Many of the South Carolina colleges are some of the best in the country. Of course, the most well known is the University of South Carolina, located in Columbia. One of the largest universities in the state, it has been around since 1805. Since then it has gone through many changes and expansions. Today, expansions are still in the works as the campus population continues to grow. Many students attend the university because of the great variety in degree programs offered. They have more than 350 programs awarded from 14 different colleges within the university. Students can choose their major in anything from Chemistry and Mathematics to Art and Philosophy. It’s a wonderful place to spend your four years of college.

Some other popular South Carolina colleges are Allen University and Columbia College.

Allen University was founded in 1870 and was originally named Payne Institute. It was in 1880 that the school moved to Columbia and was renamed Allen University to honor Richard Allen, the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is a private four-year liberal arts college. Throughout history it has primarily been a black college that runs under the followings of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is not a very large school. They have an enrollment of approximately 600 students. They offer studies in seven major academic areas including biology, business administration, chemistry, English, math, music and social science. Students are also encouraged to join college sports as well as the many clubs and organizations available. Although small, it operates like the bigger South Carolina colleges.

Columbia College is one of the only South Carolina colleges open to women only. It was established in 1854 by the South Carolina Methodist Conference to help educate young women. It was tough to do during this time because of the issues surrounding women’s rights to education. Diploma programs included grammar, composition, religion and algebra to name a few. Throughout the years the college went through many devastations. In 1865 they were forced to close their doors because of the war and it was ravaged by fire three times from 1895-1964. In spite of this the college continued to increase its student body size and expand their curriculum. Today it is nationally recognized as one of the top ten regional liberal arts colleges in the South.

South Carolina colleges play an important role in the state’s tourism. Many people come here to visit students at these schools and some are prospective students wanting to learn more. Still others wish to visit these campuses to learn more about the history of South Carolina and the significant changes that have occurred over the years. No matter what your reason is for visiting South Carolina colleges you’ll need a great place to stay while enjoying your time here. For beautiful accommodations, impeccable service and a location convenient to many of South Carolina’s colleges, The Marriott Columbia is the perfect choice.