<p>One difference between Swat and Cal or UCLA is that any smaller class at the latter two - and this means 25 students not 8, will be taught by a grad student not a professor. This may or may not be a deal breaker - grad students at Cal or UCLA are brilliant, but they might be more comparable to a Swat student a few years after graduation than to a Swat professor. </p>
<p>The other differences, are of course social - going to a University of 25000 in a big city (or big metropolitan area) means something very different than going to a college of 1500. Neither is necessarily better, although if you can spend the day with a student (not on an admitted students weekend) at each, maybe you will see some of the difference. </p>
<p>Unless you are going for a very specific kind of job abroad, the Swat name will help you. Name brand recognition is not a great way to pick a school, and even it if were, it is not a good reason to pick a UC over Swat - in many circles, saying you went to swat is way more impressive.</p>