<p>Thanks for those thoughts. It is not a problem for older son at Wake - but he is REALLY not religious. Younger son is more interested in having some aspect of Jewish life. I don’t think it is enough of an issue to rule out a school entirely - if it seems like a good fit in other ways - but it is somewhat of a consideration. When/if we visit over the winter or in March - I would try to arrange to meet with some Jewish students and just hear directly from them how they feel at USC. It’s just another one of the pieces of the “fit” puzzle.</p>
<p>I found two Jewish student clubs at USC listed on their website.
[HillelatUSC</a> - Home](<a href=“http://hillelatusc.■■■■■■■■■■/]HillelatUSC”>http://hillelatusc.■■■■■■■■■■/)
[Home</a> - Jewish Life on Campus](<a href=“http://jewishlifeoncampus.webs.com/]Home”>http://jewishlifeoncampus.webs.com/)</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I’m a Baptist and have lived in South Carolina my entire life. My entire family is Baptist. My church is in a small, southern town (3000 people). Most of my family is in the Columbia area. I, myself, dated a Jewish guy for almost two years and absolutely no one in my family or my church had a problem with that. My aunt actually married a Jewish man. He was welcomed into the family with open arms, and even though my aunt died a year ago, he’s still considered to be very much a part of the family.</p>
<p>I don’t think that your son’s religion will have much of any impact on how other students perceive him and if he wants Jewish friends, I’m sure that he’ll be able to find them. It’s a large enough school that he should find something for him.</p>
<p>For those who were wondering how urban the school is, you can try google maps. A good starting point may be 1689 Pendleton Street, Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Just click on the pict on the left of the map and it will go into a street view mode which will allow you to drive around Columbia (virtually) by moving the cursor and then clicking on the little ovals that pop up.</p>
<p>916 North Sumter Street, Columbia, South Carolina, United States</p>
<p>Is the address for the horseshoe (although you can only see just a little of the inside of it through the gate). You can pan around 360 degrees to get a feel for the area though. If you start at that address and just keep taking your first right turn (on google maps in the street view mode) you will see the outer perimiter of the historic college on your right. But various buldings of the college continue for blocks in each direction away from the horseshoe.</p>
<p>You guys have been a great help - thank you!</p>
<p>Hi rockvillemom,</p>
<p>We looked at many of the same schools you two are looking at and are beginning to look again with our second child. I told my husband last night that it is so interesting to me to see these schools and how they present themselves to potential students. I really have enjoyed comparing all of them, even though I am not the one making the ultimate decision! </p>
<p>I loved USC personally. To me it really has a great feel to it. There is the urban “influence” but the campus itself is secluded enough to make you feel like you are not in a city. The friendliness of people and the attention to the students is what really got me. We felt that at VT as well (that is where our first one ended up). Both have what I would call a very strong sense of campus community. The students seem very humble, very happy and very well-rounded. As far as the initial impression/tour, we have been to about 9 of these tour/info sessions thus far and USC’s was the best overall. </p>
<p>For a boy, especially like yours who is interested in a sports related career, you can’t beat the sports environment at either USC or VT. I think he would love either place for that aspect. A comparison between the sports/fitness facilities that are available for the students is probably a tie, altough USC may get the nod with the outdoor pool at the Strom Center. That place is a real eye-opener! </p>
<p>I think once you two make the trip there you will see what all of the fuss is about. 
I am prodding number 2 to put it on her list, just so I can walk around down there again! Enjoy the ride and Good luck to your son!</p>
<p>Actually Wake forest is more than 90 minutes away. From Columbia to NC/SC border is about an hour 15 and then at least another hour to Winston. But still not a big deal in the scheme of things. </p>
<p>There are actually 2 synagogues within a mile of each other on Forest Dr. - Beth Shalom and Tree of Life. These are probably 10-15 minutes from campus. There is pretty large population in that part of city…my girls had lots of jewish friends in school. Many prominent local politicians are jewish (along with state christmas tree lighting there is a menorah lighting each year at state house). Student pop. may not be as much as up north, but not bad.</p>
<p>Random, but @LynchburgLover, do you ever post on the South Carolina forum at City Data?</p>
<p>KandKsmom - you have been a great source of info for VT - thanks for the additional USC comments as well. scmom12 - thanks for the synagogue info. I’m not sure how S2 will react to USC - he seems fine with the more rural locations - JMU and VT. Both of those universities are much closer for us and both have much larger Jewish populations - VT in particular. But VT does not offer sports mgmt and I’m not sure about his interest in a business major. I think they each have their own set of pros and cons - but I really appreciate the info on USC - and I think it would be worth a visit when time permits.</p>
<p>rockville mom
would your son be interested in being further away from home? Both Indiana U (Bloomington) and UMass (amhurst) have well regarded sports management programs (UMass especially so) and a much more significant % Jewish population on campus and more active Hillel and groups,which may make him feel more comfortable</p>
<p>Ahh - you have hit on the problem. He primarily wants to head south - although I have explained to him that VT does get wintry weather and we prefer he be within driving range. Otherwise those would be two great options. He is not set on sports mgmt necessarily - I have just suggested it to him as an option. He has no intention of going to grad school and wants a “practical” major that will translate into a job upon graduation - hence our thoughts on business or sports mgmt. But all that could change certainly.</p>
<p>At this moment - I tend to think VT is a better choice for him than USC - but he has applied already and we will see what happens. He is certain of nothing at this point - so trying to keep options open. Thank you for taking the time to make further suggestions.</p>
<p>Referring to the distance between WF and USC - I drove it probably 6 times this past year because my girlfriend goes to Wake. No matter what I did, it would always take me pretty much exactly 2 hours and 30 minutes to get there. If I had no traffic to the state line, I’d get caught up in a little bit outside northern Charlotte to slow me down, etc. Still a super easy drive. I would take 77N to 40E - less traffic on 40E than 85N was my reasoning.</p>
<p>Thanks - it sounds like a winter road trip for us.</p>
<p>Thank you so much! Will check that out.</p>
<p>We’re from the DC area, too, and our son will be starting USC this year (leaving Friday!). This time last year it wasn’t even on our radar.</p>
<p>He had always wanted to go to Virginia Tech, my husband and I went there and he’d been there for games many times and had planned to apply early decision and be done with it by December. Until he discovered Tech did not offer Sports Management. He plans to major in Business and minor in Sports Management.</p>
<p>He did consider still going to Tech for Business and then doing a graduate program at Old Dominion or George Mason in Sports Management, but I convinced him to at least visit USC and he fell in love. I think partly because it did remind him of Tech with the campus feel, big sports, etc. He was really sweating it out because we told him that it was only affordable for us if he got the in-state tuition scholarship. He did, so it all worked out in the end and he’s really happy and says he likes USC more than Tech, and we’re happy because the price is in line with our state schools. </p>
<p>The weather is definitely quite different–Blacksburg is in the mountains–it starts getting chilly in September and the winters are cold. I loved it there and couldn’t say a negative thing about it, but I’m loving USC, too.</p>
<p>We live in Northeastern Ohio and my son will be a senior this year. We visited South Carolina over spring break this spring and we both liked it a lot. It’s definitely on his list but he hasn’t applied yet. I am really enjoying reading everyone’s input.</p>
<p>kat444 - interesting input - and you have mentioned one of my biggest concerns with VT - would my son be happy as a business major? He has been thinking more along the lines of a sports mgmt major and business minor - which is what he would do at several other schools he has applied to. As you said - VT does not offer sports mgmt - and I am concerned about the business program - it looks great for someone who is 100% sure that’s what they want to do - but I worry that if he were to go to VT and then decide the business major was too much for him - what would his Plan B be as far as another major? </p>
<p>From Maryland - USC is in-state tuition for their Sport and Event Mgmt major - which is how we started looking at this school to begin with. It’s a little on the large size and further away then any other school we are looking at - but it might be a better fit academically. Hoping we have a chance to visit this winter.</p>
<p>That was my exact concern as well. I think my son had spent so long knowing that Tech was where he wanted to go, he was going to go there no matter what. I made him sit down and compare the programs, compare the actual classes, look at what he’d be taking. I really didn’t think he would be happy not having the Sports Management classes in the mix. He also really liked Bowling Green State–that ended up being his second choice. As much as I would love for him to be going to Tech, I felt a sense of relief that he chose USC because I think he’ll be much happier with the program there.</p>
<p>The Academic Common Market is great–unfortunately we can’t go that route because we have Sports Management offered at some of our state schools. I also have a friend whose daughter went to West Virginia through ACM. She qualified for the in-state tuition through their Sports Psychology program and then transferred to Sports Management the final two years. She had to pay the full tuition, but at least she got a break for two years.</p>
<p>Yup - that academic market thing is pretty cool. USC’s program is called Sports and Entertainment Mgmt - and it’s the word Entertainment that does it for us in Maryland. My son is also looking at James Madison and Elon - both schools where he could major in sports mgmt and minor in business - so not sure that he really wants to go further away to USC - but I like to keep options open for now.</p>
<p>if your Son is at all interested in the Entertainment side of the major (and as they learn…sports are entertainment also) the faculty in the dept is particularly strong in that area…and in venue management as well…its all connected…</p>