I’m from out of state, California, and I would LOVE to go somewhere completely different than where I’m from. I think I would really like southern culture and I was wondering how southern this school is. Or if anyone could tell me anything about the culture of the school and the people there. I get that everybody is different and no one can be grouped together. But if anyone could even give me a little bit of info what it is like in south carolina or in Columbia. I’ve never been down there before and so as much info as possible would be helpful, even if it’s super random information. I’m just trying to find somewhere as different from where I’m from as possible. I live on the central coast in california by the beach, in the middle of wine country in a very small town where football is considered higher than everything else and everybody is rich, snobby, preppy, and rude. So if anyone could recommend a college that would be great!
IN GENERAL, the higher income suburbs/gentrified areas of Columbia sound a lot like what you have described in Central California. Note that I say IN GENERAL in caps as Columbia is a pretty diverse college town all around, however not nearly as cosmopolitan as say, Los Angeles or San Francisco. Regionally, SC (and I’m referring to the school “SC” to prevent any confusion with Southern California USC) is an okay school, but unless you are interested in our honors college and/or business program I would recommend that you stay in-state, as the schools in California (USC/UCLA/Berkeley/SLO/etc) are light-years ahead of what SC can offer in terms of education as well as recognition in the job world.
But if you are hell-bent on coming to the South, you have MUCH better options in the region than SC. Take looks at Duke, Clemson, UNC-CH, and UVA-Charlottesville. They are much better all-around than SC and would offer a lot more bang for your buck for the hefty OOS tuition 
Any school in the SEC or ACC is a football school – but a lot of people are not football people; they just enjoy the social aspect of rooting for the home team. Wanting to experience a different part of the country is a valid reason to look OOS for school. The above schools the above poster names have selective enrollments. UNC cannot admit over a certain percentage OOS so unless you are at the top of your class, UNC and the others may be long shot or random chance for admissions. SC does admit a wider range of students over all, but their Honors College, Capstone Scholars Program, Int’l Business program, and Marine Biology are top-notch. Many, many of the other majors are solid choices.
SC does have a diverse feel. The campus is a green oasis in the heart of a small city. The Charleston beaches are day trips. There is a river walk trail and river access within walking distance from campus. Also by campus is a growing art and entertainment district called The Vista and 5 Points remains an area for student oriented businesses.
Visiting a campus is the surer way to get a feel if the school is right for you. A lot of my daughter’s friends applied to schools waited until they were admitted and then visited those schools that were still on their list and they knew they could afford after seeing the financial aid/scholarships offered. Of course, I also know adventurous students who for a variety of reasons couldn’t visit far away schools so had to study the videos, read everything, take a deep breath and hope they chose a winner.
For any school, be sure to adhere to those submission deadlines to put yourself in a position to earn scholarships and grants.
If you are looking for a great Southern experience without feeling like you’re in Deliverance, the Carolinas are a great entry point. South Carolina is known for its hospitality- people are generally very friendly and open. Columbia is the state capital and therefore draws people from across the state. Whereas the Upstate region (i.e. Greenville, Spartanburg) has a strong Bible Belt feel and the Lowcountry (i.e. Charleston, Hilton Head Island) has a strong beachy, plantation vibe, the Midlands region where Columbia is located is a bit more palatable for someone new to the region. Columbia benefits from its proximity to the mountains, the beach, Charlotte, Atlanta, Charleston, and the local river system. The city is a nice mix. USC’s campus dates back to 1801, yet it’s only a few blocks from the Capitol and a central business district with a line of high rises. There are beautiful parks and riverwalks throughout the city and around the region. While it’s definitely hot, the natural resources make it a great place to explore.
The people are also pretty diverse. Slightly over half of the freshman class is from out-of-state, with North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and Massachusetts leading the pack. Most of the kids from South Carolina are from urban counties- around 75% are from Charleston, Columbia, Greenville/Spartanburg, or Charlotte metros. You may meet some kids that grew up in the country, but most will be from the suburbs and will share common experiences. I’ll warn you that being from California would make you very interesting to most people from the South. People who have not visited the West Coast will probably rely on depictions in TV and movies, but it should be fun to dispel those perceptions.
Football provides a universal bonding experience that breaks down a lot of the socioeconomic barriers you find in California. On game days, everyone is a fan and people you’ve never met will talk to you about our quarterback, Steve Spurrier, other SEC schools, and plenty of other topics. We’re also very good at women’s basketball (Final Four) and baseball (two National Championships), so there are games to attend year round. You’ll also meet plenty of people through classes, clubs, a sorority (if that interests you), and just around campus.
As FogerRederer mentioned, there are plenty of schools in the South. You might also be attracted to schools in Georgia, North Carolina, or Virginia, but South Carolina is a wonderful option. I think you would love it.