[zendaven]

I have two pieces of advice.

1. One thing I learned after becoming an adult is that debt is a normal part of life. You'll have a mortgage. You'll have a car loan. And you'll have student debt. You quickly become used to debt, and you don't need to be afraid of it, especially if you will have a pedigree from MIT.

2. Your decision will ultimately be based on what kind of life you want for yourself. Do you want a comfortable life or an ultra-successful but challenging one? If it's the former, then a less prestigious school will do you fine. If it's the latter, then go to MIT.