My daughter just got back from visiting Clemson and loved it. Problem is we are 9 hours away (Pittsburgh). She loved the town and setting of the campus. Can anyone recommend a university with a similar vibe and feel? And size. She’s interested in a bigger state school. But she didn’t like university of South Carolina. Beautiful campus, but didn’t like the city like setting. So I know she won’t like Ohio State. And she doesn’t want to go to Penn State.
Thanks
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Miami University in Ohio would seem to be worth visiting.
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Seconding Miami of Ohio.
Perhaps UConn as well.
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Auburn but that’s too far and Ms State come to mind - also too far.
No lake but check Miami of Ohio. You might check Ohio U too. And Delaware for - why not. Or James Madison but none will have D1 rah rah.
For D1 Rah Rah close try WVU. A bit further Indiana or even Purdue.
I’d also say UK (Kentucky) but you might find it a bit like U of SC although a smaller city (Lexington vs Columbia). Virginia Tech is another - 5 hrs ftom Pittsburgh. Like Clemson not in the big city but not hugely far.
Edit - I just see someone else recommended.l Miami Ohio.
Can she fly - it’d open up more options such as KU as an example - easy to fly from Pitt to Kansas City.
A lot closer to Pittsburgh with that vibe/setting is very tricky. WVU is the only option I can think of that is close, and then Indiana or Purdue would at least be somewhat closer.
Auburn is hands down the most similar school to Clemson both academically and culturally that you will find anywhere. They share a similar agricultural history as Southern Land grant universities (or cow colleges as we Southeners like to call them). Clemson’s campus was in part modelled on Auburn’s, and they even have the same Tiger mascot. The late Atlanta Journal and Constitution humorist Lewis Grizzard nicknamed Clemson “Auburn with a lake”. In the Atlanta area where I am from, Auburn and Clemson are viewed as sister schools. Auburn is in a much more suburban setting than Clemson. Clemson tends to appeal more to students interested in outdoorsy activities.
I realize Auburn isn’t particularly convenient to Pittsburgh, but they do run shuttles from the Atlanta airport several times a day. Auburn’s out of state tuition also runs about $10K a year less than Clemson and they are more generous with merit scholarships.
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Thanks for the suggestions. Funny - I have a sophomore at Virginia Tech and my other daughter is going to Ohio university this fall. It was between OU and Miami of Ohio. So familiar with those schools.
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Other Southern universities such as Ole Miss, U Georgia, Auburn, & FSU. Georgia Southern. Of course, none are closer to Pittsburgh.
Depending upon her academic interests, the Univ. of North Carolina at Wilmington might be of interest. College of Charleston is set in a much nicer and more interesting city than U South Carolina.
Although smaller than U of SC, Furman University and Wake Forest University both offer Southern culture and setting.
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What is it about the 9 hours that has you worried? I went to college 9 hours away, and so does my ds. It’s a long drive sure, but can be done in a day. I only came home at Christmas and for the summer usually, and if I came home for Thanksgiving I usually flew (sometimes visited a friend). DS gets a week for Thanksgiving so he usually does drive, flew his freshman year when he didn’t have a car. There are some drawbacks, but it’s also nice to get to know a new area of the country and gain a lot of independence. In my 4 years I don’t think my parents made the drive once! I flew or got a ride with a friend, and then by junior year took a car. They would come for parents weekend but would always fly. I have made the drive to my son’s school a few times and it’s tough to do the up and back, but he loves where he is and it’s worth it to us. I think you can make Clemson work if it’s what she really wants.
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University of Delaware?
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Can you elaborate on why this is a problem?
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We live in NJ, our 21 year old is at Clemson, so many students there from the northeast. She drives and flies, distance hasn’t not been an issue at all. She’s the first student from our HS to attend. She feels like she won the lottery.
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My Clemson tiger’s sister is a blue hen, also a nice campus and fun school. It’s just lacking the sports culture which is insane at Clemson.
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Somewhere not mentioned but closer is Michigan State. We are from Western Pa and my daughter just graduated from Michigan, which is 3.5 hours from us. Ann Arbor is fabulous, and a great reach. If you are looking for a more accessible school, Michigan State is also a big rah rah school and people like East Lansing a lot, too.
It’s not an exact match, but a consideration — and a lot easier to get there in a day than it would be to get to Clemson quickly.
I know everyone is saying, “what’s the big deal with 9 hours?” For our family and for my kids, it is a big deal for college. My older daughter had enough health issues and other crises that being able to reach her quickly was reassuring. She has graduated and is now 10 hours away, because now is when she was ready to be 10 hours away…not before.
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Have you visited Ohio State? It doesn’t feel nearly as urban to me as some campuses. It has a less urban feel than even Pitt, for instance.
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But is the OP not ready for 9 hours, or her student? My daughter has made the 12 hour drive many times, even alone, there are many flights from our airport (Newark) to charlotte every day, 2 hour drive to Clemson (and 3 flights a day to Greenville, 45 minutes away).
It’s tough to replicate a Clemson or U of SC if it’s about weather and sports. IU and Purdue are great but neither quite checks in there. WVU may but U of Kentucky more so would fit. If she likes SC, it’d be worth the drive to UK - it’s not that far - 5.5 hrs and the urban ness of Lexington is much less than Columbia.
Another not far from home school but the wrong way would be SUNYs - Bing and less so Buffalo. Neither will have the spirit or southern charm.
Just 4 hours from home, JMU, which has a gorgeous campus, might be a hidden gem for your student. Sort of southern, nice small town, like Va Tech high rated dorms and food. Football was great this year - just not SEC level.
Another but 6.5 hrs is App State.
Columbia is a nice compact campus. JMU shares some similarity, with a gorgeous quad. It has a second side but from what I saw, you can stay on the main side. And it’s highway accessible.
So I think it and UK are worth looks in addition to the others if they make sense for you geographically (Southern).
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That’s great and thousands of families and students make similar treks. The distance and your daughter’s success in managing it are not unique or surprising.
I never implied that there was anything wrong with a longer distance college, or that people shouldn’t do it. I think it’s great when the family and student are ready for it, but there are many acceptable reasons and situations when they aren’t.
This preference is on the short lists of things that CC posters are often shamed about, but I wanted to support the OP by offering colleges that fit her criteria vs challenging her to change her criteria. They have obviously toured and are aware of the 9 hour schools and were asking for a nearer option. Maybe she is even fine with her applying to Clemson, but wants her to have a similar closer option as a backup.
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Clemson is a special place, kind of a unicorn really. Has she said what appeals to her most about that school besides the town/setting? Is it the weather? Sports fandom? What major(s) is she looking at? Do her stats make Clemson a reach or target? (it is not a safety/highly likely for any OOS student)
There are many schools with similar towns and settings, but some of those schools will be larger (even significantly so, at 23K undergrads I would not consider Clemson a bigger state school), some smaller, some in cold weather, some with less focus on athletics. The vast majority of other schools won’t have the pervasive sports culture of Clemson…and it’s far more than just football.
I agree with others that Auburn (27K undergrads) is probably closest in many ways to Clemson. Then FSU (30K undergrads). Both fail on the 9 hour drive.
I agree Michigan State could work too, but that has around 40K undergrads…is that more appealing to her than Clemson’s size or less? It will have a noticeably bigger feel in both people and campus size than Clemson…depending on where she lives and where her major classes are, she may be riding a bus to class.
I assume her hometown U Pitt is not on the list because its urban setting?
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So I have nothing to contribute here that hasn’t been said.
But how can anyone suggest WVU to Pitt people. Have you heard the chants???
Just joking.
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