u/Impressive-Rent7819

31M, gay, white, international, will soon be a grad student.

I'm looking for a place that's fun, lively, with great nightlife (I'm not a party animal by any standards, but I love the feeling a a city that's alive during the night) and also welcoming to non-Americans. I also prefer a city that's more scooter-friendly (or has better public transport), even though I know I'll probably need a car in both.

Another aspect, which I know is neighborhood-dependent, but still - is safety.

Weather is also a big factor for me - I prefer a place that is warmer and sunnier. It's not the rain I mind, but the gloomy skies.

Thanks

non-ORM international student here.

I’ve narrowed my decision down to two options:

UCLA ($$$):

Total cost, excluding living expenses: about $66k over two years, including tuition, health insurance, and mandatory fees. Given Los Angeles’s very high cost of living, I expect the total difference versus Scheller to be at least $90k.

I would graduate with roughly $90k-$100k of debt.

Scheller ($$$$+):

Tuition, fees, and insurance are fully covered.

I would also earn a small stipend of about $5k per year.

I would likely graduate at roughly break-even, with no debt.

I am risk-averse, so the idea of taking on debt in this economy makes me uneasy, though not completely unbearable.

My target industry is tech, hoping to work in marketing or strategy, but I’m flexible and would be open to other industries or functions if the job market stays this tough.

I know for certain that I do not want consulting or investment banking, since work-life balance is very important to me.

Scheller would leave me debt-free, but it would also mean a smaller alumni network, a less prestigious brand, and a more limited national reach. UCLA offers all of those advantages to a greater extent. On top of that, I’m also interested in pharma, though it is not a dealbreaker. At Scheller, pharma is basically non-existent, while at UCLA it is much stronger.

One last thing is that the class size isn’t ideal for me at either school - Scheller’s class is extremely small (~70), while UCLA’s a bit too large (~320).

I’m still unsure whether the added debt is worth what I gain from UCLA.

Thoughts?

I didn't add a poll because most people tend to vote without ever reading the post or having any context.