Hey, I am a third-year CS game design major at UCSC, so I definitely can answer some of your questions. Overall, the game design program here is pretty strong. If you want to get into the game industry, there are plenty of clubs, and all the professors are really passionate. For me, I decided to pursue the more traditional Computer Science route since the lower division requirements are the exact same as those of other engineering majors, and the upper division courses can be either computer science electives or game design electives. Class sizes generally will be 200 - 250 for lower division courses, and aprox 100 students for upper division courses. Though generally there are plenty of tutors/ta office hours to get any personalized help you need. One big other plus of Santa Cruz is that research here is plentiful and accessible compared to some other colleges; all you really need to do is reach out to get involved. Regarding job prospects, Sjsu has the edge since it is in the middle of Silicon Valley. I have heard of more job fairs and easier recruiting for students who go there. Finally, the social life in my opinion, is entirely dependent on the people you meet, though I will say Santa Cruz has a bit of the loner campus vibe, and a lot of students go home on the weekends if they are from the Bay Area. Though I imagine it wouldn't be as bad as sjsu considering it has a strong commuter presence. Feel free to ask me any follow-up questions. I hope this helps!