If you are trying to apply to a graduate program at another school in Computer Science does it hurt you to have a low GPA even if your school is known for being more difficult (MIT etc)? What if the school is difficult but doesn’t have a lot of fame in academia?
Yes, having a low GPA will still hurt you, although people have different definitions of “low.” Some schools that are known for grade deflation may get a pass on slightly lower GPAs - let’s say, a 3.3-range GPA for a PhD program - although the schools that you think are difficult may not be the schools the professors on the committee think are difficult. (For example, Ivy League schools are rigorous but also known for their grade inflation.)
In order for that to happen, though, your school would have to be known to the admissions committee/professors. That doesn’t mean it has to be famous in academia, per se - professors are in the business, and they know about a lot more colleges and departments than your average person. But if you come from a department they are unfamiliar with, they won’t know about the grade deflation yet.
However, a GPA below 3.0 will look bad anywhere, and will make it difficult for you to gain admission to a graduate program.
Do you have a specific concern right now or are you just generally wondering?
Alternatively, you should strive for a very high GRE score.
It’s not really an alternative. A high GRE score may help balance out a lowish GPA a little bit, but GPA is far more important than GRE score and there’s only so much it can do. If you have a 3.3 GPA and a 165 V/167 Q, that could help a bit. If you have a 2.8 GPA…not so much.