We're Number 40!!! I have to respectfully disagree. I’m a native to Los Angeles and have done direct work with both USC, UCLA, Occidental College, CalTech, and to an extent the “Pomona” schools. While both USC and UCLA are top tier schools…they are not better than Berkeley. Westwood is beautiful, but not Bay Area beautiful. Berkeley has so much charm and it’s not “plastic” looking. But yes, I also don’t want to get mugged in Berkeley.