I went to a mid-size state school in Texas for music before switching to CS. The school isn't known for CS, but it turned out that we have a better post-grad em

I went to a mid-size state school in Texas for music before switching to CS. The school isn't known for CS, but it turned out that we have a better post-grad employment rate that UT Austin, though I'm not sure if that says much given the size difference. Here are my thoughts based on my experience. Pros for the more prestigious school: 1- A well-known school will mean that you're more likely to get an interview and an offer fresh out of college, everything else being equal. There are smart people in less-known schools, but there are more that skate by also. A good student that went to an average school could still find a great job, but would need to try harder (and face more rejection) to do so. 2- A well-known school will mean you will have a better network of students, and probably be more likely to start personal and group projects that will look good when you start the job hunt. 3- More research opportunities. Important if you plan on going to grad school. Pros of the less prestigious school: 1- Way less money. I can't imagine that going to a great school without a ton of help from scholarships and grants would even be remotely worth it. 2- Smaller class sizes. I could go to my professors whenever, and they knew me quite well even though I almost never went to see them. The entire department was on one floor of a fairly small building. You don't have to work to get your name known or get help. I'm sure that a prestigious college has better students and a better network, but the education given by the institution may not be that different. The tuition difference is huge, and I would guess that differences between two talented students with different educations would disappear after a few years in industry. If I did it again, I would probably go to a different school, but not one that was much more in tuition. Although I don't think my education held me back. I probably would have had a few more interviews and maybe one more offer (that I did interview for) with a different school on my resume.