[sgentle]

Absolutely this. Even if it's not an expensive college, at least one in a city with a lively tech community. That way even if you're not getting much from the college you've still got like-minded people nearby, and colleges aren't usually too fussy about non-students coming to events as long as you're not obviously out of place.

Expecting university to automatically mean interesting people is the equivalent of popping off to the Bering Strait in your swim gear and saying "I don't get it! Beaches are meant to be warm!"