<p>They are both good schools and Purdue is better known in engineering. But there are other considerations - I am assuming California is in-state for you? What’s the tuition difference do to your family’s budget? How does that impact your chances for grad school? Also, how do you feel about living in West Lafayette? My daughter is facing a similar choice - we are in Southern California and she’s been accepted into Purdue for ME as well as other schools, but all of her school choices were in the Northeast or Midwest. If she wasn’t absolutely bound and determined to go to school where it snows I would have discouraged her from applying anywhere so cold and far away. Irvine and Purdue will provide very different undergraduate experiences and I think you really need to think about how you would fit in each place.</p>