<p>Have you visited both schools? They are very different. Both are beautiful in their own way. </p>
<p>CS is better rated at UCSB, here’s a ranking by pay scale <a href=“http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/091713-computer-science-college-ranking-273910.html”>http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/091713-computer-science-college-ranking-273910.html</a> and US News (specifically on grad programs) ties UCSB with Davis at 34 and has UCSC at 56 BUT I don’t know that that difference is enough to make a big difference if you prefer UCSC, and honors is good if you get priority registration.</p>
<p>For what it is worth, if you get a 3.6 at UCSB after a year you get honors there too, but I don’t know how easy it is to get a 3.6 in computer science there…</p>
<p>I have a bias towards UCSB because I attended there, and it is gorgeous with the beach, but when I visited UCSC with my sons I thought it was beautiful as well. It reminded me of Yosemite with the redwoods. I come back to my first point, you should go with the one you like best.</p>