UCLA Anderson with $50k vs. NYU Stern with $0 scholarship

TL;DR: International student with corporate finance focus choosing between UCLA Anderson with $50,000 fellowship and NYU Stern with $0 scholarship.

Hi there,

Right now I’m choosing between Anderson with $50,000 fellowship and Stern with no scholarship and would greatly appreciate input form you guys and any advice or own experience that you could share. I’m especially interested in the perspective of international students who stayed on in the US after their MBA.

My background: 28 years old, born and raised in Eastern Europe, CFA Charterholder, 4+ years as an investment banker at a local IB shop (mostly DCM and M&A), 2+ years before that as an auditor at Big 4. BBA from local university.

MBA situation: 720 at GMAT, planned major/concentration: finance and entrepreneurship.

Post-MBA plans: I plan to work at a corporate finance function of a large corporation in the US for 5+ years, then go back to the old country as a senior executive.

Financing: will have to take out a student loan to cover 100% of costs. I’m very sensitive to taking on too much debt. Minimizing the loan size and maximizing US visa/job chances is a priority.

Here is my analysis so far:

Financing: over two years Stern costs c. $20,000 more in tuition alone compered with Anderson. Add $50,000 fellowship to that and Stern will cost me at least $70,000 more compared to Anderson. So Anderson is clear winner here.

Career prospects: Stern is better known for its finance practice and lots of graduates go to wall street and corporate finance prospects are good too, however plenty of Anderson graduates land corporate finance jobs too. Points to Stern here.

Visa: Stern’s MBA has a STEM designation which means that on top of one year working right for every F1 visa-holders graduates with relevant post-MBA job can apply for Optional Practical Training program and get two more years of work in the US. While this is pretty huge good as H1B visas are getting a lot harder to obtain nowadays, most corporate finance jobs don't fall under STEM so I don't think this is that useful in my situation. Still, Stern’s a winner here.

Location: personally, I prefer LA to NY in terms of weather and laid-back attitude, but I can live with both. Total living costs are probably comparable: housing seems more expensive in NY, but I’ll have to get a car in LA. I’m ambivalent on this one.

Any point I’m missing or got wrong? How would you guys choose in my place?