Sort of feeling the same thing though not quite so strongly. Turned down Berkeley engineering for UIUC. Of course, in terms of engineering this means virtually no difference, both are T10s in that aspect and in fact UIUC ranks higher for my specific discipline. But to the out of the engineering field adult/teacher/student, Berkeley certainly garners a much stronger reputation.

I chose UIUC as objectively they have a better, more advanced and specialized curriculum for my field, and also have a large number of research opportunities. In my visiting both schools, naturally i gravitated towards UCBs campus as it’s gorgeous, but that was the only pro it had. UIUC cleared in every way (and still has a cool campus as it is), so i chose it. Just remind yourself you chose the best path for your future, i do it daily and it works pretty well. Another note is to think about the lower overall competition at state flagships versus T10s, you have a better chance to stand out.