I found Westwood to be a ghost town on a campus visit weekend a couple of years ago. 9:00 on a Saturday night, a few couples walking around, everyone else in Starbucks, studying. Not the Westwood I grew up knowing (back in the 80’s, so ancient times, when there were a ton of movie theaters because that was the main form of entertainment back then and everybody cruised the area either in cars or on foot). Berkeley seems much more lively, although certainly grittier. There are definitely people I know who got into both who are much better suited to UCLA from a campus culture perspective, which I think is an important part of of a student being successful at any college. Was sure D was going to pick UCLA after Bruin Day, but she went with Cal after all. We’re happy because it’s closer to us and better for her major.
Aren’t we fortunate to have so many top-notch choices in our state?