<p>As someone who was literally in the EXACT same situation as you last year (only add UCLA into the mix), I think I can offer you some insight.</p>
<p>First, visit all the schools if you can. I'm from CA and a lot of people questioned my reasoning for even considering other schools because of the weather, but I visited Michigan in the middle of February and loved it, so I'm not sure there's much validity behind the whole cold-weather thing if you don't mind snow. And, being from NY, I'm sure you're pretty used to it. </p>
<p>They're all fantastic schools. UVA is definitely more of a private-school feel, and that was the one downside for me; I felt like the people were a bit too preppy for my taste. However, the campus blew pretty much all the other ones I visited right out of the water, and the colonial charm of Charlottesville was inspiring and beautiful. It's also founded by Thomas Jefferson, and he maintains a strong presence in everything the school does, which I thought was really cool. There's nothing more beautiful than when the leaves change there in the autumn months, and whenever I think of how gorgeous it was, I wonder (for a brief instant) if I passed up on something I shouldn't have. They have excellent academic programs across the board, and regardless of whether the Bolivians have heard of it or not, it is still considered an academic peer of every top university in the country. Its athletic program also enjoys a faithful following, and I've heard the social life is great. Of the three colleges, it is the cheapest for out-of-state students. Hoping they admit me again for grad school!</p>
<p>Michigan was one of the neatest colleges I've ever been to. I loved how big it was, it just gave you the impression that you could do anything you wanted and be successful. I was very impressed with their admitted student days (highly recommend attending one if possible). It has the most severe weather of the three, but I have several friends attending from CA and they still love it, so I guess that speaks volumes about the university's ability to maintain student loyalty during the harsh winter months! As you know, the social scene is great, and the school spirit is paralleled by only a handful of schools. Their academic peer assessment score is very, very good, meaning that it is highly respected by professors all over the country. It also probably has the best alumni base of all the schools you're looking at. If I remember correctly, some of the dorms were undergoing renovations last year, so those might be really nice next year, assuming they're completed then. The downside is that the school is so big that you have to take a bus to some classes, depending on which dorm you get. You don't really need that at Cal, and definitely not at UVA. But again, great school with great people.</p>
<p>Cal has a similar feeling to Michigan. The campus has gorgeous views of the bay, and the town is eccentric but comforting at the same time. San Francisco is about 45 minutes away on BART, and sports have a pretty decent following. The students, I noticed, were the most prestige-minded of the 3 schools, and seemed to care a great deal about their various rankings, which I never noticed nearly as much at the other universities. I think students are more intense (comparatively) when competing for grades and whatnot. But that's probably the result of discovering something like 17 periodic elements. Berkeley has fantastic name-recognition globally, and like Michigan and UVA, is considered a peer institution with the top schools in the country. It also has the best weather of the three schools, though unlike UVA and Michigan, it has a "foggy" season on most mornings before and after winter. My friends who go there love it, and I'm sure you would as well.</p>
<p>As far as dorms go, I'd give Michigan the edge, though again, they can be a bus-ride away from classes (though I'm told it's a non-issue by my friends who attend). Michigan is also the most expensive of the three, but Berkeley might be just as much since the plane flights will cost more due to distance. UVA wins the campus beauty award, and if you have a soft spot for history, there's no greater place than Charlottesville. Ann Arbor was the best college town I've ever visited, and I've been to over 30 schools throughout my life. There's just something special about the place, and even the coffee shops ooze excellence and intelligence. But C-Ville and Berkeley are great ones as well, so there wouldn't be a huge drop-off.</p>
<p>You can't go wrong; the schools are very different and unique, but they all enjoy a great amount of student loyalty, tradition and international acclaim. I chose UCLA because they offered me a scholarship and the honors program (and with those, many perks), which none of the other schools offered. I absolutely love it here, but I know I would have enjoyed any of the other universities had I chosen to attend. </p>
<p>Congratulations, and feel free to message me should you have any questions!</p>