If MIT graduates with 2.6-3.0 GPAs were being passed over in favor of state university graduates with 3.9s (and the former certainly qualifies as a “difficult” school - all engineering schools are difficult BTW), then that advice is certainly bad advice.
Computer science is a very hot field right now - it’s hard to believe that one with a CS degree from a good school like RPI can’t find a job immediately or even prior to graduation.