All things being equal, a rule of thumb to apply to yourself (away from the chorus of peer pressure): 15 years from now, if you want to impress ONLY your parents, relatives and a few friends with your choice of university, start obsessing over going to name-brand university now. BUT 15 years from now, if you want impartial STRANGERS to be impressed with the quality (and also the breadth) of your WORK and with your ability to learn/master new things (as the world changes all the more in various directions in unexpected ways), then, start obessing over what and how you will actually learn in ANY university where you are assured of a decent education that challenges your mind. Hope this helps. oohi ashu