<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I was recently accepted as a transfer student into both schools via their non-traditional student application processes (I left school and travelled the world before returning to academia, so applying as a freshmen was out of the question). I have heard horror stories about Columbia's non-grad. school in particular, General Studies, being notoriously paltry in financial aid offering. On the other hand, Penn seems to discriminate less against its transfers and offers a more substantial package on average.</p>
<p>Here's the rub: I have a wife and son, so last-minute moving plans are discouraged, yet Penn's financial office has informed me that it will likely be well into the month of June before I am shown any kind of aid package to compare against Columbia's, which contrastingly will be available for me to view in just a week or two. For time and planning alone, Columbia looks like a more enticing offer at the moment, because at the very least I will know well enough ahead of time how to plan financially for moving my family. I don't really want to string my wife along and give her last-minute notice on which state to look for potential job offers in.</p>
<p>Columbia is the only campus I was able to find time to visit, since I am a current full-time student and part-time retail worker in my current state, and I have to be perfectly honest, I absolutely fell in love with the school, the faculty, the city of NY, and pretty much every other aspect of my visit. That is not to say, of course, that I wouldn't have equally enjoyed a visit to Penn, but I think the fact that Columbia so swept me away from the very beginning is worth noting. I don't want to throw away what could become the greatest educational experience of my life just out of fear of debt. </p>
<p>In the opinion of you fine students of Columbia (and the Ivy League at large), is Penn worth waiting for on merit, as well as affordability, or should I jump right into Columbia the moment I have the chance - regardless of how much debt I may accrue? I am not trying to fish for Columbia-biased praise (I am posting a similar thread on Penn's board as well); I am truly asking for some advice on which school is more worth my time and money, considering and comparing the quality of their non-traditional programs and financial aid offerings. Any realistic, honest responses would be lovely - this is not a choice I take lightly.</p>