UCSD vs. UCSB for Master's

Hi guys,

I'm trying to decide between UCSD and UCSB for a Master's in EE. My interests lie primarily in photonics and semiconductors with a tangential interest in biomedical applications, signal/image processing, and digital circuits.

My main considerations are:

UCSD has the better academics on paper. More classes available on stuff I'm interested in, a larger EE and STEM department in case I want to branch out a little or look into things like biomedical applications.

BUT

I looove UCSB's campus and vibe. It's pretty, has the ocean breeze, and the people there seem so natural and chill. UCSD's campus seems more staid, run down, and overall just not my jam.

​

Part of me thinks it would be silly to throw UCSD's opportunities away when the main point of my Master's is to further my education. But part of me is also nagging, "what if I regret choosing UCSD." In the same way I regret choosing UCLA and not appealing UC Berkeley's waitlist for undergrad.

​

So do you guys have any insights? How to the ECE programs and cultures differ? Anything would be much appreciated.

​

\also slightly complicating things, UCSD has an April 15th SIR while UCSB's decisions aren't even out yet with a May 15 SIR. So I'll probably accept USCD for now just to be safe*

​

- Thanks,

SpicyRice99