Laura, who is an Astrophysics/Biology major, who is at CofC's Review
Review of College of Charleston
Do you feel you’re learning a lot?
The majority of your educational experience will likely be fantastic. My professors have ranged from very good to excellent, and my classes have all been very interesting and well-taught—although, this is partly because most of my gen-ed stuff is done, and so I get to focus on what I’m really interested in. But the gen-ed classes offered are incredibly diverse, so if you shop around, you’ll find some very interesting classes taught by good professors. You will, I promise, take one or two classes that you don’t like, because the professor is less than great, or because you just can’t get into the material. This has nothing to do with C of C. This has to do with how school works.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
I’m really enjoying myself here. There are all sorts of clubs and events where you can meet people and have a good time; there are regular movie nights; there is a lot of stuff going on around Charleston. Because there are so many different clubs, it isn’t difficult to find a place where there are like-minded people with whom you get along; for instance, I’m in the Society of Physics Students and it’s wonderful, and I’m in Japanese Club and it’s really fun. In order to not make friends and enjoy yourself, you have to actively avoid people or be monumentally unpleasant, and even so you still may make a friend or two despite your best efforts.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
THIS IS IMPORTANT IF YOU ARE A TRANSFER STUDENT: Financial aid for the first year or so is not really easy to get, but if you look around for scholarships and harass the financial aid folks you’ll probably be able to cut the cost of attendance down. Housing for transfer students is also not easy to get for the first year, but the college has a lot of resources for off-campus living.
If you’re an in-state student, the cost of attendance is fairly low; if you’re out-of-state, not so much. But it could be worse: at my former school, tuition was about $10,000 more. Because the classes are great and I’m really enjoying it here, though, it’s definitely worth it.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
BE VERY PROACTIVE ABOUT THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS. Call the Admissions office to check in with your application every so often; ask them to go into CougarTrail to check that everything is in order. They messed up my application at first, but they were FANTASTIC about fixing it, so if you just call occasionally to make sure that things are going well, things will go well.
If you need to take Physics 101/102 or Physics 111/112, take 111/112. 101/102 are supposed to be easier, but if those are the classes you choose to take, you’ll be learning from a collection of PowerPoint slides put together in a book by your professor instead of from a book put together and designed by professors and instructional designers for a major textbook publishing company. 111/112 have been very good for me. Take those classes.
If you get the chance to have a class with Dr. Francis, do it. It will be one of the best experiences of your educational career.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
C of C is great for most everyone, especially people who like Spanish moss or want to pretend that they’re Quentin Compson. (That is to say that the campus is incredibly Southern-looking.) You will find a place where you are happy socially and educationally, I promise.
The majority of your educational experience will likely be fantastic. My professors have ranged from very good to excellent, and my classes have all been very interesting and well-taught—although, this is partly because most of my gen-ed stuff is done, and so I get to focus on what I’m really interested in. But the gen-ed classes offered are incredibly diverse, so if you shop around, you’ll find some very interesting classes taught by good professors. You will, I promise, take one or two classes that you don’t like, because the professor is less than great, or because you just can’t get into the material. This has nothing to do with C of C. This has to do with how school works.
I’m really enjoying myself here. There are all sorts of clubs and events where you can meet people and have a good time; there are regular movie nights; there is a lot of stuff going on around Charleston. Because there are so many different clubs, it isn’t difficult to find a place where there are like-minded people with whom you get along; for instance, I’m in the Society of Physics Students and it’s wonderful, and I’m in Japanese Club and it’s really fun. In order to not make friends and enjoy yourself, you have to actively avoid people or be monumentally unpleasant, and even so you still may make a friend or two despite your best efforts.
THIS IS IMPORTANT IF YOU ARE A TRANSFER STUDENT: Financial aid for the first year or so is not really easy to get, but if you look around for scholarships and harass the financial aid folks you’ll probably be able to cut the cost of attendance down. Housing for transfer students is also not easy to get for the first year, but the college has a lot of resources for off-campus living. If you’re an in-state student, the cost of attendance is fairly low; if you’re out-of-state, not so much. But it could be worse: at my former school, tuition was about $10,000 more. Because the classes are great and I’m really enjoying it here, though, it’s definitely worth it.
BE VERY PROACTIVE ABOUT THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS. Call the Admissions office to check in with your application every so often; ask them to go into CougarTrail to check that everything is in order. They messed up my application at first, but they were FANTASTIC about fixing it, so if you just call occasionally to make sure that things are going well, things will go well. If you need to take Physics 101/102 or Physics 111/112, take 111/112. 101/102 are supposed to be easier, but if those are the classes you choose to take, you’ll be learning from a collection of PowerPoint slides put together in a book by your professor instead of from a book put together and designed by professors and instructional designers for a major textbook publishing company. 111/112 have been very good for me. Take those classes. If you get the chance to have a class with Dr. Francis, do it. It will be one of the best experiences of your educational career.
C of C is great for most everyone, especially people who like Spanish moss or want to pretend that they’re Quentin Compson. (That is to say that the campus is incredibly Southern-looking.) You will find a place where you are happy socially and educationally, I promise.