Hey Ecce
I made an account to respond to this post because I have also been accepted to UCSD and UCSF, but I am coming from the east coast (first time on the west coast). I am leaning more towards UCSF because of the proximity to work hand-in-hand with physicians to gain more of a translational PhD experience. Ultimately, I would like to get into clinical trials, and I think the environment at UCSF is more conducive to my success.
As for my opinion after your Columbia experience, I think if you feel you did not really fit then it will probably not be the right choice for you. Environment and research are my top choices when deciding where to go, even if the cost of living is high. Have you looked into university-wide fellowships that Princeton and UCSF offer to help increase your stipend?
Hope this helps!
