MSF Decision Dilemma: Georgetown Vs. Vanderbilt, Vs. Villanova

I’m facing a bit of a decision dilemma and would appreciate some outside perspectives.

The Major Question at Hand (As your time is valuable, I’ll get to the point):

Georgetown for 76K, Vanderbilt at 84K, or Villanova for 17K as a Research Fellow.

Background:
I completed my undergraduate degree at a non-target state school near Washington, D.C., earning a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Economics and a 3.7 GPA. Since graduating, I’ve worked in government contracting, but I’ve realized it isn’t the right long-term fit for me. I know I want to go back to graduate school, and I find the financial aspects of my work to be the most engaging, which has led me to pursue a career transition into finance. 

I’m confident that graduate school is the right next step, but I feel it’s too early to pursue an MBA, as I’ll only be two years out of undergrad. I would be 24 at the start of the program. My primary goal is to transition into investment banking, and while I understand the risks associated with an MSF, I’m comfortable with them and would consider corporate finance or management consulting as fallback options.

I have not debt. My current employer offers no tuition remission or assistance. I don’t come from family money and have no benefactor to provide further funds, so savings and student loans it is. 

Programs and Offers:
Initially, I focused almost exclusively on Georgetown due to its proximity—I currently rent near D.C. and could commute without relocating. I was particularly drawn to the 10-month format and the option to extend to two years. However, I do have concerns about the hybrid structure. Based on my experience during COVID and in a hybrid work environment, I’ve found that hybrid formats often result in weaker social and cohort dynamics, despite the full tuition cost. I also visited Georgetown’s MSF facilities, which appear fairly limited in scale.

I was admitted to Georgetown at close to full tuition, approximately $76,000. I was waitlisted at Vanderbilt, which I suspect may be due to my lack of a formal finance internship to date. Villanova, on the other hand, offered me a research fellowship covering roughly 50% of tuition plus a stipend, bringing my estimated cost down to around $17,000. It’s an offer for which I’m tremendously honored to have received. The program looks great and I like the people I’ve interacted with there.

I attempted to negotiate with Georgetown using Villanova’s offer as leverage, but they have not moved, and I don’t expect that to change.

Decision Considerations:
I believe I could potentially work my way off Vanderbilt’s waitlist through networking and by securing a finance-related internship, as networking is one of my strengths. That said, if admitted, I would likely be paying close to sticker price (approximately $84,000).

This brings me to my core question: Would I be stupid not to accept Villanova’s offer over Georgetown, or even Vanderbilt at full cost? Georgetown and Vanderbilt, in my mind, clearly offer stronger brand recognition and larger alumni networks. Which may particularly important in my case, given my non-target undergraduate background. However, I’m weighing whether that name recognition meaningfully outweighs the fellowship distinction and financial flexibility of attending Villanova.

Put differently, are the potential career upside and network advantages of Georgetown or Vanderbilt so substantial as to justify taking on $76K--$84K in student debt, compared to a maximum of roughly $17K at Villanova?

I think it clear to anybody who reads this that I am doing a bit of hedging; and, I’m myself a bit attached to the name recognition of Georgetown and Vanderbilt.

I’d greatly appreciate any insight, perspectives, stories, advice, and suggestions.