<p>Are you a Regent’s Scholar at Cal? I talked to a professor last week who said that “faculty doors would open” with respect to research, letters, etc. for Regents at Cal, so don’t count it out completely for that reason. I have lived in Amherst, and it is very much a rural/small town experience to be compared with gritty but across the bay from SF urban Berkeley and SoCal suburban Pomona. If you like nature, Amherst is your place for local walks in the woods, although you’ll have to drive > 1000 miles to see anything like the Sierra. I think the Claremont Colleges > the 5 Colleges (although Smith has some good classes). The snow is not that bad in Amherst, but it is depressing when spring lasts 1 week in May. The lovely fall makes it worthwhile, though.</p>