<p>Hi!</p>
<p>A while ago I posted a question on CC about visiting student programs. I am a dutch medical student and I want to study in the USA for a year.
I did some extra research and I found out that my university collaborates with the university of South Carolina and with Upenn. I've already found a lot of information on CC about Upenn, but I can't really find a lot about the University of South Carolina.
So I hope you can tell me something about this university. For example, is the school academically challenging? What is the reputation of the school? How are the students? Are they very competitive, or are they more focused on social activities? How is the campus? I also don't know a lot about the state South Carolina. Is it good living there?
Can you tell me the pros and cons about both universities?</p>
<p>All information is welcome! Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>Those are two schools not often mentioned in the same post. I assume you DO mean Penn and not Penn State?? USC is a SEC (athletic conference) school with a strong focus on social life and athletics. The vast majority of students will be from South Carolina and the school has a southern vibe. It has some excellent programs, but isn’t at all comparable to Penn as far as academics go. Penn is also a city campus while USC has a more traditional sprawling campus. Weather is much colder at Penn.</p>
<p>Thank you! I do mean the university of Pennsylvania, not Penn State.
I realize that the schools are very different, but these are the only two schools my university collaborates with (in the US). My medical school (the medical faculty of my university) has contacts with Upenn. My university sends students of all faculties to the university of South Carolina. I hope that explains my post about these two schools.</p>
<p>I’m still not sure to which school I should apply.
More comments are very welcome!</p>
<p>USC is in Columbia South Carolina, the state capital. It is a small city - campus is in the city but mostly all together and has a nice campus feel to it - old buildings and brick walkways, but we didn’t find it at all sprawling (Clemson felt sprawling). The medical school (MUSC or “music”) is just north of the main campus still in the city proper - know its repuation in the south (good), but haven’t been there. Would you be looking at graduate or undergraduate level courses?</p>
<p>USC has some very good and very competitive programs. Very well known for international business. No, it’s not an Ivy nor does it aspire to be one, but it’s a very good, and large, school. Weather would be substantially different from UPenn, and so would the people (out of state is primarily from other southern states but they did note they had students from all 50 states present). It’s friendly - probably a hallmark of many southern schools that feels different to folks from other areas, but makes southerners feel at home 
And very into sports - large part of the social make-up of the school are attending sporting activities.</p>