<p>We visited Clemson yesterday and LOVED it except for the distance from home. Answers to these questions may make my DS more comfortable:</p>
<ol>
<li> Which breaks in the school year does the campus pretty much empty?</li>
<li> Do students store belongings locally or take everything back and forth each year?
3, Is there plenty to do socially for someone that chooses to remain "in full control of their mental faculties"?</li>
<li>Are intramural and/or club sports easyto get involved in?</li>
<li> Is the varsity soccer team well supported by students also?</li>
<li> (From Dad). Are there any football or basketball tickets available for parents when they visit?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!</li>
</ol>
<p>Hey Cheeringsection, I graduated from Clemson in December so I’ll try and give you some answers to your questions from someone who grew up in the Boston area.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Because Clemson is 2/3rd in-state, a good number of people clear out during breaks (probably most of in-state students) so campus can get a little empty. Definitely don’t stay during Thanksgiving or Spring Break (I’ve done Thanksgiving several times and I had the whole campus to myself). There’s a good number of people for the shorter breaks though but it seems like people will go home then if they can. There isn’t much going on but by that time in the semester having some time to catch up on schoolwork and get some extra sleep/rest was about all I was concerned about so it was fine with me.</p></li>
<li><p>I took everything to/from Clemson every year but everything I owned could fit in my Honda Civic. People do use storage units in the area. I wish I was a little bit more familiar with this but I’m not. </p></li>
<li><p>Not sure what you mean by “in full control of their mental faculties” - if that means staying sober, then yes there are plenty of Clubs/Organizations on campus. Obviously people in these organizations will do their own thing outside of club events that involve alcohol since this is college but you don’t have to participate in it (I never did). There is also an organization called ClemsonLIVE that puts on events during the weekend for students who aren’t into the “party-scene”. Clemson isn’t BYU but it also isn’t West Virginia either - it’s just a regular public college that has it’s fair share of students who choose to drink (and not to drink) and there are plenty of people in each group.</p></li>
<li><p>Intramural and club sports are very popular at Clemson. With Intramurals you just find a group of friends and sign up as a team when each sport starts up each semester. With club teams you usually have to try-out for the team since it is a lot more competitive and they play other colleges. Definitely easy to get involved in either, and club if you are skilled at that sport.</p></li>
<li><p>The soccer team is very well supported. We hired a new head coach after my sophomore year who has done a great job of changing the culture at Clemson and encouraging fan/student support at games. Last year we made the NCAA tournament for the first time in a while and there were tons of students/fans at each game. Even in the down years there were a good number of people at games but I expect we’ll have a competitive season this year and in the future with Coach Noonan.</p></li>
<li><p>Students can technically get “guest tickets” for football/basketball (exception being big games if say Georgia or Florida State or South Carolina comes to town) which are in the student section. Not sure if your DS wants you to sit with him at games but that’s all I can think of in terms of getting tickets. Unless it’s a big game there are usually upper deck tickets available for sale on ClemsonTigers.com and for Family Weekend they usually sell tickets to parents.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Hope that helped with some of your questions. Let me know if you have any others or would want me to go into more detail with something!</p>
<p>Pierre </p>
<p>I may be able to help with #2. Clemson student government works with a company called Campus Carriers this year. They pick up items, store them for the summer, and deliver them back to you at your dorm room in the fall. <a href=“https://www.campuscarriers.com/”>Campus Carriers | Student Summer Storage with FREE Pick Up and Delivery; We tried that for DS this year for the time between his freshman and sophomore years, so I can let you know how that goes.
As far as #3 if you mean non-drinkers, my DS is in that group and has friends who, like him, don’t drink and friends who do go out and party. He’s found plenty to do. He absolutely LOVES it there. As a matter of fact, we’re driving the four and a half hours up there tomorrow to take a couple of family friends hoping they’ll choose Clemson too!</p>
<p>Thanks for your responses. They are quite helpful. </p>
<p>Can’t offer much more than others have but will give you a parents view…from 800 miles away!! And input from daughter…</p>
<ol>
<li> Fall mini break - plenty of out of state kids stay…we guess 25% of kids stay?<br></li>
<li> We rented a small storage unit about 3 miles off campus. 3 girls split it for stuff like furniture, futon, bedding…pretty much anything that isnt needed at home for 3 months. Rented for 4 months for $75 pp. Great deal and eliminate dad needing to drive down.</li>
<li> Yes, just gotta get out of your room and get active. Yes, Clemson has its share of parties, mostly off campus. But not all 17,000 are getting drunk every weekend. One thing is for sure, you have to get out and find your fun…it wont knock on your door.</li>
<li> Yes, but same as #3…find it, it wont find you.</li>
<li> Don’t know…my daughter isnt the biggest sports fan but does love her Tiger football. And she says the baseball boys are the cutest.</li>
<li> Yes, my daughter has been able to find me a ticket when needed. Not sitting with her of course…but in the stadium. Join IPTAY…</li>
</ol>
<p>^ One of my former little league players will be one of their cute baseball boys next year.</p>
<p>IPTAY is the boosters club for Clemson Athletics. If you’re a student, I recommend joining it - it’ll give you priority access to football tickets and it’s just a cool organization to be a part of if you want to get into the whole athletics scene.</p>
<p>Thanks! We saw the parking signs on campus but forgot to ask. Sounds perfect for my DS. </p>
<p>First rule…trust Pierre. If anyone gives you advice that is opposite to Pierre, go with Pierre. </p>
<p>I think IPTAY is $40 a year? Basically, as a freshman, you have to have it. The way they dole out football tickets is Seniors on Monday, Juniors on Tuesday…etc. So you can figure out that by the time Thursday rolls around, freshmen get whats left, if any at all. IPTAY gives you access on Tuesday (?)…Pierre will know exact day. As a freshman, its a great deal. </p>
<p>I also did not completely answer the break question. As mentioned, I think there are a fair number of kids that stay for fall mini break, especially out of staters and especially upper class-men. I hear the place empties for Thanksgiving but this year may see an influx of kids return early as the rivalry game vs USC is at Clemson on Saturday. Everyone bugs out for winter break and spring break. Long weekends are not as prevalent in SC so we never had an opportunity get daughter home for long weekend. For some reason SC does not celebrate all the customary non-federal holidays. Clemson does publish a very comprehensive academic schedule on the website.</p>
<p>One heads up…if going home involves a flight…book NOW for Thanksgiving. Last year it cost us 3x what it normally cost to fly her from CLT to BOS. And if going home means a flight, you really gotta do you homework with flights (unless money is not a concern). Preferred airport is GSP but often involves a connecting flight in a major hub. CLT and ATL are both 2 hours away, though ATL traffic can make that trip longer (daughter had a 5 hour trip to ATL last year, ice storm). Our preferred airport is CLT but thats just because USAir services BOS with a ton of flights. Getting TO the airport is another nightmare unless you have a car. Clemson runs a free shuttle but not a lot of variability and they sell out FAST around breaks. There are private services, but again very expensive. </p>
<p>Good Luck…let me know if my one year of parental experience can help!!</p>
<p>Thank you to all! </p>
<p>IPTAY is $40/year and $130/4 years. Ticket distribution date goes Monday - IPTAY, Tuesday - Seniors, Wednesday - Juniors, Thursday/Friday - Anybody. There are limited amounts of tickets for each distribution day so being in IPTAY doesn’t guarantee you a ticket on Monday but it gives you a shot at getting tickets for some big games so you don’t have to wait until Thursday/Friday. People take football tickets seriously and people even camp out for them so they don’t risk being at the end of the line and possibly not getting a ticket on distribution day. People usually get a big group of 10 people or so and take turns waiting at the tent the weekend before.</p>
<p>Here’s the link to the academic calendar: <a href=“Records and Registration | Clemson University, South Carolina”>http://www.registrar.clemson.edu/pdf/academicCalendar2014.pdf</a>
The only long weekends are really fall-break and MLK Day.</p>
<p>I never went home for Thanksgiving (crazy I know) but Charlotte was always my preferred location to fly out of. Luckily my roommate for the first 2 years was from Durham and I was able to hitch a ride to the Charlotte airport before I got my car at Clemson so I never had a problem getting there. If you don’t have a car, you’re probably looking at flying out of GSP - Southwest Airlines flies out of there and is sort of affordable.</p>
I am reviving this thread because we have made a 2nd trip to campus and have more questions:
- Students were talking about having the ability to move labs around and extend Thanksgiving break. Is that relatively common or just lucky on their part? Since we would be buying an airline ticket far in advance this could be hard to plan for, even if it is a possibility.
- Anyone want to comment on pros/cons on Rise vs Holmes (honors) vs regular freshman housing and acclimating to being far from home?
- What year do more than half of students choose to live off campus? Is that generally more or less expensive than living on campus?
- In what year did you (or your child) take a car to campus? We prefer not to send one until job/co-op/internship makes it necessary but it sure would make getting back and forth to home easier as well.
Thanks in advance for all your responses!
Hi! We are an OOS (mid-Atlantic) Clemson family with a sophomore Honors student. Regarding schedules and holiday travel, last year it turned out he could have flown back a bit earlier with some classes canceled, but this year (Thanksgiving) he does have his Tuesday afternoon classes so travel plans post formal school closing were appropriate. So I think that is a bit hit or miss.
He has adored Clemson since the day he first saw it, so acclimating to being away from home was not a big issue for him. People are very friendly at Clemson and if your student is in Honors (or Rise) there are natural communities with which to connect. I think that helps students settle in. In the fall, the football games are a campus focal point, which gives a great communal spirit.
He stayed in Holmes last year and loved it. It is one of the nicer dorms on campus and is very centrally located, which is a great benefit. He found it helpful to have floormates who were coming from a similar level of academic commitment. He is on campus this year (sophomore) as well, and plans to move to an apartment next year. (I believe most move to apartments by junior year.). Clemson has plans to build additional housing, but I am not sure what year some of that will come on line.
I recently inquired and was told off campus apartment arrangements start as low as $400 a month but more likely $500 a month and up. (Our son’s room and board for this year is $9,460 in Stadium Suites and a robust meal plan. Stadium Suites is one of the more expensive dorms.) We did send him with a car, which has enabled him to fly out of Charlotte some of the time (these are less expensive flights for us.) However, Clemson does run shuttles to Greenville airport around holidays. Many students have cars, so I would not think it would be a problem to get a ride to a store or to do an errand if needed.
He recently said that Clemson is all he hoped for and more. What we didn’t necessarily expect is that we have become a passionate Clemson family! We love to go visit. If your student attends, definitely plan to go see a football game if you have any interest in that sport. It is a blast. Good luck with your search!
Thanks osaycanuc! I appreciate your response. We did include a football game in our visit and it was definitely an experience not to be missed. I am glad your DC has settled in so well. Love your screen name!