<p>Which is a better choice academically? Things to consider: which looks better for graduate school, and which would better equip me for a job after undergrad, but before I decide to go to graduate school?</p>
<p>Looks better? The obvious choice is UCLA. Honors program is a joke though. Undergrad schools don’t make you look better for graduate school, you yourself must look good for admissions for graduate school. Pretty sure either school will better “equip” you for a job after undergrad, though I doubt most jobs come easy with just a undergrad degree (undergrad is literally the new high-school).</p>
<p>Neither school will do any of those things. You become a strong candidate for grad school by doing well in college, getting to know some profs so you can get strong letters of rec, and taking part in research if you are in a science/engineering oriented major. You get equipped for a job after graduation by either majoring in a pre-professional area such as accounting, engineering, etc and doing some internships, or by majoring in a liberal-arts area and getting internships in your area of interest in order to stand out to future employers.</p>
<p>The point is neither school will automatically do these things for you. Success or failure rests on your shoulders, and opportunities will be similar no matter which of the two you attend. Presumably you are in-state for one of these two schools. Go to that one.</p>
<p>edit: looking back I see you also asked this at the end of March but evidently haven’t made up your mind yet. And that you are from Texas. So I’ll change my advice. Go to UCLA. Your $100K gift to the UC system will help other CA students and CA taxpayers, and I thank you in advance for your kindness.</p>