College of Charleston Top Questions

I'm really glad I came to CofC. When I was first applying to colleges I did not apply to CofC because I did not want to go to school so close to home. After being a student for a year now, I realize what I was missing. I love Downtown Charleston and it's really cool that the school is in the middle of a city. There are always places to go and things to do. This is not your normal "college town". Although the school has close to 10,000 people you would never know it. Alot of people hang out in Marion Square and sunbathe, play frisbee, or through a football around. I spend most of my time in my room. The dorm room I lived in was built more like a hotel and there is a courtyard in the middle. On nice days I sit outside my room and do homework. The students at CofC are really chill easy-going students. There are good vibes all around CofC. The administration at CofC is very helpful and does everything they can to help the students to succeed.

College of Charleston students love the College of Charleston. Although we are lacking a football team, the student body in general still has a lot of school spirit. Living downtown has many benefits as well; many people travel from all over to be able to visit downtown Charleston, and we get to live it every time we walk out our front doors. There is always something to do on the weekends.

The chemistry department is horrible. I would change any and everything about it i could. The cost of college is ridiculous, there is no parking they keep taking away all the parking spots, lots or garages for buildings they already have. They do have a good learning assistance program, for people with learning disabilities and i spend all of my time at the library. No real school pride that goes around. Some of the biggest complaints are that teachers don't take the time to understand students with learning disabilities, they assume that you are just like everyone else, which makes it harder for that student. The biology department is great, the math department is horrible. It is also ridiculous for some of the requirements that students have to make in order to succeed.

CofC is AWESOME. It is a beautiful, historic campus in a beautiful town. You never run out of things to do, either. Between events planned by CofC boards for student activities and the various events in Charleston, you will never have a dull weekend. The faculty is amazing as well. I have found that I am not looked down upon my professors, but that it is more like a friendship-based learning situation. The student body is very caring as a whole, and there is always someone to help if it is needed.

College of Charleston is a great school with a wide variety of students. It's an average size college with a small college feel. Charleston is a college town with great bars, and you can always find a good time somewhere. This includes going to huge parties, until "Party Patrol" gets there, and going to bars. As far as Greek life goes, there are not many students who participate. Unlike some campuses, Greek life is not a must do at CofC. It's a great college, and the weather is spectacular.

really good evironment. set in the city, TONS of things to do within talking distance. beautiful campus, southern hospitality. defintely a college town. no football team but make up for it in basketball, greek life is really big here. graduation ceremony is very unique-tradition thats passed down since school opened.

The location is both a college town and a tourist town, so the tourist aspect of it is bad. Not alotta school pride (perhaps a better term is over-enthusiasm). The campus is a good size, just a little squeezed in and in a crowded city. Also, tuition prices are getting ridiculous.

Overall, I just love CofC, and I am so glad that I came here. Although it is a small school compared to those upstate, it is just big enough for me. I am definitely proud to say that I go here. It is a beautiful place to live, and the college crowd is mixed in with everyone else who lives in the city, which I love.

C of C has about 10,000 students which I think is a perfect size. The classes are small and the campus itself is small so there is definitely the small school feel but I am always meeting new people at the same time. Our campus is right in the middle of the city and there isnt a real divide between the campus and the city which is really cool. While we have the city life we also have the beach just 10 minutes away. It was a problem getting to the beach whenever I wanted my first semester but after meeting people with cars I could easily get there whenever I wanted and I love it! The biggest down side to C of C is that there is no football team which means less school spirit... but most people trade this in for saturdays spent at the beach and we really get into our basketball!

One of the main reasons I came to college of charleston is because there is no football team. Every other big school that I applied to (usc, georgia, miami) eats, sleeps, and drinks football during the season. No one ever wants to do something different, thats all everyone talks about and cares about and it would drive me crazy. I like to do different activities. Charleston offers a lot to do because it is a tourist city. Every weekend although I usually do not make it, there is the farmers market in Marion Square. Theres the open air market that is a close walk. So for the most part I am happy but every now and then I feel like I'm missing out on the whole school spirit big sports games to attend. That is what our school is probably most lacking- school spirit.

medium-sized, very mixed environment (there is definately a very rich side of town and an extremely poor side of town which is pretty dangerous and the campus), can walk anywhere, the location is great because the classes are all close together and the restaurants, bars, and stores are a block away, also the historical market is a few blocks away,

C of C is really small, but I like it that way. If you're a college kid living in Charleston, you probably go to C of C, so there's not much of a reaction from other people. Not a lot of school pride, but that's probably because it's a liberal arts college and there's not a lot going on with sports.

The best thing about C of C is the class size and the general lay out of the school. The classes are small enough to be able to ask questions, but also big enough to just sit back and enjoy. Every building you would have to go to are all placed close to each other. This makes it easy to get to your classes

I absolutely loved being at C of C. It's so gorgeous. No matter how bad of a day you have had, you can just walk around campus and be like, yea i go to school here and its gorgeous. Put me in a good mood everytime. The people are usually really nice as well. I mean you are going to find those people who are stuck up, but that's on every campus. The campus is right in the city as well, so you are never bored. One thing that is kinda unusual is how close c of c is to the citadel. The boys sometimes have problems with the cadets "taking their girls" but everyone could get along if they really tried. My favorite experience is walking to waterfront at night, and just hanging out with my friends. We have been shagging, salsa dancing, out to eat, and just randomly walking around. There was never a dull moment!

I'm from Charleston, so it was always understood that I would attend CofC. I think attending CofC was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. The people I met my first day of moving into the dorm became my best friends. The professors I took were the most encouraging and kind teachers I ever encountered. There was always an event to attend or activity to participate every weekend. It's such a tight knit campus that there's no need to have a car--I walked everywhere, from going to class to shopping and dining downtown. CofC has been an intricate part of my life these past four years.

Many people like the fact that the school is in the city and not in the middle of nowhere. It is surrounded by grocery stores, clothing stores, and places to go for leisure activities. Students especially like going to Folly Beach. One thing I would change is the bricks on the sidewalk. I know they want to keep that "historic look," but people trip on the bricks everyday. I would make more parking spaces available. Parking spaces are continually being taken away because of construction. I would also lower tuition and not add in unnecessary fees for things that some people do not utilize. The size of the school is just right. People think of CofC as a very prestigious school that is difficult to get into. I spend most of my time on campus in the art center where the theatre department is located. The most unusual thing about CofC is that we do not have a football team, but people wear shirts that say "we are undefeated," which is true.

CofC is just the right size in just the right location. You have the city, the beach, and a town full of college kids. Most professors are so helpful, and having smaller classes makes it easier to have one-on-one relationships with them. You can walk everywhere, so don't worry about the rising gas prices...you won't be driving! Living downtown is expensive, but worth it!

I think the size of CofC is perfect. You have the opportunity to get to know tons of people without getting overwhelmed. CofC is also becoming more and more well known. I feel very proud to be a student attending here and I went to a very prestigious private school up north for high school. The campus is SOOO beautiful. I love just walking around! The only thing I would change is the addition of a football team. I think it would bring in more male students as well as boost our cougar spirit! I will never forget the first time I went out to Marrion Square and saw like 300 girls laying out in their bikini's. Someone came up to me and said "welcome to marrion square beach haha"

CofC has awesome classes. Most of the professors are personable and basically concerned with you. I would suggest starting to take interesting classes ASAP, because those are the ones taught by caring professors. The women's studies, music, language, and philosophy and psych classes are wonderful. The only thing I would change is how small majors get better facilities than really large majors, i.e. we are getting a new science center, but the two largest majors: communications, psychology have the worst facilities. Also we are not currently as environmentally friendly as we should be. Although we are starting a program to change that. The size of CofC is just right. Everyone seems to think that CofC is all about partying, which is sometimes true, but we work really hard during the week and have an eventful weekend. I spend most of my time on campus in Sottile Theatre, where I work. There seems to be enthusiasm about the school in general, especially with activism, but we are lacking in the sports pride. The campus is absolutely beautiful, and extremely historic. A popular place to lounge is on the "cistern" which is extremely old, and is the center of our campus. We also graduate on the cistern, which is always beautiful.

best: downtown "walking everywhere" lifestyle is awesome for students! change: keep increasing security on and around campus size: perfect, large enough you don't know everyone, but small enough that you always see someone you know walking down the street typical reaction: great school, youre lucky to have gotten accepted! Pride: you can't go to Charleston without seeing CofC on almost everything.....enough said

Our school is large enough so that you are constantly meeting new people. On the other hand, we're small enough so that your professors know you. When you are looking for graduate school recommedations, they come in really handy. College of Charleston is a place where you can be yourself and be a part of something. We have school pride but being a cougar is not the be all end all of your life.

The best thing about College of Charleston are the professors, scenery, and the city. The professors are really cool, and they are always trying to help you. If you want an A or a B in the class you can really get it by working one on one with your professor! The landscaping and scenery at C of C is breathtaking! The gardens and old historic homes and buildings are so beautiful. Plus, Residency usually uses historic homes to house students. Trust me I know because I always stay in historic housing. The school is not small or big, it is the right size. Plus your in the city, so you can always make friends that doesn't attend the college. When I say I go to C of C people think I am really smart. I spend most of my time in the gardens, beach, and the library. The biggest controvery on campus so far was student drinking. Yeah there is a lot of school pride because the basketball games are always pack!

One of the reasons I choose CofC over other schools is the class sizes are usualy pretty small. I think the average class size is around 30, but I've had a class with only 8 people in it. With the smaller class sizes I feel like my teachers not only know me better but have more time to offer to help me. The only down side I have found in Charleston is housing and parking. These problems aren't really the school's fault the simple fact is that Charleston is an old historic city, so housing and parking are expensive and limited.

Just the right size, maybe a bit small at times when you get into your major, but not a bad thing. Being right downtown is a great location for outside school activities (hanging out, food, shopping, bars), but then you're dealin w a lot of tourists. Parking and driving around is horrible, can't park on campus as a freshmen and the parking thereafter is expensive. School pride is iffy b/c of no football team, but that means the majority of campus really gets into basketball. The historical aspect is really charming. Nice to be so close to the beaches. Major student complaints: the damn brick pathways that trip you up, humidity and heat of Charleston can get to you, residential costs are rediculous.

CofC is perfect. I was in search for a college with acres of green in a tight campus. I wanted a medium sized suburban school, and instead I found a school in the city, with 10,000+ students. However I could not be happier now. CofC is very integrated with the city of Charleston and I think that's what draws the students here (aside from the beach just 10 minutes away). The only complaint I honestly have is that it is just so hot down here, and being from the north it's quite a change.

The best thing about CofC is that you are located in the MIDDLE of the city. It may be just the right size for that area. I love being able to walk to class then shop... everything is in walking distance except for the beach which is about 10 minutes away. Our campus is gorgeous! I love during spring when everything blooms. Watch your feet though-- you'll find that you develop a "Charleston shuffle" walking over the bricks. There is not a great deal of school pride, but I think we are all working on it.

The best thing about C of C is that it is downtown and accessible to many places. There is the market, the battery, King Street--everything a student could need or want! Great restaurants VERY close to campus and great shopping. The school is sort of small, but I love it the way it is. When people ask where I go to school and I say C of C, they are shocked and say how hard it is to get into the college now and how beautiful it is. Also, how lucky I am to be going to school there. I spend most of my time on campus at the library--its beautiful and has everything you need, or my dorm which is brand new. It is a great school and very beautiful!

CofC is amazing! I love it! It's not too big, but not too small. There's always stuff going on, and the school really loves the students. Yeah, we don't have a huge campus, but who needs it when you're in the middle of Charleston and a few mins from the beach! My friends are so jealous that I go to CofC and live in Charleston. It sometimes get annoying listening to the trucks come by early in the morning and not having my car close by was really annoying, but it allowed me to walk and see Charleston. Most people walk past our campus all the time when in Charleston and have no idea that we literally are in the middle of downtown. Living on campus is a pain and I now live off campus, it really sucks having to sign people in and having to deal with reslife.

It's really pretty, and it's nice and spread out but still close enough to walk to all the buildings from any point on campus. Most of the professors are really there for the students and see more than just a number, which is nice. The beach is a HUGE distraction, but only if you think too much about it. Some of the historic homes, Greek houses, and some dorms are haunted.

I loved the small classes, personable professors, and beautiful city. Charleston is way more than a college town, it is a growing urban center.

Good school academic wise, lots of girls, very central in the city and 15 minutes drive from the beach.

Located in the center of one of the most amazing cities in the country it can be very difficult to keep your focus on school. There is always a million things to do and a million people to meet. Every one is so friendly so it is easy to make friends. Because there are so many people you are guaranteed to find people you like, though it may take time. It is a great place for college because there are so many opportunities the city offers and it is always an exciting place.

The best thing about receiving an eductaion at C of C is that most classes are really small compared to other schools, so we get alot of attention from our teachers and not very many people skip class because of attendance taking in many classes. A bad thing is that there are so many girls and not too many guys. I only have a few guys in each of my classes. I spend alot of time at Starbuck's or the library. There's not alot of school pride, probably because we don;t have a football team.

CofC is awesome! The location is amazing- downtown Charleston is beautiful and there is always something to do. The Cistern at night is especially pretty. Everybody goes and lays out at Marion Square when they don't have enough time to get to the beach! And the beach is close enough. The size is great. Its big enough to keep things interesting but small enough so that you don't feel like just a number. The current SGA President is an asshole, but what can you do? He'll be out of office soon enough anyway, although you wouldn't think anybody would vote for somebody that nearly was impeached as vice president.

Personally, I think this school is the perfect size, and I like it because it's a good school but it's not too intense academically. When I say this I mean there isn't a ton of competition between the students; it's a very relaxed atmosphere. Also, having the school in downtown is amazing because there is so much to do. However, we don't have a lot of school spirit. People just kind of do their own thing.

Students love to have fun and there is always something going on.

The best thing about CofC is the laid back atmosphere and small school feel. Everyone knows each other and it's like one big happy family. At other schools, there is more pressure to belong to a certain circle of people and to project a certain image. People at CofC are much more accepting and open minded. When I tell adults where I go to school, most of them are impressed. When I tell my peers, I think they aren't too impressed and think all I do is go to the beach and party. I don't think they realize that I spend most of my time in the classroom and at the library. The biggest recent controversy on campus was the one involving SGA and Seaton Brown. I don't think there is a lot of school pride. I see more shirts on campus representing other schools than our own. The most frequent student complaints are parking, no football team, the library isn't open 24 hours on a regular basis, and that health services is only open M-F 9-5.

I really like the size of CofC. I can walk to class and see people I know, but I don't see everyone. I also love the setting. Charleston is the most beautiful city, but it gives CofC a different experience than somewhere like Clemson that is in a small college town. You are in the middle of the city which is awesome sometimes (shopping, resteraunts, so beautiful) and not so great at others (parking, security). Another thing that is different about CofC is that there isn't as much school pride because we don't have a football team. Basketball and baseball are supported and are fun to go to, but its not the kind of school spirit you see at a university with a large football team.

The atmosphere is really great and the campus is gorgeous. It's the perfect size. I'd change how big greek life is here. There is some school pride, but not enough; probably because we don't have a football team.

I think that C of C is the perfect size. I like being able to walk down the street on my way to class and see somebody I know. I like recognizing people and not just seeing total strangers. I think the best thing about the College is that it is in a beautiful location, there is so much history in Charleston. When I tell people I go to C of C, they either react with a big "oh my gosh! that's such a great school" or they have never heard of it. Most people are jealous that I go to a school in such a great city. I spend most of my time at the sorority house, which is where i live at the present time. I think that Charleston is more touristy than a "college town", but it's hard to say it's not a major part of the city, because we are right in downtown. I really don't know very much about the C of C administration, but they let me in, so I guess I like them! Hmm, I think the biggest controversy on campus might have had to deal with SGA (student government). We got a big email about what was going on, but I did not really pay that much attention to it. I think we have a fair amount of school pride. I think because we are not that big of a school, you are either into school pride or you're not into school pride. Our students, in my opinion, could be a hell of a lot more spirited. That includes me. As for an experience at C of C that I will always remember, would probably be getting into my sorority. I'm legacy of Sigma Delta Tau, and I am very proud to be a part of growing organization. Since the sorority has on been around for about 4 or 5 years, we are doing out best as the new sorority to make a name for ourselves. I'm very lucky to have such a great group of friends that are also my sisters.

I think CofC is a perfect size- not too big, not too little. It couldn't be in a better location! I wish the classrooms and labs were more modern, but it's the education that really matters and I think CofC is by far the best state school. We don't have a football team and I think when compared to say, Clemson, it's easy to say we have little school spirit.

CofC is has an amazing, gorgeous campus with a wide variety of people from all backgrounds. Being downtown makes everything very accessible, and you really don't need a car, unless you want to go to the beach or WalMart. Most people think that we are a smaller school for South Carolina, but we are actually fairly large. There is always something to do, and we rarely are in our room hanging out, everyone is always outside. Our GPA grading scale is much harder than other schools, because it is weighted differently. Most clases are interesting and professors typically want feedback and what to see students at there office hours.

Just the right size, but not a lot of school spirit because there is no basketball team.

The best thing about CofC is the diversity of it's students. You can find all sorts of people there, from beach bums and stoners to scientific geniuses who do nothing but study. Another great thing is how gorgeous the campus is. The only thing I'd change about the campus is the parking situation, but being in the dead of downtown it's expected. I think the school is just the right size. It's big enough to have a diversity, but small enough to feel "homey." People generally react more to that I go to school in Charleston than that I'm at CofC -- at least when I'm out of town. In town, it's a fairly neutral reaction. Most of the time, I'm in class when I'm on campus but that's because I live off campus. It was probably spent in my dorm room when I lived on campus. It's not really a college town but it is definitely a tourist town. There are a lot of young people due to CofC, CSU, Trident, and the various military bases here though. I really haven't dealt with the administration of CofC much, but the staff is very nice. The biggest controversy in my opinion was the destruction of a much needed parking lot to build a new science center, even though there will be parking again once the building is completed. I do believe that there is a lot of school pride. Everyone seems to be proud of CofC. The unusual thing about CofC is that since it's located in the heart of downtown and everything is in walking distance, a lot of students don't have cars which means pedestrian traffic is very heavy -- and I mean very heavy once tourist season rolls around.

Its a very strange situation. Most people have no idea there are around 10000 students here, because you never see that many people on campus. I love the library, but wish that printing was still free. The residence halls are nice when compared to other schools' facilities, but they are not governed in a way to make them desirable for students to spend more than freshman year in them. Additionally, it is often cheaper to live off campus. There really isn't that much school spirit. D1 schools usually have a football team and a basketball team to focus their spirit in, and we only have the basketball team.

CofC is a great mid-sized school. The classes are about the right size and all the teachers know your name when you are in their classes. The city is absolutely amazing. You're right downtown in a gorgeous historic city and can walk to almost anything you need.

If I could change anything, I would definitely make this school smaller. Its nice to be centrally located downtown, and that actually helps make the school feel smallerl, because it is so compact, but I still see signs of a huge campus population. When I tell people I go to the College of Charleston, they imediately ask how I like Charleston, and about the party/club/bar scene. Shopping inquiries are also very common, as Charleston is a well known shopping city. I spend most of my on-campus time at my sorority house, on Coming St. Charleston is a college/tourist town. There are both sides - the college "dive" restaraunts, etc, on the same street as Sax Fifth Ave and the Vinyard Vines store.

I love the atmosphere of the college. I love how COFC is right in the heart of charleston and how campus is small and easy to get around. I love the number of students that attend the college and how small the class sizes are. Some of the administration is really good and some is really bad. Most students wish there was a football team.

College of Charleston is just big enough to still be a community, but small enough to still have one on one personal time with professors. Charleston is diverse and has something for everyone to do. The only problem with Charleston is that it doesn't offer a lot of alternatives to those who are underage, since they cannot participate in the nightlife of Charleston due to Mayor Joe Riley's harsh restrictions on bars. The school does lack spirit. However, this happens with ANY school that does not have a HUGE sport revenue such as football.

Diversity is definitely missing at C of C. There are some black kids here, but most of them are from South Carolina and stick together. There are a few Asian students and there is a visible population of international students. Also, one thing that kind of sucks is that there are twice as many girls as guys here, so if you're a girl and used to getting attention from guys, do not expect the same to be true at C of C. C of C is a medium-sized school; you will definitely recognize faces as you walk around, but you don't know everyone on campus. Charleston certainly isn't a college town. College kids hang out at off-campus apartments and downtown because a lot of students live off-campus after freshman year. There are a number of bars and restaurants that students frequent in Charleston. School spirit is lacking a bit here; it's no William and Mary, UNC or Duke in terms of spirit. We have a basketball team that has been pretty good in the past, and many students go to these games and generally have a good time with friends. The lack of school spirit is evident because students don't seem to have a visible pride in C of C. A few of the students on my hall transferred after the first semester, which was surprising to me. For good students, the first semester with its introductory courses often seems like a breeze.