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Absolutely!
There are exceptional students everywhere. The idea that the most talented and creative people can only be found at MiT, S, or the Ivies is just silly. Many people don’t “bloom” until they’re in college.
Also, it’s not just brains these companies are looking for; they’re looking for someone who can be part of the team, and perhaps later, lead the team. They’re looking for a “full package.” Employees need some “people skills”. They need to have “presentation skills”. They need people that they can send out and be an appropriate “face” for the company.
I am lucky to have family members who are very high up in eng’g and CS companies (VPs, Directors, Sr Mgmt,etc). Their companies recruit and hire from everywhere…from MIT down to the CSU’s (which aren’t crap by any means). Before my H retired, he hired mostly from the SE, NE, and midAtlantic, but the new hires could be from Cornell, Purdue or UAH. They look at courses taken, grades (including math grades), experiences, etc. They really don’t care where the person went to school as long as it’s a decent school.
The idea that there are only 20 or so schools that are qualified to turn out excellent CS (or eng’g) students is just crazy. This country and each state has a vested interest in having many, many schools that can produce these high-tech graduates. The state of Calif alone has over 25 of such schools.
It really isn’t that difficult for an established school to have a very good CS or eng’g school.
I know that you’re from a foreign country (I’m guessing either Asian or India), and therefore you may be under the impression that only top schools matter (because that’s what you likely heard back in your country). It’s not like that here…at all.
Before you go off thinking that you now have funding in place because SF has agreed to lend you the money (and find out what the TERMS are to pay back $260k!!), please realize that it’s NOT NECESSARY at all.
BTW…even if your SF lends you that much interest free, you’ll be paying him $26,000 a year for 10 years. Do you have any idea of how that will affect you??? You may naively think that that is only a fraction of what you’ll be making. You don’t understand that you will NOT be taking home your salary. You’ll be hit hard with taxes, etc.
You need to “fast forward” in your head about 6 years from now…You’ll have graduated with $260k+ of debt and you’ll be at your first job. You’ll be seeing that a big chunk of your paycheck is gone before you get it (taxes, insurance, etc). Then you’ll see that a big chunk has to go to living expenses/car/etc. Seriously, your living expenses alone can be $35-40k per year. Then a big chunk will have to go to SF for the loan. You’ll be broke.
BUT…you’ll also be seeing that your fellow new-hires from “lesser schools” will be paid the same as you. UGH!!! And, you’ll see that they aren’t struggling with the same debt. They will be buying homes, getting married, having kids, and moving on with their lives…while you’ll be anchored to that debt.