* UC Berkeley (UCB): Generally considered the flagship UC and often ranks among the top universities globally. Strong in STEM, humanities, and social sciences.
* UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles): Another top-tier UC, excelling in a wide range of disciplines, particularly strong in film, medicine, and engineering.
* UC San Diego (UCSD): Known for its strong science and engineering programs, particularly in biology and computer science. Also has a growing reputation in humanities and social sciences.
While other UCs like UC Santa Barbara (UCSB), UC Irvine (UCI), and UC Davis (UCD) are excellent universities, they are generally placed a tier below UCB, UCLA, and UCSD in overall rankings. The "top" designation is really a matter of individual priorities and specific program rankings.