Already admitted by UCSB geography and Rutgers New Brunswick undeclared but haven’t decided where to go yet. UCSB is much better than the Rutgers but I would like to stay in the east. Hard to choose.
Other admitted school includes UC Irvine, UC Davis, OSU, UIUC.
Wait for suggestions
How much does cost differ and matter?
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Which one is better?
The one you attend - because you will have the opportunity to have a wonderful experience an d excel.
Oh, and it should be the one you can afford - I assume you can afford both.
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both are affordable. But I really want to go to the east while UCSB’s geo is so attractive
Why is it so attractive - you can study geography at most every school in the country. It’s a degree that will likely require grad school or unemployment benefits (ok, maybe I’m being a bit overboard but won’t likely bring great outcomes).
Good luck.
okay
My point is both can be great.
But if you want to go East, then it’s Rutgers.
Why is the UCSB program so attractive? And whatever that is - are you willing to spend four years, day after day, on the coast you don’t want to be?
GIS specialists are in very high demand.
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Have you been to both campuses? UCSB is in a gorgeous environment and Rutgers, while a great school, is not.
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OP said Geography. GIS is a different major (at UCSB).
If you want to stay in the east, why did you choose to apply to so many California schools?
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I appiled to many eastern schools as well but they didn’t offer me admission😭
Still a fair question though - why’d you apply to any?
But you did - so the true question that you’ve yet to answer - what’s so amazing about the UCSB program - vs. others?
I just sent my application to every California school as I just need click a few buttons😂 at first I didn’t intend to go UCSB but after eastern school rejected or waitlisted me I started to consider
UCSB geography program ranked high and some of my friends intend to go there
There are multiple GIS classes on the list from which Geography majors select their upper-division classes. They can definitely build this skill-set even within the non-specialized major, and it’s good advice to do so.
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But that’s neither here nor there.
We don’t know what aspect of geography OP is interested in and I won’t be the one telling the student what they need to do. That’s up to them.
And you can take GIS classes at Rutgers and major in GIS at UCSB - but the student said geography.
I’m not suggesting they don’t take GIS classes - up to them and their interests, not ours.
Nonetheless, the student can take classes at both.
Going across the country is a big step.
The OP’s reason to apply to CA schools was - in my opinion - poor. He did it because it was good bang for the effort buck - but one shouldn’t apply to schools they didn’t intend to go.
As for friends going, you likely will have new friends in college. Kids meet many others and branch out.
Good luck to OP whatever they choose.
Ohio State? (Guessing not Oregon or Oklahoma, given the preference for east?) Both Ohio State and UIUC have robust Geography departments - any reason they’re not getting stronger consideration?
Nothing wrong with Rutgers if you want east coast - I assume there aren’t any barriers to declaring the geography major after starting undeclared. The campus and student lifestyle are vastly different from UCSB. You’re only going to travel a few times a year, but you will live on your campus every day, so I’d suggest looking at the campus environment and environs more closely, and thinking about what you prefer.
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You have also been known to advise students to go far from home, experience another part of the country, build independence, etc. 
I don’t feel as if I have any sense at all of what would be the best path for the OP. We can Monday-morning quarterback about their application process, but who among us hasn’t ended up doing something in life that we stumbled into for a silly reason?
The choices now are what they are, and OP needs to weigh the pros and cons. Perhaps if they were to list out these pros and cons as they perceive them, for each choice, we’d be able to be more helpful. Why is UCSB better academically? (Is this just a ranking issue, or is something qualitatively different about the departmental opportunities?) Why is east coast better? (Just more convenient? Desire to remain/work there? Family obligations?) What is desired in a college experience?
ETA: OP, you say “go east” in some places and “stay east” in others - where is home? Are you a US domestic student, or international? Have you visited any of these schools?
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So what you’re suggesting I say isn’t accurate. If this student said I can go to Rutgers and live home, I would suggest that’s a bad idea unless it’s a financial necessity…that yes college is to grow and experience. But best I can tell, the student would attend Rutgers - as in live, partake, etc.
The student themselves said I want to be on the East coast. And the student has yet to state why UCSB is better - other than some people he knows are going to school out West…
I’m trying to help OP based on what they said but others are brining other factors not mentioned by OP into their equation.