PhD from Third Tier School
I am interested in doing a PhD from a third tier school in Electrical Engineering Ranked about in the 60's in North America.
In my field, companies will only hire from Top 20 schools.
I would like to stay in academia after graduating after being in industry for a few years.

Assuming all of the above are true, then clearly this is a bad idea, because if you go to this school then you won't be in the top 20 and won't get hired and have no chance of &quot;being in industry for a few years&quot;.