Hey Lizzie!
In the past days I have been reading a lot of opinions and comments on San Diego as a city and on one side I picture in my mind this stupid idea of an awesome city on the pacific coast with its mexican spirit filled with happy and tanned people who love their jobs, but on the other side I have discovered that in the last years crime and unemployment rates have grown, people are moving away from SD as crazily high housing rents and pollution are making living there quite frustrating for people who are not getting very well paid (let's say more than 50K a year).
My research topics and my match with professors would be greater at UCSD than at Davis and I can't get rid of this sensation within me that UCSD is somewhat more renowned thus allowing me to spend my degree better in industries after my Ph.D.
But I definitely would hate myself if I had to live the next 4 years in a s*#thole for which I am paying more than half of my monthly income being stuck on campus 365 days/year for not being able to save some money for Spring-break or vacations.
I do not know whether I am creating too many doubts in my head or not, but what I know is that an opportunity like this comes only once and this decision will impact my future in a way that almost scares me...