My wife and I have taught in Alabama public schools for the past 2 years and have made (forced) contributions to the state retirement system in that time frame. Together, we've got around $8,000 invested in the state retirement system. Realizing the limited income prospects for career teachers, we both applied and were accepted to a top 25 law school on full-tuition scholarship. My question to you is this: For my retirement account, I have the option of either a) taking a lump-sum payment of the $8,000, minus 20 percent in federal income tax, or b) rolling it over into a 401(k), IRA, or similar long-term savings plan. Should I take the money and run, or should I start building a retirement nest egg while I'm financing the rest of my life with borrowed money? Alex, Montgomery, AL

It is time for potential graduate students to hear back from schools. I was accepted to two top-rate, out-of-state schools and will likely get into an unranked in-state school. I compared the cost of out-of-state schools to the in-state school; the difference (over the 10-year repayment period) exceeds $55,000! All graduates have to pass a standardized national exam to be licensed, and all graduates in my field are employed. Is the difference in quality and reputation worth the extra debt? Will my starting salary be affected, and how important is that over the course of my career? Jordan, Raleigh, NC