Hey, SZ, I too am in at UGA and waitlisted at Penn. You sound like someone I'd like to have in my program, wherever it is. Some thoughts:

Penn & GSD are great, if not sure things. For China, GSD wins hands down because of Kongjian Yu and the travel projects they have there. I don't see any faculty at Penn with East Asian connections. Both will open doors to NYC firms working in China, though. Penn estimates $54K/year for tuition and cost-of-living; GSD is higher with Boston expenses. If Penn called me today, I'd have to say no based on the money.

UGA does have a very well-regarded program; its huge faculty makes it flexible, and a couple have ties to Korea and Mumbai if not China. I'm personally leery of living in a college town but some friends have raved about Athens.

However, you would have more of a Chinese presence in Berkeley. UGA has no Chinese dept and no San Francisco. If you've been in China for a while, Berkeley would be an easier transition back to the US and may offer better networking. I know a UWashington MLA doing some design work in Seattle's Chinese community; you may be able to do something similar in the Bay Area. Athens, not so much. And I don't know how well Berkeley's name is known in China, but the California schools are usually known in Asia.

Are UVA and the rest out of contention?

You mention you own a consulting company, so future employment's no concern? If you don't want a dose of Southern culture before staying in China forever, and if you can afford the increased cost of living and tuition at Berkeley, I'd say go there. But if debt is the primary concern, Athens is SO cheap, you have a generous offer, and Delta's adding nonstops from Atlanta to Shanghai in summer '11.

Email me if you want to talk a little more, or ask about stuff outside a public forum. If not, best of luck in your decision and pursuits.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply FW,
I'd be honored to be in the same program with you.

I like your idea of doing design work in the Bay's Chinese community, although I'm sure there's more qualified candidates than I making inroads.

I agree the GSD would be my best-fit. Penn does however have some connections to things happening out here, although there's no comparison with Kongjian Yu and his movement. Off-hand I think Penn's LA chair, James Corner, won last year's Shenzhen Qianhai competition, and Nanako Umemoto's firm has done designs of a Shenzhen airport terminal here, and is active in Taiwan; not really landscape projects, I know, but within the realm.

In terms of employment, I do have a small consulting firm here, but I'm just one of several partners. The future is ahead and I'm open to new attractive opportunities. I would like to work at an established firm to learn from and collaborate with seasoned professionals.

In terms of finances, yes, Athens is an absolute win. If I planned to stay and work in the south for some time, I'd choose UGA. But based on my current plans, and personal reasons, it might not be the best-fit.

Some claim they that despite the GSD's high tuition and cost of living, due to it's healthy endowment it is more likely to furnish generous aid than other Ivies, but I'm not sure if that's always the case. Anyways lets talk further once I figure out how to PM on here...