<p>Actually, I think CalTech and MIT may be bad examples of a good point. Like Swarthmore, those are probaby not great schools for someone looking to go directly from undergrad engineering to a cubicle at the local branch office of Parsons/Brinckerhoff. If you are looking at an engineering undergrad degree as vocational training, then a state school or engineering specific school probably offers better immediate entry-level job oppotunities.</p>
<p>Swat engineering grads tend to go in non-cubicle directions: grad school engineering tracks and tracks in unrelated fields that may use a technical background – for example, financial modelling in banking, etc.</p>