Student Profile
Lauren
- Class: Freshman
- Major:
- Gender: F
- High School: Brookline High School
- Transfer Student: N
Big Picture
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.
Academic Life
I am in the Honors College so two out of my six courses this semester are with other Honors students; these classes are a little more difficult and a bit more personal. However, in all of my classes, the teacher knows my name. I have not taken lecture classes yet, however. The professors are very knowledgeable and passionate in their fields. They like to teach and this makes the subject matter more interesting. I really like the teachers here. One thing that bugs me in some of my classes is that students don't ask all that many questions. This was a surprise to me coming from a liberal high school right outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I have not spent much time with professors outside of class, but I have gone to a couple of my professors' office hours to seek help. They always offer opportunities to talk about anything a student is concerned about. Students definitely have intellectual conversations outside of class, but once again, I am in the Honors College so I have an experience that's a bit different.
Student Body
Students are open, but not super-friendly. It's a bit annoying that there are so many girls here. There are also a few religious groups here that are prominent, but they are not the majority by any means. There is also a LGBT group, but it's not so prominent on campus. There are a lot of wealthy students, but they are not superficial or annoying. There are definitely a lot of people who don't have so much money, and people mix around. Some city-types might feel a little cramped in Charleston because it's not a huge city and because the mannerisms of people down here are a bit more Southern; they are not as Southern as I expected. People here are generally nice and regular, so if you bring a big load of sarcasm and other strong personality traits, you might feel a little out of place for awhile, but soon you will find a niche, I promise. Some students are politically aware, some aren't. This is no GW, but many students were very involved during the presidential primaries. They showed up when the candidates came to speak on campus.
The Best Things
The campus: it's beautiful now and the new construction (an art center, science building, and new gym) will make it even better
The Worst Things
Apathy of the students about everything
