<p>Tough call…both schools are considered [public</a> ivies](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Ivies]public”>Public Ivy - Wikipedia) with excellent regional reputations. </p>
<p>Though this data is evaluating graduate programs, it might be a start in your analysis: [A</a> Brief Summary of the NRC Rankings](<a href=“http://www.stat.tamu.edu/~jnewton/nrc_rankings/nrc1.html]A”>NRC Rankings).</p>
<p>A better way to go would be to contact each schools’ institutional research department and ask them to provide details on which graduate schools accept their students. This might give you some indication as to the rigor of each department. Chances are they will be similar. If you want to do research as an undergraduate, ask tough questions about the criteria for this; minimal GPA, summer vs. regular school year internships, areas of responsibility, co-publishing opportunities, etc.</p>
<p>The overall college experience will be different in each. Hockey and football are big-time programs at Miami. UCSB has the beautiful Pacific. Miami’s campus is very nice as well, but is not near the ocean.</p>
<p>Miami has a strong commitment to undergraduate education.</p>