<p>Wondering what everyone thinks about the two schools. Compare them in the following areas...</p>
<p>Social Scene:
Sports Atmosphere (not how good the teams are, how big of a deal it is):
Campus:
Academics:
Reputation:
Greek Life:
Surrounding Community: </p>
<p>What are your opinions overall on the two? </p>
<p>The #1 issue should be: how much is the net cost ie., (tuition + R&B) - (grants+scholarships) = ?
DO NOT subtract any loan. :)</p>
<p>My college is all paid for. Money is not a factor.</p>
<p>Okay, lucky you! Thank whoever planned so well and worked so hard :)</p>
<p>Sports: very very big at both
Campus: USC is prettier in my opinion. The good weather helps in keeping people outside to enjoy it, too.
Academics: I’d say both are strong but it depends on field. MSu is very strong in all technical fields. USC is very strong for business. Then it depends on individual subjects.
Surrounding community: Columbia is the state capital. MSu is in East Lansing, near the State capital, a smaller town. I personally like Columbia better, especially weather-wise, in terms of amenities and layout, and because you can go to the beach. In East Lansing though you can go up North and icefish in the winter, plus all the winter sports (just not my thing).</p>
<p>Thanks MYOS1634! Appreciate it. </p>
<p>They both had great campuses, but the thing is, Michigan State gets really cold and you aren’t able to enjoy the outdoors and woodlands on campus year round like you could at USC.</p>
<p>There were two things I don’t like about South Carolina though. First, the greek row is technically on campus property. For that reason, they need to follow campus rules. Secondly, the football stadium isn’t actually on the campus. It’s a pretty long walk away. I don’t know why, but that kind of bugged me.</p>
<p>Also, I should not that I’m transferring in. </p>
<p>I think you’ll find that just because fraternities are on campus property and must follow the rules doesn’t make their parties any less rowdy (if that’s what you were implying). </p>
<p>I don’t know anything about the University of South Carolina, but the campus may be bike friendly which would make the nearly 1.5 mile trek from the dorms to the stadium much easier. I do this during home games at my school. Makes it much easier to get around. </p>
<p>Thank you for the feedback Whenhen. Every day it seems, I’m going back and forth between MSU, USC (I’m only abbreviating it people, calm down), and University of Arkansas. I originally had Florida State as my number one, but that has since changed for a variety of reasons. </p>
<p>Like I said, I’m transferring in. I knew I was going to transfer before I came to my current University and the whole year to choose where I would transfer to really hasn’t helped me. I just don’t want to regret my decision.</p>
<p>If anyone has anything they can share about either of the two, I would really appreciate it. </p>
<p>It’s actually good the frat row is on campus property - it means the brothers have more legal protection, as well as their guests. Yes it means they have to follow rules, but… what do you hope to do at MSU, commit crimes? If not, I don’t see what the problem is. And if your goal in joining a frat is committing crimes of various sorts, then you have another problem (and so does the fraternity) so let us hope that’s not the issue.*
It’s not like the frat houses at USC sit around playing bridge and drinking herbal tea. 
As for the distance to the stadium, hm, not sure why that’d bug you… bike or take the shuttle. Honestly the distance at MSU will require you to walk too and it’ll seem pretty long when it’s zero degrees :D. Do you have trouble walking (disability, etc) - because I’m sure there are accomodations in place.
<p>I don’t have a horse in this race BTW, just trying to use your own criteria and it seems that aside from very minor inconveniences, USC wins hands down. If your interests were ice fishing, snowshoeing, and mechanical engineering, I wouldn’t be arguing the same.</p>
<p>If it’s on campus, it means that the houses are dry. </p>
<p>Micah: Hm, sure.
Unless by dry you mean “not flooded but way more than damp”.
Go to Admitted Students Day.
They may tell you that they’re all drinking camomille and gatorade and that those really are jello desserts, then you’ll be nice and believe them.
Were you a commuter at your original college or did you live on campus?</p>
<p>From what I understand from talking to people on USC’s campus, most of the fraternities have a separate house that’s off-campus because the police are so hard on cracking down on fraternity parties. That was directly from those that were actually in greek life at USC.</p>
<p>If it’s on campus, it’s against policy to have alcohol, even if you’re over 21. For that reason they really don’t have fraternity events on the main houses.</p>
<p>But there are fraternity parties at the alternative house correct? FWIW, at my school all frats are required to be dry regardless of how many over 21s live in them. To put it mildly, they’re not. </p>
<p>At USC, free shuttles run from front of student center and front of Colonial Life Center (where commuters or nonstudents could park for games). Obviously students can take shuttle back, but often with traffic, my D and friends walk back…it may be 1.5 miles from actual stadium to center of campus, but by time you get to far side of parking to most southern edge of campus is much less.</p>
<p>You seem overly concerned with partying with frats. Trust me there are plenty of parties to attend if your purpose is to drink your way through the next 3 years. </p>
<p>Weather in SC is definitely nicer. Sitting in Columbia right now it is 77 degrees! Academically, it depends on your major as to how the schools compare. Be aware that as a transfer, you probably won’t have a shot at living on campus (unless you join a frat and live in house at some point but that wouldn’t be right away). </p>
<p>The weather also gets really humid in the summer and fall, doesn’t it? Also, is it true Columbia has a ton of crime? I heard Five Points has shootings every other week.</p>
<p>Where in the world do you get your information about USC!!! I never once felt unsafe on that campus, nor walking around neighborhoods. (Granted, I didn’t go to Five Points. I’m more of the Whole Food/Herbal Tea/art film scene :p)
Of course if you want to look for problems, you’ll find them, but Columbia isn’t Baltimore or Detroit; it’s no different from most major cities: walk around inebriated at 3am, flashing your 10k gold watch, in a sketchy area, you’ll get in trouble, whether in Columbia or East Lansing. </p>
<p>Yes it’ll be very humid from April until September-October. October/November until April will be very nice. So May and September will definitely be muggy and tough, and April and October a touch humid already but not too much.
I personally prefer dry&cold to hot and humid, but East Lansing is a bit too much even for me weather-wise. And the USC campus really is nice most of the school year (plus you get to go swimming in the ocean until late October - personal experience… so when you come from a more northern climate, it feels wonderful.)</p>
<p>Five points has become a trouble spot, but there are other areas to go to for night life. It’s not every other week. It’s currently become a high priority for USC president and Columbia police - problem is USC doesn’t have much control over area. It’s really only a problem late night on - vast majority of problems are well after midnight. Again… this is a mom talking - being out anywhere at 2am is not safe. I have a D at USC. I tell her no to Five points from after dinner time on, but again there are other areas that she and friends walk to . Yes, it is humid. It’s a trade-off. You are also likely still able to wear shorts in October (or later). And if it does happen to snow like it did this year…your classes will be canceled - the city’s not set up to handle icy roads.</p>