Anonymous wrote:For med school, a tier 1 law school or a top business school (e.g., Wharton), take out loans. Unless you really screw up, you'll make enough to pay them back and still live comfortably.
For a tier 2 law school or highly ranked but not elite business school, only go if you can get most if not all of your tuition covered by a grant or scholarship, and take out loans for what's left over, including your living expenses.
For a grad program outside of those fields, look for something fully funded. Not only will you avoid going into debt, but these programs tend to be of a higher quality and more respected in the workplace. Most if not all grad programs that don't offer assistantships are just money grabs.
For a tier 3 or below toilet law school, a jagoff business school, or a non-funded grad program, including anything that can be done 100% online, don't waste your time.
This. DH’s parents paid for his grad school, and I paid for my (top tier) law school with loans. I didn’t do big law, but could have. I wouldn’t have had the choice if we were both paying student loans.