<prompt> Human: I have the opportunity to take the Semester at Sea program, but the cheapest tuitionhousing rate is 23,750. While this may be the trip of a lifetime, it would also cost over 20,000 more than my regular semesterly tuition. If I were to try to make this trip possible by any means necessary, would incurring a relatively manageable student loan debt be acceptable?There is the chance that this price would qualify me for federal financial aid currently, my parents are in that dreaded make-too-much-to-receive-aid-yet-barely-make-enough-to-afford-tuition limbo, and scholarships are available although my GPA disqualifies me from many merit-based scholarships. The overwhelming likelihood is that there will be a large amount that will have to come out of pocket.Not going would definitely be regretful, but Ill live. The youth in me is screaming reminders that explore the world and make dumb mistakes while you can mentality, but the impending adult wants to make sure this can happen in a way that wont cause even more regret for years to come.EDIT: Thank you for all of the advice -- it warms my heart to see so much support for the sentimental worth on PF. You guys arent all penny pinching misers after all. PF is right though, in that my subjective personal benefit must outweigh any objective financial cost. As of right now, it looks like my plan is:1. Take Semester at Sea only if I can make the longshot and become an RA for them, otherwise, it is far too expensive and not worth it.2. Look into other study abroad opportunities through my university, as cost of living may end up reducing prices overall. A more manageable amount of debt is acceptable, but within reason.3. Look into post-graduation teaching opportunities, as these can be paid stays abroad.4. Save and set aside a portion for a travel fund, perhaps for a gap year if life permits.All of the above would also be nice. Fuck it, Im going to be financially smart AND young and reckless. Thanks PF!Assistant: Financially speaking, its probably a bad idea. The chance that you are going to acquire some specific skillset or make a specific connection that will offset the 20k in debt is... low? ...ish? Im not sure exactly how you could quantify that. As for the whole travel the world part, you could take several very amazing vacations without being tethered to a school for that 20k.Human: These are the answers I was afraid of -- the truthful and logical variety. It looks like unless some miracle solution comes my way and a significant portion of the cost can be reduced, Ill hold off on my traveling dreams.  <response>: Look into getting scholarships. Not everything is measured in dollars; in economics we measure decisions in utility. If the experiences you gain and the memories you retain are worth more than the cost of going then as a economic decision maker its stupid for you not to go. Then again, this is PF and what RedRedditRabbit is definitely true; a 23K 5 month vacation is incredibly expensive. 