<p>My D will be an entering freshman this Fall. She has been invited into the Capstone Scholars program. She also applied and has recently been accepted to live in Preston residential college. I know that most Capstone Scholars live in Capstone (or Columbia). However, when we visited last Fall, Preston seemed to really fit (per my daughter). We plan to visit again this Saturday for scholars day and take another look. However, if anyone has advice on this, it would be appreciated (i.e. Capstone versus Preston). As a capstone scholar, what advantage or disadvantage would it be to live in Preston?</p>
<p>There are Honors and Capstone students living in Preston. Its a close knit group who are required to dine together a couple of nights a week in a separate dining room,a policy which may be or not may be to a students liking.
The principal of Capstone is Dr Stiver, who my S is now taking for the second time in an Honors course (S does not live in Preston) because he likes the man so much. Apparently loads of students like him in this way,S says hes always surrounded by a group when walking.
One of the student bloggers on the Undergrad Admissions website lives in Preston, and I know they are very willing to answer questions. Her name is Kriska,she's a sophomore and lived freshman year in S's dorm (Maxcy) and her blog is called " A Small but Mighty Gamecock". Shes a sophomore Honors student,but I bet she knows Capstone students there who could answer your D's questions.</p>
<p>As a USC student, I've been in to visit others in Capstone and had close friends in Capstone. I lived in Preston my sophomore year. </p>
<p>Both rooms are similar in facilites: two person dorms with four people sharing a bathroom that connects between each room. Preston has slightly larger rooms and windows. Capstone is a skyscraper that houses many students, while Preston is in a recently renovated historic dorm housing under 300 students. Capstone is a looser, less involved and regulated dorm with more people, while Preston is more of a tight-knit community with a reputation for quirkiness. </p>
<p>Capstone has only freshman residents. It's known to be a little more of a happening party dorm: the term for going to capstone on a friday night is "getting cap-STONED". It's a louder dorm, but would let your son meet more fellow freshman. I believe there are some academic lectures and resources in the dorm. There is a dining hall in the building, but he can eat anywhere on campus, and students from other residences also use this cafeteria. After Freshman year, there is a sophomore capstone section in one of the quads down the hill. </p>
<p>Preston is a very social dorm, but with more nerds and less drinking. It houses upperclassmen in addition to freshmen, although freshmen tend to be almost half of the population. Getting in Freshman year has the added benefit of almost guaranteed housing for all four years, which is an advantage as getting a room as an upperclassman is tough. It has many committees and activities to get involved in, from a drumming circle to roadtrips to bible study and a fish tank club. There is always someone to chat with in the common room, which is also stocked with magazines. Dinners are together in a separate dinning hall across the street Mon-Thurs (he must attend 60% of these dinners). Faculty members eat in the dinning hall as well, making for a variety of academic and non-academic discussions with profs and peers. Frisbee is played in the hallways, there is a library of books and videos in the dorm, and graduate tutors live in the dorms. Lectures, faculty teas, late night cereal parties, and even live games of pac-man tag (complete with costumes) and more take place in the common room, lobby or porch. </p>
<p>Overall, Preston is more social, but known for being a little odd and the exclusive required dinners bother some people. Capstone is a little more of a large, anonymous dorm, but with it being all freshman, there is always someone he will know, and something going on. Neither is know for being a quiet or private dorm.</p>