College of Charleston Reviews

The facilities at College of...

The facilities at College of Charleston are always really nice. The library is amazing and so up-to-date. The food courts are really good sometimes, and the dorms are really nice and spacious. I don't really know about the athletic facilities too much because I don't really go to see basketball, and I run outside. When I do workout inside, the Stern Center fitness place is really nice to go to.

I've never used CARTA, but it gets...

I've never used CARTA, but it gets great reviews. The good thing about Charleston is that if you live downtown (which I highly recommend), then the only transportation you ever need is your feet or bike. The CARTA system is free with your student ID and can get you all the way to the beach.

Be discreet and smart about...

Be discreet and smart about everything you do. Consequences can get pretty harsh for underage drinking, etc. You don't want to risk losing housing mid-year with no refund.

Charleston is a charming place...

Charleston is a charming place with tons to do. When the weather is nice, you'll have to fight the tourists for sidewalk space. Make you you take advantage of discounted student rates to historic sites and houses. It would be a shame to live here and miss out. Also, the farmer's market in Marion Square is right off of campus and the perfect thing to do to start off a Saturday in warmer months.

Don't bring a car. Parking is hard...

Don't bring a car. Parking is hard to find and expensive, and Charleston is small enough that you can walk or bike everywhere. Take advantage of the weather and city and walk! Also, there are active student groups and organizations for bike advocacy -- it's much cooler to ride a bike than drive a car these days.

Charleston is probably the best...

Charleston is probably the best city on the East Coast in terms of balancing beauty and a small-town feel with a high variety of events to participate in and enjoy. The weather is for the most part beautiful from mid-March until late-September. Folly Beach and Marion Square are great places to hang out during the day, and the downtown nightlife is certainly robust.

These policies are very strict. If...

These policies are very strict. If you are found in violation of the alcohol policy twice, you are suspended for the semester. If you are found in violation of the drug policy, you are suspended for a semester.

The College of Charleston campus...

The College of Charleston campus is located in the heart of downtown Charleston. There is limited space, but the buildings are wonderful. The origional school house Randolf Hall is the centerpiece of the city, and it is heavy with tradition and grandure. The new buildings are breathtaking and completely modern, yet the origional buildings feel like a flashback to the 1700's. A perfect combination.

Charleston is famous for its Low...

Charleston is famous for its Low Country Cuisine. Shrimp and grits, crab cakes, flounder, fried whiting, and the list goes on. Not only is it delicious, but it's fresh off the the boat, caught that morning. Any restaurant on King, Market, East Bay, or downtown for that matter, is guaranteed to be amazing. Very few chain restaurants! Check out SNOB, Santee's, High Cotton, Hanks, Virginia's, Five loafs, and Tratoria Lucca to name a few.

Since every upperclassman lives...

Since every upperclassman lives off campus, just do your thing there. Campus police are tough, so don't even risk it. The dorms have fire alarms that go off about two times a week, and those usually allow Public Safety to do a quick search of each room. Don't even think about it!

Parking sucks! Freshmen can't have...

Parking sucks! Freshmen can't have cars with campus parking, but you can buy city parking. You don't really need a car, unless you want to go to the beach or mall. Otherwise you can pretty much walk everywhere.

We all got away with our fair...

We all got away with our fair share of mishaps dealing with alcohol and small violations last year. Just don't get caught with anything serious. One strike with pot, and you're out.

Students should definitely bring...

Students should definitely bring their own computer. Wired and wireless Internet connections are available in all the residence halls, and you can always find a free computer at the library. Some of the residence halls have computer labs as well, but there is no available printing there. The library gives you free printing for up to 300 pages a semester.

The atmosphere is laid-back. It is...

The atmosphere is laid-back. It is a walking city. On a warm day, of which there are many, there are lots of people outside everywhere. There are a lot of historical things to see and many restaurants and bars close to each other. The beach is close too. Carry pepper spray and a cell phone with you at night, and count on your bike getting stolen.

Mostly everyone just walks or...

Mostly everyone just walks or rides a bike. Charleston is a city, but it's small enough to do either of those things without feeling inconvenienced.

The workout gym is too small, but...

The workout gym is too small, but the college offers free gym membership to other gyms in and around the city. The arena is beautiful and new and great for basketball games. The library is clean,quite, fairly new, and very large. It is very spacious, and many students study in the library in groups.

The restaurants are amazing. There...

The restaurants are amazing. There is great food all over the city on streets such as King, Meeting, Market, Broad, and East Bay. The pricing ranges from reasonable to extravagant, but it is all worth it. I would try to avoid places such as Hyman's and Bubba Gump because they are tourist traps. A few of my favorite restaurants are 82 Queen, Sermet's, and Jim 'n Nick's.

It is difficult to find on-campus...

It is difficult to find on-campus parking. It is often expensive to park in a college garage, but it is sometimes possible to find less expensive parking with off-campus parking lots that are located near campus.

If you have your own computer you...

If you have your own computer you definitely bring it. Computer labs are available all over campus and can be crowded sometimes. The Wi-Fi is all over campus and is free, so it's really nice.

The new library is amazing. It is...

The new library is amazing. It is huge and has an awesome computer lab and a variety of spaces to study such as study rooms, big comfortable chairs, tables, and nooks and crannies. The gym in the student center is kind of small, so this year they implemented that all students get a free membership to ESAC, which is a local gym downtown, to offset the small size of the other gym. The student center is brand new and has a great food court, swimming pool, gym, and game room.

Parking is a hassle because the...

Parking is a hassle because the city is so small. I would recommend freshmen not bring a car, but if you want to, you definitely can. There are parking garages everywhere that offer semester-long rates. Once you're off campus, you can get on street parking passes for your house.

There are tons of computers in the...

There are tons of computers in the Addlestone Library and a handful in the Stern Student Center. The library gets crowded at exam time, but I can always find a place. Practically everyone has their own computer, which is nice when you have homework online or papers and don't want to walk to the library. The dorms aren't wireless.

The local atmosphere is awesome!...

The local atmosphere is awesome! There's a mix between skaters, beach bums, preps, and hippies. Charleston is a semi-big tourist city. There are cute carriage ride tours you can take, and there are spooky and interesting ghost tours. The Battery is where the ocean is, and there's a big pineapple fountain with a dock and swings so people can look out and take pictures. I suggest eating at Fleet Landing because it's a great view and good food. There are multiple beaches nearby; Folly Beach is the most popular for students. There is also great shopping and fun bars on King and Market streets. Marion Square is a pretty park where tons of students hang out, tan, play sports, and do homework, and there's a farmer's market on the weekends. Neighboring schools are The Citadel, Trident, and Coastal Carolina. Citadel boys are frequently spotted downtown (they're always in uniform), and they sometimes follow the CofC girls to find out what parties are fun. But other than that, I don't hang out with people from Trident or Coastal Carolina.

College of Charleston students get...

College of Charleston students get a bus pass to ride CARTA every semester, which can even take you to the mall! It's great when you don't have a car with you.

They are very strict. If you're...

They are very strict. If you're found with drugs, you get kicked out of school for the rest of the semester, and possibly for an entire school year. People can also get alcohol violations if they are drinking underage or if they are legal and drinking with minors. Noise violations are pretty strict, too, especially during exam time. The best bet is to party and do illegal activity OFF campus, if you're into that, of course.