I have a student at UCB and one at Pomona College. I think the education is great at both. One student does better in small classroom settings. The opportunities at both are enormous. At UCB, you have to be able to advocate for yourself. You have to be comfortable with large freshman classes, like 500 in an auditorium. Make sure you can see yourself at either before you accept an offer of admission. A small LAC if part of a consortium like Pomona or Amherst can give you the feeling of a bigger school.