In your opinion, how would you rank the UCs from best to worst on their programs for history?
this is a silly question - it is like asking What’s the Best Car? There is no one, best for all.
What is your situation and what do you mean by best?
Best academically, financially or socially?
What are your career plans with a History major?
Academically, compare the course curriculum for each school and see if there is any specialized areas of interest that one UC may have over another.
Do you have costs constraints? Do you plan to live on-campus or commute?
Do you want a small town feel, big city or something in between? Northern California, Central or Southern California?
Best is very individual so you need to consider all aspects of your college experience.
Another question might also be “Is the UC system appreciably better than a top CSU when it comes to Liberal Arts degrees?”
There is no question that the UC system is top flight and offers a superb education in all of the offered majors. However, the UC system is more expensive (depending upon ones FAFSA info) than the CSU system because UC’s tend to focus heavily on scientific research. A quality education in a Liberal Arts major can be had at almost any of the California public universities.
I know I might sound like a broken record on this topic, but it comes up constantly when I am talking to my high school students. Many of them tend to focus on the “Name” of a university and the status that it brings. That is totally fine IF the school also fits the family budget, and it offers a quality education in the chosen major. Too many kids, however, overlook the quality offerings at other lesser known schools.