<p>JMO - </p>
<ul>
<li>Endowments higher - This doesn’t necessarily translate into a better UG education for the student although it could mean less dependence on state funds. </li>
<li>Embarassment - This is not a valid reason to not go to a college that ‘fits’. No one should care what others think of their decisions. It’s a question many parents seem to face but they should simply be confident in themselves and child and not be so concerned about impressions from others whose impressions don’t mean anything in the first place and are generally perceived in ignorance.</li>
<li>Job offers - In some cases it’s true that one is more employable from a higher ranked school depending on the major but it’s nothing black and white. There’s more variability in the major achieved, how well the student performed, and how well the student interviews.</li>
<li>College experience - It depends on the college. If you go to a college with a significant number of resident students, like CalPoly SLO or SDSU, I don’t see why that wouldn’t be any less of a ‘college experience’ than at the UCs. If you commute or just live by yourself in an apartment then you won’t get the ‘college experience’ regardless of where you go.</li>
<li>PHD profs - CSUs have plenty of PHD profs. It’s true that the UCs have more profs who are leading researchers, Nobel winners, etc. but the key is how this would translate into a better UG educational experience for you (answer - it doesn’t necessarily).</li>
</ul>
<p>Again, the focus should be on particular attributes of particular colleges and the UCs and CSUs shouldn’t be painted with such a broad brush. There’s too much generalization by both your parents and you (in your initial post).</p>