Expand my horizons on colleges where employers, esp. Silicon Valley, recruit from

Another vote here for Santa Clara. The UC campuses dominate the higher education scene in California, because they are a great deal for CA residents. However, out-of-staters (like you) should think twice about the UCs, because they charge very high tuition to out-of-staters, with zero financial aid.

Santa Clara is private, but their tuition is no higher than UC out-of-state rates, and they do offer financial aid. So for an out-of-stater, the cost of attendance at Santa Clara would likely be lower than at a UC. SCU’s test scores now match or beat most UCs, and their Silicon Valley location has obvious professional advantages.