The Aquafarm costs about $60, depending on what promotions they have running at the time. For that price, I think it's a definite buy if you have any interest in gardening or aquaponics. It's also a great gift for a garden lover.
However, students who attend lower-ranked schools can still take a rigorous curriculum. Wherever you go to school, it's important to take the most advanced courses available and to take advantage of elective credits to strengthen your engineering education.
Many people would agree that STEM is the key to innovation and job creation in the United States. President Obama continually references the importance of STEM education in making the United States more competitive in the global economy.