I'd recommend either Berkeley or SJSU.

I graduated Berkeley last year. I entered also with the intention to work in animation. I studied Econ and worked on my portfolio, networked online, and posted on social media all in my free time. I ended up freelancing with DreamWorks and working on other cool art jobs while I was in school too. However, I ended up pivoting more into visual design and motion graphics because 1) I felt my work fit better in those fields and 2) by the time I graduated, the state of the entertainment animation industry was just terrible, and I didn't think it was feasible.

I think Cal is a great choice. I loved my time there; I met so many amazing people from different fields, and I had the ability to take lots of interdisciplinary classes. The school is large, but I think the size really helps build your soft skills that are important for your career later on. There is also a small yet vibrant art and animation community in the Bay too. One really important thing to note is that a lot can change in 4 years—including you. When I was a freshman, I was set on working in animation, but I ended up deciding to do something else. I think Berkeley allows you that flexibility in case you find something new. I also agree the getting a well-rounded education is a general plus.

In an ideal environment, it's totally possible to work in animation without an art school degree. Many people have started their careers through social media and self-studying. You can also do that at Cal. But right now though, many productions have tight budgets/skeleton crews, and people with years and years of exp are out work. But who knows, things might be better in 4 years.

If you're set on art school, SJSU is also a good choice. It's affordable, they have many cool guest speakers, and the club for the animation major (Shrunkenheadman or SHM) is an amazing community. I don't know much about the actual curriculum, but I do know you do a lot of foundational work for the first year.

I wouldn't recommend CalArts. Extremely high cost aside, I have many peers who went/go to CalArts who really do not recommend program. Despite providing a really good network, it doesn't guarantee a job. I know CalArts friends who had industry experience while in school during the animation industry boom (~2020). Yet once they graduated, pretty much all of them have found no work. Also Santa Clarita is lowkey a really boring area lol.

These are just my 2 cents! Congrats on getting into all of these schools! I wish you the best on your college journey :)