<p>Update: got back last night from Admitted Students Day at South Carolina and what a difference a visit can make! We toured campus again on Friday in the normal tour cycle and had a phenomenal tour guide - probably the best I’ve ever had and I’m on kid #4. As we already knew, South Carolina’s campus is gorgeous but spring was exploding everywhere and the weather was idyllic. They’re doing so much on that campus and it’s really hitting its prime I think. The sessions were perfect for her, the resource fair helped in many areas and the people are just so darn friendly and helpful! We did a tour of Greek Village and the new rec center and the swimming pool (just huge) was packed with students in the afternoon on Saturday. </p>
<p>Drove the short mile to the football stadium and that is an amazing venue. Tons of tailgating space around it. She’s going to love the games I know. </p>
<p>Ate at some excellent restaurants and loved the atmosphere in both Five Points and the Vista - and met great people all over the place in both. Those two areas are just super cool and happening, although Five Points was a tad more student oriented. Did I mention the campus is just beautiful? 
I had my breath taken away all day every day. Turn a corner and another photo op, then another, then another… my daughter laughed at how many pictures I was taking.</p>
<p>We learned or confirmed: USC is much prettier than Georgia, it’s more compact and much easier to walk (although there are shuttles everywhere if you need them), the Greek Village rocks, the people are super friendly and the academic programs she learned about this weekend are very strong. My guess is this school’s stats and admissions selectivity are going to skyrocket. </p>
<p>By the end of the weekend she wanted to buy some apparel and ended up getting not one but three Carolina shirts. So all appears to be well. We’ll see what happens if she clears UGA’s list but I am pretty confident she’s found her home for the next four years!</p>