[rkon]

> The material at Penn State is 99% the same as MIT's

As someone who attended Penn State (but not MIT), I would have to say that's some extremely wishful thinking. And even if the material is 100% identical, the way it's taught certainly isn't. The fact that the latter is far more important is undeniable. After all, why bother with a university at all when we could all purchase the same material (textbooks) on Amazon.com?

You also seem to ignore the fact that many tech companies are now far more interested in your personal website/portfolio and GitHub page than the degree listed on your resume. Even if you find a potential employer who values an expensive piece of paper more than your actual ability, would your really want to work for them anyway?

[akavi]

I haven't attended Penn State or MIT, but I have attended the University of North Texas and Yale, and I agree with you 100%.

While there were differences in curriculum, the biggest difference I found was in expectations for the work I produced. My Yale classes have simply expected be to do more with the material: take it farther, make more inferences, produce a more insightful answer/project than the ones I took at UNT did.

Regardless of branding, I could never say the experiences have been interchangeable.

[itmag]

You also seem to ignore the fact that many tech companies are now far more interested in your personal website/portfolio and GitHub page than the degree listed on your resume.

Isn't that just a SV thing, though?

Even if you find a potential employer who values an expensive piece of paper more than your actual ability, would your really want to work for them anyway?

For many or even most people, the answer is a resounding yes. They just see the college degree as a painful/expensive ticket to gain entry. The skills necessary to do the job will be learned in the first 6 months of working, and the degree is just the shit-sandwich/iq-test-by-proxy you have to endure to get your foot in the door in the first place.

This is even more so the case where I live, due to the Scandinavian tradition to defer to experts and promote based on seniority and credentials. Oh, and having free college helps too, I guess.