USC welcomes record freshman class
The University of South Carolina’s campus continues to grow.
The state’s flagship university is bringing in more than 5,200 freshmen this week, a school-record high. That breaks the previous record for new freshmen, set in 2013, by more than 150 students.
Nearly 33,000 students attended classes across its Columbia campus last year — 5,900 more than a decade earlier. This year, that number is expected to exceed 33,000, another school record.
USC’s enrollment would make its campus South Carolina’s 13th-most-populated city, surpassing Aiken.
The university has added students rapidly since 2009 to help make up for losses in state funding to public colleges that started after the recession.
USC has spent more than $600 million in recent years to add new academic buildings, revamp classrooms and dorms, and improve its athletics facilities. And there’s more awaiting students arriving on campus this week for the start of the school year.
They will find new journalism and social work buildings, a pedestrian-friendly plaza around Williams-Brice Stadium and a makeover of the school’s famous Horseshoe.
Around town, several new apartment complexes that target students have opened, a new moped-sharing business has started, and the city also has started allowing drivers to feed parking meters via a smart- phone app.
They’re back!
Move-in days for USC freshmen start Friday
5,200 Estimated number of freshman this fall, a school record-high and about 200 more than a year ago
33,000 Estimated total student population this year, another school record-high
6,706 Number of undergraduates who will live in campus dorms
$400 million Amount of financial aid USC students receive each year
40,100 Number of electronic devices — cellphones, laptops, video-game consoles— that connect to campus networks
This story was originally published August 13, 2015 at 4:45 PM with the headline "USC welcomes record freshman class."