Compiled by Suzanne Natoli, '08 and Sharnequa Steed, '07

For some of us, it was love at first sight—the splendor of the Horseshoe, the 19th-century architecture of an historic campus. For others, it was a purely pragmatic decision: the price was right or the campus was close to or far enough away from home.

You might have received a scholarship, followed family members here, or figured out that Carolina had a great academic program in a desired major. Perhaps it was Carolina sports that lured you to Gamecock U.

Whatever the case, nearly 30,000 students every year choose Carolina for their higher education—and the reasons they do so are as varied as our own were when we attended. So, we asked the question … why choose Carolina?

“I decided to go to Carolina because it offered a vast quantity of majors. That turned out to be one of the smartest decisions of my life, because I tried seven majors before I found one I really liked. I have learned a lot, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Maybe I was always destined to attend Carolina. After all, my birthstone is garnet, and my favorite color is black.”

Jamie Hoffman,
Newberry, S.C., senior

“I came to America and the University of South Carolina after the Minster of Higher Education in my country announced a new scholarship that would allow students in my country financial aid to go to school internationally. I had been to America before, and I wanted to apply to this University because of its programs for my major.”

Mohammed A. Fatani,
Saudi Arabia, biology/pre-med

“I would like to be in the marching band, a few jazz ensembles, and I have an interest in table tennis and fencing. South Carolina is providing me with an arena to cultivate my interests.”

Nicholas Small,
Florence, S.C., freshman

“I am just a small town girl from central Ohio. I get the same question every time this little piece of information slips past my lips: ‘Didn't you want to go to Ohio State?’ The thing that really hooked me was the hospitality and charm. I did not believe in what I thought was the myth of southern hospitality until I arrived for the first day of orientation, and every person I came in contact with smiled and welcomed me to Carolina. I had some pretty unfriendly experiences at other university visits, but USC was very different. I felt welcomed and connected to the Carolina community from the start. I still feel that connection today.”

Karissa Lindsay,
Mansfield, Ohio, senior

“I decided to come to the University of South Carolina for graduate school because they had the linguistics program I wanted to study, and I wanted to learn in a place that had a lot of different cultures.”

Maya Repchenko,
Ukraine, graduate student

“I wanted to stay close to home, but I wanted enough distance away from my parents. I'm looking forward to an experience that will just overwhelm me.”

Allen Body,
Rock Hill, S.C., freshman

“This is the closest university to my hometown that offers computer science majors, and I have a lot of family out here. I'm looking forward to learning Japanese and playing intramural sports.”

Lorenzo Brown,
Latta, S.C., freshman

“When I came down to visit Carolina, I fell in love. It was truly that simple. I stepped onto campus, and I felt like I had come home. It was like I had found that perfect pair of jeans that feel like they were made only for me. Even as a prospective student, I already felt like part of the Carolina community. My tour guide talked about going to football games and when you walked into the stadium with 80,000 other fans, you were part of a big family. I felt comfortable knowing I could count on Carolina to be my surrogate family when I was at school. Carolina made me feel like a Gamecock the moment I stepped onto the brick sidewalks. Now I give tours to prospective students as a University Ambassador and try to make them feel part of the Carolina community as my tour guide once did for me.”

Sydney Botelho,
Newburyport, Mass., junior

“As soon as I stepped foot on the Carolina campus, I was transformed. It was exactly what I wanted from a college. The campus, the facilities, the people, and the ambiance were precisely how I envisioned my future. It was love at first sight. Carolina was exactly what I had imagined my dream college to look like. I loved how friendly the people were, the sense of camaraderie among the students. And the campus was just breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn't picture myself anywhere else. I was meant to be Gamecock, and I am proud to say I will graduate as one.”

Andrea Manafort,
Alexandria, Va., senior

“During the campus tour, I didn't feel a sudden sense of belonging; I didn't ‘see' myself at Carolina like so many other students did. But what I did see was opportunity. During my years here, I took advantage of every opportunity that came my way. I studied hard and wrote a million news articles, but my academic experiences pale in comparison to the other opportunities I found at Carolina. I've studied international media in Australia, hiked through rainforests, and dived at the Great Barrier Reef. I've attended campaign parties, interviewed senators, and worked election day for the Associated Press. I've traveled to Jordan, swam in the Dead Sea, rode a camel across the desert, and interviewed a special adviser to King Abdullah II. In fact, my most rewarding experiences were found outside the walls of journalism college. I chose Carolina because I saw what I could do, and I've done more than I could have ever imagined.”

Laura Moss,
Greer, S.C., graduate student