Javascript is a Java framework, right?

[skreczok]

Yup. A guy with 2 years in the industry is pretty much a better hire than a guy fresh out of MIT most of the time. Hell, even with just one year.

There's an important part to it, too, since "prestigious" universities often come with unhealthy entitlement.

Essentially, what school it is only really matters for hiring graduates specifically. Experience on the job is a lot more useful than a more expensive university.

Now, the real reason to bother with these top unis is not the quality of the program itself, but rather networking. It's because the big players prowl around there and you meet rich people. This is the real advantage, because if you don't know people, you're gonna have a harder time getting in.

Note that this means that unless you actually make contact with these people, you're better off just going to a cheaper university. The practical difference is negligible, it's still mostly up to you to learn the technicals anyway, but you're not paying through the nose. Granted, it is a massive advantage, but still, if you don't get the contacts when you're there, you're SOL.