This is how I see it, please correct me if I'm misinformed though:

I understand that the best value of miles is from redeeming for international flights but given my current income and career path (<30k/taking classes to go back to grad school) I'm trying to spend as little as possible at this juncture of my life, even if it means sacrificing what would otherwise be a greater value in the future. Also, I was under the impression that short haul flights were where BA Avios shined.