Everybody wants to go to NYC!

And I am, of course, no exception. Despite the wretched interview last Thursday, Columbia has invited me for a final interview (hallelujah!) the week of June 19th. So here's the dilemma kids...I need some advice.

My current return flight is set for Thursday, June 15th. I'm supposed to fly into Chicago. Should I attempt to change my final destination and go directly to NYC instead? Then I could spend the weekend there and do the interview on Monday the 19th or Tuesday the 20th. If I am offered the job and I accept, I would either just stay there and start working or I would fly home to Iowa for at least a few days, see the fam, pick up some stuff and go back (best case scenario). How does that sound?

The alternative is: Fly to Chicago, go to Iowa. Fly from Iowa to NYC a few days later (perhaps on Wednesday so I can have a little time to chill in case I don't get to come back). Either accept job and stay or don't get offer/don't accept and go back to Iowa. The problem in this scenario is the return flight on this ticket from Iowa. If I do it this way, when should I schedule my return flight for? If I don't accept/get an offer, then I'd need to go home again pretty quickly to prevent me from spending all the money I have left. If I stay and have a return booked for the following week, I'll have to change it to some other date (when?). Which of these two scenarios is better/worse?

Need to have all opinions by Monday cause I gotta buy a ticket or change a ticket.