<p>I was accepted to both the UT Arlington and UT Austin M.Arch II programs and now I'm having trouble deciding where to go. The obvious answer would be UT Austin (high rankings, more prestigious), but my financial situation is tough. </p>
<p>I received a full ride to UT Arlington plus a significant stipend that would basically make living/food expenses nonexistent. UT Austin has not sent out financial aid letters but will do so early this week; I'm not holding out hope that I'll receive a scholarship from Austin. I visited both schools and I fell in love with UT Austin. The faculty, the school, the students, and the city all had me hooked. UT Arlington just didn't excite me...it felt like my undergraduate degree all over again.</p>
<p>Here's my main question: Is a graduate degree in architecture worth going into debt?</p>
<p>I'm trying to think long-term with my degree. Will either school give me a head start in the job market? Or are both schools equal if the effort is put into pursuing jobs? Is the UTSOA so much better for my education that it's worth going into debt for...or am I just an idiot for taking on loans when a full-ride is available at another school?</p>
<p>My heart tells me to go with UT Austin, but my head says UT Arlington.</p>
<p>Does anyone have an opinion on either school? I'm tired of hearing people say that UT Austin is a "bargain" school. Sure, when you compare it to a Harvard price tag. But I just don't have $20,000 a year to throw around (living expenses plus tuition). Is the school really worth the money or should I just go to a school that doesn't excite me for free, get my degree, and get out?</p>