<p>So as not to hijack the other thread, I'll ask here for comments on College of Charleston. I do not know why this has not appeared on my radar--I have been thinking about alternate matches for son (alternate to Rhodes and Birmingham Southern) that might be a little less preppy, a little more quirky. College of Charleston might be a good fit--and son might qualify for the Honors College (32 ACT).</p>
<p>Any inside info, good or bad, about this college?</p>
<p>I don't know much about the school, but I have a friend who goes there who absolutely loves the feel of the school and location. He said the Honors College had some weird requirements that made him decide to drop it, so I would research into that, but other than that, he's had nothing but good things to say about the place.</p>
<p>I also don't know a whole lot about this school, but a friend's S is a sophomore there this year and he can't say enough good things about the place. He's very happy with his choice. He's a very smart kid, but not in the honors college. I don't know whether he didn't qualify or he didn't want to be there, though.</p>
<p>Within in SC, CofC has a reputation as an arty, party school, with strong academics and good relations with the community. Of course, "arty" for South Carolina may be a bit different than arty in California or New York. Our "arty" probably veers more "preppy-straight edge" than you'd expect. Charleston, though, is the most liberal area of a very conservative state. </p>
<p>Kids who want a smaller school than USC, a less rural school than Clemson and who don't really care about football choose CofC. We know many people who attend/have graduated who are not arty and do not party and love CofC. Many of the buildings are beautiful and Charleston is a wonderful, lively city, well-preserved city. Because of its setting, the university does not have that "unto itself, centered around the quad" feel of many colleges. It is right in the middle of the city. Part of the reason for the "party" rep, I think, is that the college is surrounded by restaurants, bars, and other potential distractions. The Medical University of SC is also located in Charleston and CofC is part of a national group of public LACs. </p>
<p>My "quirky" son would fit right in but, alas, we have family there and I think he wants to live "away" for a while. (Anyone not from Charleston is from "away.")</p>
<p>Visit, if you can. There's a lot to love in Charleston.</p>
<p>My D is a senior this year, has really enjoyed being in Charleston (we're from PA). She finds it a challenging school, and there is always a lot to do in the area. I've heard that it gets harder every year to get into CofC. Yes, there is partying, although I haven't heard that's it's much different from anywhere else. My D is not a big party person, so that hasn't been an issue.</p>
<p>From a parent's perspective, we LOVE to visit there. We stay at Folly Beach a lot and take our dogs with us. I think our D likes to see the dogs more than us! Over the almost 4 years we've seen most of the good stuff in Charleston and make it a point to try a new restaurant every time we go there---we'll never be able to check them all out!</p>
<p>A lot of folks I know love that school. I have it on my list.</p>
<p>Son applied. Waiting to hear.</p>
<p>You can go to the CC schools page and click on CofC. You'll have to go to the "beginning" threads to see all the information. Not much recent activity.</p>
<p>Still wondering about the low retention rate.</p>