Starmom and Mischevious - Thank you for the very supportive posts!! It's really good to hear people backing me up like that because I honestly don't get too much support, so it's easy to get nervous.

You asked whether I am in college, and I am currently a sophomore undergraduate pursuing a degree in biology at the U of MA.

A friend of mine asked me, "If grad school were free, would you be having this debate?" The answer is, no, I wouldn't. I'd just do it because this is what I want to do. When you said "Student loans and loan debt is no big deal" that was a bit surprising to hear, probably because money issues are always on my mind. I don't care about being really rich when I get older, but I would like to be comfortable and able to support a family. I don't know how student loans work exactly - I am in school right now on a scholarship - but I hear they are pretty awful and haunt you for a long time.