| It seems to me that you are looking for permission to turn down MIT. You don’t need permission. It’s your life, and you only get one. Have you visited either school? Try to visit both if you can. I thought that a comparable institute-of-technology was my dream school. After visiting, it fell down to my last choice, in part because I couldn’t understand a word the lecturer said (thick accent) in the sample class and in part because of the unusual social scene. If you are sure you want to work for big tech, people here are right that the debt will not be a big problem for you. But if you choose any other path, it might be an issue. For what it’s worth, I wish I hadn’t worked so hard in undergrad. It did me little good. And my credential from [fancy school] doesn’t stop me from getting rejected plenty. The social network didn’t help me much because I am not very outgoing. You will have to pass leetcode interviews to work at FAANG no matter which school you attend. Perhaps go to Z and use the time and money saved to practice leetcode. It sounds ridiculous, but maybe it isn’t! I concede that meeting potential strong cofounders will be easier at MIT, though I wonder how many students want to start companies in a time when FAANG is the easier path to wealth. |