but if you're going to end up a cutting edge engineer or scientist, there's going to be very little difference in the impact of the curriculum on you between Harvard and Penn State

If you're going to be a cutting edge engineer or scientist you need to go to grad school. Which grad school you go to absolutely matters because the best schools will have the most funding and the best research facilities and opportunities. Getting into the best grad schools requires, in descending order of importance, research experience, professor reference letters, and good grades.

Research experience is by far the most important. You can get Bs in undergrad and still get into an amazing grad school if you get something published in undergrad. I got into a lab in my second year and presented original research at an international conference in my field before the time even came to apply for grad school, at which point it was a formality because they already knew who I was.

I would not have gotten this opportunity at podunk state u.

So basically my question to you is, why are you speaking knowledgeably about things you don't understand?