I ignored the second paragraph because I know that UConn's proximity to New York and Boston doesn't mean diddly-squat. Storrs is in rural Connecticut, and UConn doesn't hold any more sway with employers in Boston and NYC than any other comparable or better school, many of which, including some genuine heavy hitters, are actually located in those major markets. National universities attract students from every state and numerous foreign countries, and their grads disperse to all manner of places in search of work after earning their degrees. Similarly, important employers cast a wide net when looking for the best and brightest talent. Recruiters don't care if prospects went to school up the street, on the opposite end of the country, or even from what you dismissively refer to as flyover country. Further, many prestigious firms aren't located in the Northeast's urban miasma, and that's part of their appeal to prospective employees.. An insufferable fanboy, your outlook is far too parochial.