I did my CS degree at Santa Cruz with both UC Davis and UC Irvine as choices, and it was simply the redwoods that drew me in. I’m doing well in the field among people with much more “prestigious” college résumés.
Obviously an undergraduate experience vs academia is a different conversation.
There was a TV miniseries/movie a few years ago called "DEVS" that was shot in part at UCSC - science hill and the engineering library emerging from the mist was unmistakable. (Not defending or promoting the show.) That coastal morning fog...
Obviously an undergraduate experience vs academia is a different conversation.