University of South Carolina Reviews

Most parties are off campus...

Most parties are off campus because students are not allowed to drink in the Greek Village, and the dorms are too small. A good number of students go downtown when they go out anyway, whether they are 21 or not. Going out isn't easy because you either have to walk downtown or get a driver to a party. A lot of people end up getting cabs to get them to off-campus parties.

Obviously, drinking is a huge...

Obviously, drinking is a huge thing on and off campus. I don't know too many people who do drugs, and I haven't really seen much drug activity. If people are doing drugs, they're just smoking at the hookah bar or having a cigarette between classes.

There are some pretty good...

There are some pretty good off-campus dining options at USC, with a Moe's and Firehouse Subs right off campus. The main hangouts are the Vista on Gervais Street and Five Points, especially Five Points which is more geared toward the college crowd but involves a lot of drinking. Mellow Mushroom Pizza on the Vista and Village Idiot in Five Points are really good, and Grilled Teriyaki is another good option.

There are good restaurants off...

There are good restaurants off campus. Columbia has a lot of choices for most types of food and price ranges. Some of the less popular ethnic places are a little hard to find, like Thai or Vietnamese, but otherwise there are lots of options. Beezer's, a sub place, is really close to my dorm. It is super cheap and really fast, so it's great for late-night hunger pains. The Mellow Mushroom and The Village Idiot, both pizza places, are super close to campus, and also well worth it!

The buildings that have been...

The buildings that have been updated recently are fantastic, and the University really cares about student input in new projects. Those buildings that have been around for a while show their wear but aren't too shabby overall.

The facilities are nice at USC,...

The facilities are nice at USC, especially the new Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center, which has everything from an indoor and outdoor pool, to a rock climbing wall, to beach volleyball courts. Russell House is the main dining hall, mail room, and pretty much everything else. There are a variety of food options, and a lot of them are really good, especially the salad bar and yogurt bar, and of course there's always fast food. The library is big and a good quiet place to study, but being in the lower levels sometimes creeps me out a bit.

Drugs are a fact of life at USC,...

Drugs are a fact of life at USC, but there are always going to be some who do it and some who don't. Smoking is probably the biggest on campus, but drinking is bigger.

The facilities at USC are awesome....

The facilities at USC are awesome. The Strom, which is the gym, has all kinds of equipment. The student center is always full of activities for students, and the library is open 24/7, which is really convenient.

The bars and clubs are mainly...

The bars and clubs are mainly 21-and-up. The dance clubs are usually 18-and-up, but there might be a cover charge. Sometimes if a band is playing at a bar, they will let 18-and-up in, but with a cover charge. Red Hot Tomatoes is fun, and so is Wild Hare, though it's more chill.

USC has approximately 25 dining...

USC has approximately 25 dining options on campus. There is everything from fast food restaurants such as Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell to the Mongolian Grill, Soupman, and hot food lines. I love eating in Gibbes Court located on the first floor of my dorm, but I also eat at some of the fast food places from time to time. With the many options we have at USC, I can honestly say that there is something here for everybody.

Some freshmen dorms at USC aren't...

Some freshmen dorms at USC aren't great, but most are not all that bad. Capstone House (for Capstone Scholars), Columbia Hall, some dorms in the Women's Quad, and others on the Horseshoe are good options for freshmen. Stay away from Bates and McBryde, but the others are OK. Upperclassmen have a number of good choices, such as the Quads and housing on the Horseshoe, so those who choose to live on campus after their freshman year will find upperclassmen housing a lot better.

Campus police are pretty strict...

Campus police are pretty strict about underage drinking and drug use at USC. Students are usually ticketed and go through the University's Office of Student Judicial Programs. Students are fined and must complete sanctions before their case is closed with the office. Sanctions depend on the severity of the crime, and students who use drugs could get a letter sent to their parents. My advice to freshmen would be: Don't be stupid. If you do choose to drink underage, don't advertise it on Facebook, and find more creative ways to sneak alcohol in your dorm besides packing a 24-pack in your backpack. The RAs aren't nearly as stupid as they may look.

The network is pretty good....

The network is pretty good. Wireless isn't available everywhere, but the wired network is reliable. The computer lab in the library is usually big enough to accommodate everyone, but the labs where classes are held are open at strange hours and are usually unavailable in the middle of the day. Students should definitely bring their own computers, as it is the easiest way to get everything done.

Bars and clubs off campus are...

Bars and clubs off campus are pretty fun, like Art Bar and The Whig or Tabu and Level. Hunter Gatherer has a really classy environment with good drinks and a really nice jazz night. The parties on campus aren't the best, but there's always somewhere to go.

Computer labs are crowded as the...

Computer labs are crowded as the night goes on, but right around lunchtime, they are relatively open. There is both a wired and wireless network, both of which have blazing speed. Students should definitely bring their own computers---more than 97 percent do when they first come down to school. I cannot imagine being in my dormitory without a computer. You use it for everything in college.

The Strom Thurmond WFC (the main...

The Strom Thurmond WFC (the main workout center) is gorgeous, spacious, and filled with the most up-to-date fitness equipment. It is a sight for all to see. It is more like a resort than anything. The Russell House offers pretty much everything a student needs, such as food, access to mail, a copy center, and many other ammenities. The library is somewhat old, but huge, encompassing more than seven floors.

Campus police at the University of...

Campus police at the University of South Carolina have a great compromise between restricting freedoms for the greater good and upholding the individual rights of every person, both student and faculty, on the campus. They are strict when they need to be, especially when it comes to underage drinking and drug use on campus, but they also know when to be lenient in minor violations. Obviously, they do their jobs, but they feel more like a support system than a threat that always causes you to look over your shoulder.

The freshman dorms aren't the...

The freshman dorms aren't the greatest, but they all have advantages. The girls who live in the women's quad all become really close, but the buildings themselves aren't very well maintained. Capstone and Columbia Hall are suite-style and coed and a short walk to Five Points, but if you're an engineering major, it's a long walk to Swearingen. Bates House and the Roost are more private since they aren't in the heart of campus, but definitely plan your schedule to allow sufficient time to get to and from classes.

I think campus safety does a good...

I think campus safety does a good job in regard to regulations. They don't walk around looking for trouble. I think they realize that it is a college campus that is not dry, and they usually don't intervene unless necessary or unless the students are causing a problem.

Parking sucks. The garages are...

Parking sucks. The garages are ridiculously expensive and limited, so most people buy a $70 surface lot pass. This gives you four options of where to park, all of which are either never available because they're so small, or a 15- to 20-minute walk uphill to campus. Also, they've oversold the surface lot passes, so sometimes I can't even find a parking spot! It's definitely worth it to buy a garage pass. Freshmen can bring cars, but it's really not necessary. As long as you know one person with a car for the occasional trip, you're set. Also, they give tickets like there's no tomorrow. I've received more than $100 worth of tickets because if you want to have your car during the day to go to work or run errands, you have to pay a meter that is very expensive.

The library is really big but kind...

The library is really big but kind of out-dated in style. It's also kind of confusing because it goes from ground level into the ground. A lot of people go there to study. It does have a pretty large selection of movies, but you have to look for them and it's only open at normal business hours. Strom gym is beautiful. It's usually packed, and the outdoor pool is nice with two outdoor volleyball courts and tons of lounging chairs. Blatt is the other gym, but its more cave-like.

Public transportation is certainly...

Public transportation is certainly reliable for getting to the bars and safely back to your dorm via the Cocky Shuttle. Being that the University is urban, nearly everything worth visiting is within walking distance, including Ergo, the Vista and Five Points.

Capstone is the best freshman...

Capstone is the best freshman dorm. It is coed and suite-style with a cafeteria connected to the bottom. All of the freshman dorms are pretty nice. The Roost is really far away, so you might want to stay away from that one. USC is opening up new Honors College freshmen dorms, which are going to be really nice. The Quads' apartment-style units are great for upperclassmen. Pretty much all juniors and seniors live off campus.

The facilities at USC are...

The facilities at USC are generally really nice. The dining at the Russell House (student union) is extremely good and full of multiple options. It does tend to get a little pricey, though, if you don't have a meal plan. The Starbucks and bookstore are also nice places to hang out. The library is a typical college library. They upper levels are great for group studying. If you need absolute silence, then you can go to one of the lower levels. The student gym (Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center) at USC is phenomenal. It's definitely one of the best in the country. There is everything you would ever need, including basketball courts, racquetball courts, rock climbing, indoor pools, outdoor pools, indoor track, state of the art equipment/weights, an outdoor pool and beach volleyball.

Campus police are pretty strict...

Campus police are pretty strict about underage drinking. I received a citation my sophomore year, but if you exercise discretion and behave responsibly, you'll likely not have any problems.