@jalrawi I just want to add that my 4 years at Cal were the best of my young life. For all the cons I listed, dealing with the ‘sink or swim’ environment I believe made me very resourceful and adaptable…all great qualities for employers. I never had summer internships but I held a p/t job on campus. I was recruited for my first job on campus too. As for housing I can attest that was not a perfect scenario for me. I ended up living in student co-op housing, dorms (even the dreaded triple, ugh) and then rent controlled off campus apartment. And even with less than perfect housing I met the most diverse group of people some of whom are still my friends 30 years later. Plus with Cal being across from San Francisco, I was able to take advantage of all the City had to offer. Yes, I had undergrad classes as large as 800 but I thought they were fun and they were few and far between. Again, congrats and good luck in your decision.