Okay, keeping in mind that I’ve already said I have a strong preference for LACs, and that I firmly believe in the excellence of the faculty at both institutions, one of the benefits of Berkeley would simply be the opportunity to live in the Bay Area. I may be biased because I grew up there, but I really do feel it is one of the most wonderful, exciting, and beautiful places in the world to live–and totally unaffordable for most people. So college is a great opportunity to live there for four years and soak up all of the exciting atmosphere and beautiful weather and experience what it is like to be a student at a huge, famous, vibrant university. But the classes really are too big.
Ultimately, in an ideal world, I would go to Berkeley for grad school and Wesleyan for undergrad.