedigree and the plentiful job oppurtunites in a city the size of NY. In addition, Columbia has a large and successful alumni network.

 

BC on the other hand is well regarded in Boston and elsewhere but lacks the ivy factor. Prestige is important to me as I work in the high end drug and alcohol treatment indutry (read wealth clients pay 30k cash per month) where prestige matters. Unlike most I am getting my MSW to start my own high end drug tratment program and to GASP make more money. I have no intetntion of working at some agency for 40k per year.

 

Where should I attend? Would paying an extra 20k premium for the Columbia name be worth it? PS I will likely end up trying to open my rehab in California or Colorado.