Parchment.com shows huge preference for UCLA or Berkeley over UCSD
using their college match-up utility. But for myself - I like the UCSD campus
and the feel over all. I’ve been accepted to Comp Sci. For number of professors:
UCSD has 57, Berkeley 54, UCLA 40. I don’t care about football teams - in fact
kind of find the rah rah annoying. So that’s a plus for UCSD in my book.
It may be prejudicial to post this in the UCSD thread - but what could I be missing
out on choosing UCSD over UCB or UCLA? I haven’t been accepted yet to
UCB or UCLA yet - but trying to think it through before-hand as there’s lots
to process. Thanks.
You should totally go to Berkeley! But I’m only saying that because I’m still waiting on my decision for Comp Sci at UCSD 
UCSD has really come up in the world over the past few years and many view it as being on almost the same level as UCB and UCLA. The education level is going to be similar at any of the 3 despite what many will tell you. It really comes down to which of the 3 campuses you feel most comfortable on as they are all so different. My son was also drawn to UCSD and had no interest at all in the other 2. It is really such a personal choice- don’t let others pressure you to one campus over another because it is “better”, but choose the one where you will be happiest for 4 years.
@CollegeBargain
“UCSD has 57, Berkeley 54, UCLA 40”
This might because there are 6,000 undergraduate engineering students at UCSD, while there are only 3,000 at each of UCB and UCLA.
@StevenToCollege That could be. But on the other hand the more professors - the more research of varied specialties is likely to be going on at the university. “Publish or die” is a motto I’ve heard applied to Professors.
Carnegie Mellon has the most with 131, GA Tech #2 at 93 MIT #3 at 80.
UCB, UCSD, UCI are all faily close 54, 57, 61. But I think it’s a good question
as to how if at all does a large department benefit an undergraduate CS student.
http://cs.brown.edu/people/alexpap/faculty_dataset.html
While more professors means more research opportunities, it also means more competition for those opportunities. However, San Diego, much like the Bay Area, is a hub for technology startups, and an engineering degree from UCSD is highly respected in both regions. Your first sentence summed it up: what school other people like more shouldn’t affect your decision–if you liked the UCSD vibe, you’ll fit right in here.
I don’t know what you’d be missing out on–maybe huge frat parties (the ones I’ve been to here are pretty fun, but definitely not LA-scale ragers). School spirit is kinda lacking (that’s getting gradually better though). Triton Eye is not a thing (Berkeley Goggles still is). There’s also no real college town, which could be a turnoff; La Jolla is kinda sleepy and San Diego/Pacific Beach are generally more fun once you’re 21. San Diego has 3 of the country’s top beaches though (at #6 La Jolla Cove beats many Hawaiian hotspots).
With regard to academics, though, I don’t see how you’d be missing out. The difference between Jacobs and Samueli-UCLA is negligible, and if you want an engineering degree then Berkeley probably isn’t your best bet now. Good luck with your decision!
I checked with a local silicon valley recruiter for hiring comp science graduates. They like Berkeley for sure. As for other UCs, this recruiter knows UCLA and UCSD are rated but they prefer local UCs like UCD and UCSC. Just take it with a pinch of salt as this may vary from company to company and recruiter to recruiter.
I chose UCSD over UCLA and Berkeley and was happy with the decision (and much happier than other friends I had who went to Berkeley and UCLA). I liked the campus better than the other two schools (it’s hard to beat being right by the beach!) and the weather, and UCSD had a good program in my desired major (biology). I knew many other students at UCSD who also chose the school over UCLA and Berkeley, so you won’t be alone there.
The only concern that there is that Berkeley’s and UCLA’s names hold more weight than UCSD’s name if you’re planning on going into a field that is very name-conscious or if you’re planning on living and working outside of California. That being said, from what my friends and family in the field have told me, computer science tends to be much more experience-based than name-based when it comes to schools (especially among students who are all from good schools). They care about what you can do, not necessarily where you got your degree. I’m not in computer science though, so YMMV.
I’d say go to a school where you will be happy. You can’t go wrong with any of the three. They are all good schools. You’ll do better and be more successful going to a school where you will be happy and will get interesting opportunities both inside and outside of your major.