Berkeley is super selective and huge mate.

It depends on your definition of huge.

Berkeley is a graduate school masquerading as an undergraduate school.

When I went, the undergraduate population was roughly 10k whereas the graduate population was roughly 20k.

The undergraduate school is factors smaller than the largest undergraduate schools.

EDIT: Largest undergraduate schools are around 60k! Even UofT Austin is around 40k.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-lis...

EDIT2: The prestige comes from 1) famous grads 2) the professors who are supported by the graduate students. The undergrads gain from the reflected prestige.

I've known people who chose Berkeley over Stanford. It's a personal choice and there is no right answer for the lucky few that gain admission to both. However, this is considered a fairly unusual decision. People are attracted to the higher selectiveness and the smaller size.

Personally, I would prefer it if people weren't like that. But it's the way it is.

> super selective and huge

Why don't we give Nobel Prizes to everyone, since you said we can be super selective and huge?