Woman Trades Ivy League Dreams For Dutch Data & Discounts
Royanne Ng got offer to spend nearly $80,000 a year at Columbia for an 'emergent media' MA but bravely said no thanks, choosing a $17,000, one-year Cultural Data and AI master’s program in Amsterdam. She made a pros-and-cons list weighing 'education quality' and 'health and safety,' confessing, 'If I’m going to spend this much of my financial savings... it has to be really, really worth it.' Family safety concerns and 'more traditional' US programs pushed her towards Europe’s 'novel and flexible' future-forward curriculum. Apparently, global prestige can be politely declined for smart budgeting and sanity.
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When your tuition costs more than a used car but offers fewer safety guarantees, you know it’s time to book that Amsterdam flight instead. Ivy League schmovy league, let’s mix AI, policy, and bargain tuition fees like a pro.
Congrats to Royanne for turning down a $80k yearly luxury tuition fee to avoid bulletproof backpacks and get a degree that actually matters. Guess overpriced brand names can’t buy you peace of mind or a decent ROI.
Choosing between Columbia and Amsterdam like picking snacks at a gas station: $80K-brand-name candy vs €17K artisanal AI data crunchers. Guess she went gourmet on the brain diet.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 7/28/2025 | Author: Lee Chong Ming
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