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<p>Obviously the most politically palatable solution is to convince the best in-state students to want to come to Berkeley. Berkeley would then be able to maintain and even upgrade its academic reputation without the attendant controversy - such as it is - of importing OOS talent who might then be accused of ‘stealing’ seats supposedly reserved for instaters. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, as it stands, the best Californians - just like the best students from any state - usually do not really prefer to attend their state flagship school, instead preferring one of the elite private schools. </p>
<p>The irony is that this occurs far less often with regard to the PhD programs. People do frequently turn down PhD programs at elite private schools for Berkeley (although that may change if competitive PhD funding is threatened as per warblers’ posts). So clearly the issue has nothing to do with Berkeley’s location, facilities, or brand, but rather with aspects specific to the undergrad program.</p>