The MIT (Masschusset Institue of Technology) is probably the best imo because :
1. I plan on becoming a professionnal programmer
2. I've visited and I loved the buildings, the designs, the way it's made. It's the most renown technology university (in the domain of computers) throughout North America, although it's 45,000$ US.
IMO I don't know that there is a best one, per se, because I think that there is a right university for everyone that caters to their needs. I think that the best university for any person is the university that challenges them and helps them succeed. I think that Stanford and Caltech are good ones, but there's a place for everyone.
For me, the best University was the one that allowed me to get an education and a degree That being said, the best University is the University of Central Florida. Go Knights But seriously, I agree with Moo, its all about what fits your need and caters to you as an individual and a student. MIT is a great University but did you know that it once finished second to none other than my alma mater UCF in a regional robotics competition? Which proves that being the best is all in the eye of the beholder
hehehe....well, i guess you have a point there...but i think that Azusa Pacific University is the best university (hey, gotta stick up for my school right?). though i haven't finished my schooling yet, so i can't brag that i've gotten a degree from them...yet....but it's coming!
I think I'm with moo here... Harvard is one snazzy school, but I think it would be the worst school for a lot of people. Different schools cater to different needs - course of study, learning atmosphere, geography, demographics, financial situation...
The big name schools - Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Brown, Cornell... their prestige is decided by how competitive they are. Personally, I don't think a school's status should be determined by how many people they turn down.