People seem to choose Berkeley over the reputation and top ranks it earned, and basically the rigorous academic level. Other colleges have internship opportunities, amazing processors, and you know clubs, etc. However, why Cal is the best?
Reputation is earned. It is the earning of that reputation through the rigorous academic expectations that is the reason Cal is the best. You answered your own question.
@Capecodder2014 I know, but I am saying other than reputation and amazing professors. What makes Cal different?
Schools are only good if they have good students and good alumni. Berkeley has proven itself in that regard. They have the most successful on average alumni than any other UC school and they, therefore, have the best students out of the UCs. As a result its basically a self-perpetuating cycle that continuously breeds strong alumni and attracts strong students.
Success breeds success. As long as top teachers and students continue to flock there, those in the next wave will come as well.
One anecdote from my Cal student. She was on a sustainability committee her freshman year and they were preparing an event. As a lark, they cold-emailed a VP at Tesla asking him to come speak. He responded that same afternoon and apologized for already being booked on their date, but committed his assistant to speak. Cal is a powerful brand that can expose its students to other powerful brands.