Why do people who intend to go into engineering care about getting into a top school?

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<p>In econ I remember reading that kids who graduate during recessions also earn much less real income for 15 years after graduating relative to even people who graduated a few years before or after they did. It sucks - if nobody’s hiring, you end up taking a job at a less prestigious company, and that company becomes the launchpad for your entire career.</p>