This summer my oldest daughter and I are hitting the road to visit college campuses throughout the south east. While we live in Charlotte, NC, we are considering schools both in and out of state. The University of South Carolina in Columbia is just a short 1.5 hour drive from our house in North Carolina and has been top of my daughter’s list of favorite colleges since she was a tiny thing. We have a family tradition of doing a mom-daughter birthday trip when my daughters turn 13 and my oldest chose a visit to South Carolina to tour the campus for her trip. Since then, we’ve done a self-guided tour as well as an official campus tour with the university making 3 visits over the last few years. I’m sharing all my tips and tricks and a peek inside the official tour to help you and your student navigate a college tour of your own. But don’t miss my general college tour tips here, too! If you’re starting from the south side of Charlotte, NC like we did, plan for about 1.5 hours in the car. However, if you want to see campus in person, take part in an information session with an admissions officer, and get a guided tour with a student guide, you’ll want to register for a campus visit before you go. Be sure to sign up with one of their open dates, you can find all the information you’ll need to register here. However, there are tons of things to see and do in Columbia, like visiting the Riverbanks Zoo. So if you want to make a fun weekend out of it and do a little more exploring, we recommend checking out the Graduate Hotel which is within walking distance of the Visitor’s Center. This boutique hotel is so fantastic, I have a separate review post for you with tons more information if you’re interested. During our visit, we were asked to park at the Senate Street parking garage, which fills up quickly, so get there early. You can see the parking ramps in the background of this picture, the garage is right next to the Graduate Hotel: I padded the drive since we’d be in rush hour traffic heading out of Charlotte and in Columbia. Then the rest of the day went as follows: Once you’ve parked, head up to the Visitor’s Center and check in with the team at the front desk. They’ll hand you a packet of information ahead of your information session. The lobby is filled with interesting displays of the historical facts about the university. You’ll be assigned an information session with an admissions officer who will present the basic information you need for applying to the University of South Carolina. This is an excellent place to ask any general questions you have about the admissions process. The presentation lasted about 30 minutes. During our visit, the walk was gentle and easy and did not involve many stairs or difficult inclines. There is a spot on the website to request an accessibility-friendly tour when you register if that is a concern for your family. The walking tour lasted for about an hour and a half. Our guide pointed out the dormitories and dining facilities along the way. If it is important for you to see the inside of these things, be sure to ask your tour guide about how to make that happen. Not only was the information session worth our time, but the details we learned about the campus from a current student were invaluable. We appreciated the opportunity to hear about student life from actual students and being able to ask questions for more information about Greek life and the marching band. USC has a very walkable campus and if you’re not too tired after the tour, there are lots of places to go explore on your own. During my daughter’s first visit to USC, we found a fun deli we love and try to visit it every time we’re in town but there are lots of dining options in Columbia. But if the stars align, it is worth the little drive off campus for their delicious sandwiches. Our favorite part of the meal are the homemade pita chips that come on the side. We could make a meal of just those! Be sure to ask them for more information if this is of interest to you! While not part of the official tour itself, Williams-Brice Stadium is easy to find and very impressive to see. I’m saving all the campus pics in an album on my phone for easy grabbing when the time comes. NOTE: This was my daughter’s idea, not my own. If you think your child would feel way too much pressure with this, skip it! They don’t need any more stress placed on their shoulders. For us, there was just a simple feeling of excitement and potential and hope surrounding that pic. We know she’s an awesome kid who will land some place that is the right fit. Maybe that will be USC, maybe not. This would be a fun add-on to your visit to USC, especially if you have little ones with you for your trip. With its strong academic program, vibrant student spirit, and convenient location to Charlotte, we’re crossing fingers until we hear their final decision.
