Yeah but one can make that argument about most state schools vs. BU. Almost all state schools are cheaper, yet it would be truly tough to give up a school that offers so much of the stuff that BU does that I've not seen at least at some of my own state schools.
But again, I speak from my own experience at BU and how different it was from the public state school I did a different MS program. Though I was only in grad school at these two schools, it is easy to observe the atmosphere of a school and its professors and research and what they have going around campus and the difference was quite vast at least between my own state school and BU. i don't know how Umass compares as an institution though outside of my friend vouching for its great toxicology fellowship program post residency in EM.
So I admit I have a biased opinion. The other reason my opinion is also biased is that I know people who turned down Umass for BU because they didn't feel UMass had everything that they wanted which BU did.
I say if I had to give you serious advice Dr. Dashwood, and not biased opinions.............
I say
go to second looks!!!!!!!!! Get a feel for students and faculty, atmosphere of the two locations, of the schools themselves. Try to get the best feel you can for each school. Then ask yourself, are you going to Umass over BU because u think you won't pay off debt or because you really prefer there if you choose Umass. Or ask yourself is there something at BU that you see it offering that could make it worth the cost to stay here that Umass won't that you would choose BU over Umass despite the debt you may incur from going there.
Then make your decision. Also think about where you will have the greatest support system and which one will help to meet your personal goals more if again one has something that the other can't offer that helps your future goals.
BTW what I said in the two paragraphs above also applies to BU vs. any other school be it tufts, harvard, out of state schools.
Good luck to everyone with their decision making. I've had people close to me who were in this position just few years ago.
CONGRATULATIONS to all those who got acceptances.
...my cortisol levels just shot threw the roof. 
What a shame its not 😳
