I cant decide between these two great universities. Berkeley is better known, and having a degree from UCB will likely help me while finding a job. On the other hand, after visiting both schools, I’ve found that Santa Barbara has the campus “vibe” that I desire. At Berkeley students were friendly, but evidently stressed. They appeared to be slightly less sociable. However, at Santa Barbara, students seemed happy, relaxed, and very sociable. Both schools are in ideal locations ( though Santa Barbara beaches are hard to pass up) and have a great “college town” feel (Isla Vista and Telegraph street). Another reason why I am hesitant to go to Berkeley is the tough competition. If I intent to go to graduate school, Santa Barbara may be the better option. If i were to select Santa Barbara, I would enter (with the lack of a better phrase) as a highly competitive student. On the other hand, my GPA and standardized test scored would be subpar compared to the average Berkeley admit (I believe my essays allowed me admission into Berkeley). I can’t choose one of these schools over the other; one day I am committed to becoming a golden bear, the next a gaucho. My intended major is statistics, though I will likely explore other majores before declaring.
Thanks for any opinions.
I am literally in the same position as you are, literally everything word for word. I have no idea how to choose between the two. I’m going to visit both but I’ve already seen Santa Barbara twice and I loved it. My thought process is the same too. I think that the prestige could be worth the extra pressure and lower GPA, but in the long run it might just ruin it. To be honest I didn’t think anyone else thought this way because almost everyone I asked has said Berkely, this is some tough life decision lol.
@oranges22 it good to know im not the only one with this tough decision haha. Feel free to message me to talk about our decision. 
Hiiii, i’m in the same boat this year, sorry but where did you choose???