<p>I would definitely pick Michigan or UCLA because they are both highly regarded and provide great college experiences. I ranked them by “tiers” in relation to each other (according to my opinion, of course).
Tier 1: Michigan / UCLA
Tier 2: UT-A / UCSD / UCSB / UIUC
Tier 3: Rutgers</p>
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Michigan and UCLA are peers. UCLA is definitely not any more reputable than Michigan.</p>
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Mhmm. And since the OP said he/she probably wants to stay near NYC, Michigan has a stronger alumni presence in NYC and is probably considered to be slightly even more reputable than UCLA.</p>