Note that when it comes to student-faculty ratio, they may not be apples to apples as not all schools use the same denominator.
When it comes to classes of under 20 and classes over 50, there is little difference:
Under 20: Cornell 57.3%; Cal 53.5%
50 and over: Cornell 17.8%; Cal 18.6%
In a popular major like CS, you will be going to huge classes at both schools.
What schools have you been admitted to at each?
Both Cornell and Cal would be intense.
Also, even if your parents have budgeted $300K for your education, if you go to Cornell, you’d blow through all those funds. If you go to Cal, you’d still have enough left over for a 2 year master’s (or 2 1 year master’s; or most of the costs of an M7 MBA). Basically, in exchange for what you consider a worse undergrad experience, you’d have bullets left in case you want to change careers or get an Ivy master’s or invest or travel the world or whatever.
And Cal isn’t exactly chopped liver. It’s merely one of the most respected research universities in the world (reputation on par with Cornell outside the US, if not better).