Battles with Integrity

Well, if you have to disagree with me, I urge you to find some other hobbies - perhaps bonsai. ;-)

I'll concede that most of his upper-division classes will be small, as you say. Whether or not the quality of instruction in such classes will differ signifcantly between, say, SFSU, Cal State, or UC is debatable.

As for getting into grad school (and merciful gods, don't get into an Education graduate program, or I'll have to disown you), I think it depends on what grad school you're applying to. You can get an MA or PhD from SFSU and Cal State, more cheaply, and they'll do you just as well getting or advancing in a high school teaching job (which is where I'm assuming you're aiming) as a fancy UC degree.