Coastal Carolina University

Pros: cost and quality are A
Cons: very conservative transfer policies

CCU is a relatively new university (as universities go) and many programs are changing each semester with more additions and greater variety. They haven't had the time some others have to build a reputation for themselves based on successes of the...

Pros: Good reputation, Tough classes, Knowledgeable staff
Cons: Class hours available, Traffic, Affordable off-campus lodging

I am currently a "nontraditional" student at Coastal Carolina, having returned to college after 15 years out of school and called "nontraditional" as my age is over 25. My experiences at the school have been mostly positive.

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Pros: Great faculty and academics, beautiful campus
Cons: Out-of-state tuition/room & board is a killer!

As the parent of a current freshman, I was quite surprised by CCU. This is the first child I've had in a public university, but I am as impressed with CCU as I was with earlier private institutions. My son is a marketing major and is in the...

Pros: Pretty campus.  Reasonable tuition.  Warm weather and some really nice kids.  Myrtle Beach is fun.
Cons: Kids party because there is nothing else to do.  Students routinely jailed without any followup.

Coastal looked promising but our student is very disappointed. The administration doesn't offer many activities for the kids and the food is not very good.  In addition, CCU recently began an initiative to curb student drinking and drug use -- a very worthy goal.  But they have gone overboard -- often kids who have had a few beers are thrown into a downtown lockup sharing cells with people arrested for everything from Grand Theft Auto to selling drugs to prostitution.  Seems like a strange way to clean up the campus and encourage kids to make straight, upstanding friends. Sometimes the kids are left there for several days -- the school doesn't reach out or try to help these kids when they return to campus traumatized by their experience.  Really, really disappointing.  All that southern hospitality is a bit of an act I guess  . . . Lots of folks are leaving.