<p>NeoDymium really hit the nail on the head. If you want a nice comfortable job at a well-known, reputable, innovative firm like, for example, Apple, you might as well get an engineering degree from a top 20 school or a top public school and save yourself the money. If you want to start your own company while in college and sell another company before you turn 30, only then might you actually utilize some of the potential of a school like MIT.</p>