Parsons MFA or CCA MDES?

[eggfryingpan]

This year I applied to Parsons for their MFA Design and Technology (2 years) and California College of the Arts (CCA) for their new MDES Interaction Design (1 year) program.

 

I've received an offer to Parsons but CCA's program is new and they're still waiting from the government for them to issue I-20 visas to students so they stopped accepting rolling international applications.

 

My main concern is how I can fund my education. Parsons is 2 years whereas CCA is 1, meaning that there is less money spent in CCA and less debt for me. Should I risk waiting for CCA to get approved by the government? Or should I just take Parsons? I called both institutions and they're both pretty iffy right now. 

 

CCA told me that they're waiting just as much as the applicants are. Local students are getting accepted but international is still on hold. I asked whether international students would still be accepted if they were approved in May and they said probably not.

 

Parsons pretty much gave me no money and told me options of teaching on campus, and looking for private scholarships.

 

I know that I should be more concerned of what I want to achieve in my academic career and base it on my own academic goals but I don't want to end up with a $70k debt when I graduate Parsons. I really like both schools for different reasons but I'm just trying to be realistic financially.

 

If it helps, I want to be in a career that deals with User Experience and User Interface design.

 

Any advice or perspective is greatly appreciated!

[fuzzylogician]

Please don't cross-post the same question in multiple forums. Your other post has been removed.

[DrF8]

I say decline the offer (or lack thereof) from Parsons and forget about this new program at CCA for now. Apply to other programs in the Fall. I suggest checking out the MDes or MPS in Interaction Design at CMU. The MDes is a 1-year program and MPS is a 2-year program. By the way, I was also accepted to Parsons MFADT and there is about a 50% chance I will attend. I too received no funding. Also, I'm not sure where you came up with the $70k figure because NEWSFLASH: The MFADT program costs $91k. Parsons tuition is $300 more a credit than other divisions of The New School. 

Edited March 27, 2015 by DrF8

[eggfryingpan]

I say decline the offer (or lack thereof) from Parsons and forget about this new program at CCA for now. Apply to other programs in the Fall. I suggest checking out the MDes or MPS in Interaction Design at CMU. The MDes is a 1-year program and MPS is a 2-year program. By the way, I was also accepted to Parsons MFADT and there is about a 50% chance I will attend. I too received no funding. Also, I'm not sure where you came up with the $70k figure because NEWSFLASH: The MFADT program costs $91k. Parsons tuition is $300 more a credit than other divisions of The New School. 

 

Thanks for your insight and input. 

the $70k figure is an estimate for myself after incorporating my own finances. I'm sure that it will stack up to be more than $70k.

 

I also looked at the MDes program at CMU and I felt that it wasn't a good fit for me because I don't exactly have an undergrad degree in design and I don't have work experience in design either.