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I'm an east coaster currently split between going to grad school at Rutgers vs UCLA. Rutgers would basically be free for me, where as UCLA could cost 40-50 thousand for the two year masters program (although they imply fellowships and work study are easy to come by). However growing up on the east coast my entire life, moving to LA seems so exciting to me.
If I go to Rutgers, I'll probably live in the bitter cold north east for my entire life. However, if I go to UCLA, I may wind up loving California and never moving back. Even if I don't love California, I could always come back to the east coast after 2 years.
Any advice on what you'd do in my situation? I'm leaning towards Rutgers, but I feel I could be missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime. The grad school is in urban planning if that makes a difference.
So you go to UCLA, have a good time, finish the program. And then can't find a job anywhere. NOWHERE. You are jobless without a hope of finding anything. Of course the same thing happen after Rutgers.
No problem, right? EXCEPT for that $40K-$50k loan hanging around your neck.
Rutgers is a great school, and it's free for you, so this seems like a no-brainer. One thing you might consider is how does each school rank in regards to your field of study. Get a work-study job on campus, and save your money for winter and spring breaks in LA.
I'm an east coaster currently split between going to grad school at Rutgers vs UCLA. Rutgers would basically be free for me, where as UCLA could cost 40-50 thousand for the two year masters program (although they imply fellowships and work study are easy to come by). However growing up on the east coast my entire life, moving to LA seems so exciting to me.
If I go to Rutgers, I'll probably live in the bitter cold north east for my entire life. However, if I go to UCLA, I may wind up loving California and never moving back. Even if I don't love California, I could always come back to the east coast after 2 years.
Any advice on what you'd do in my situation? I'm leaning towards Rutgers, but I feel I could be missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime. The grad school is in urban planning if that makes a difference.
It's up to your individual situation.
How old are you and how long would it take you to make up the debt.
What I can tell you is that as an Urban Planner, you won't be making a ton of money to start, no matter if you went to MIT or Berkeley. So, it may take you a while to pay back the debt. If you're young, shouldn't be a problem.
BTW, I'm a Blou graduate. A lot of people did the reverse. Came to Rutgers from California and Texas, etc w/o aid. Some of then lived in the city the whole time and racked up healthy debt I'm sure.
Do you plan on finishing your education or stopping at the masters? Unlike undergraduate programs at Rutgers, the masters programs are actually decent and worth considering. The free ride helps, but I don't think that should be a factor.
Look at the two urban planning programs and choose the better of the two. If they are close, maybe then consider that Rutgers is free. The most important thing in higher education is the professors you study under. So make sure you read their work prior to choosing where to go.
i agree with everyone else to go to Rutgers, and will add that most of the UCs are having awful budget experiences lately. making it even less attractive of an idea
i am an east coaster who did my ugrad in cali, FWIW
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