Campus:
Located in the quaint district of Columbia, SC, with dozens of small shops, restaurants, and an immense football stadium in the distance, the University of South Carolina is a beautifully old institution in a town full of new ideas and people.

As soon as I stepped on campus, I knew this place was for me. My tour guide was an international business major, something I plan to pursue when I go to college. She was very informative on the various business opportunities as well as all other majors. I fell in love with the campus and how close together it was. The old buildings really added to that effect and made for a more personal feel.

It was abnormally frigid when I visited in February, which I kind of loved. Columbia can reach temperatures of 100 degrees in the summer, but winter months can be as low in the 30s.

Founded in 1805, USC has an enrollment of 33,000 and accepts 65 percent of its applicants, as of 2014. USC has over 100 majors for undergraduates, but the most popular are international business, public communications, and pharmacy.

Cost:
Tuition for out-of-state students at USC is $41,712. The price may fluctuate depending on if you bring a car onto campus and have to pay for additional parking fees, or meal plans. Although it’s expensive, 91 percent of out-of-state freshmen receive financial aid and merit-based scholarships.

Athletics:
USC, home of the Gamecocks, is an NCAA Division I institution. The women’s basketball team is ranked #2 in the nation and is headed to the NCAA Final Four. Football, also a Division I sport, is really popular, but according to the tour guide, they didn’t win as many games this year. USC has an equestrian team that just won a national championship this past year.

Sports at USC are a huge aspect of the school. Many of the teams are nationally ranked which make for a fanatic audience during the seasons.

Food and other things to do:
I didn’t have a chance to taste the food at USC, but they have five on-campus dining halls with a variety of healthy options for vegans and vegetarians. The Columbia area is surrounded by art galleries, malls, and many outdoor concert areas for music junkies. It’s an hour away from Charleston, another cute city, as well as the beach, which is a downside.

The average SAT scores to get into USC are anywhere from 1000-1130. The average ACT score ranges from 24-30.

Summary:
I absolutely adored this school, and I was honestly surprised by the way it looked. I love the southern feel and all of the opportunities the area has outside of school. It is definitely my top option for college, but if you don’t like being far from the beach or can’t take the heat, I wouldn’t recommend it.

For more information about the University of South Carolina, visit their website here.

Azanae Barrow is a Community Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.