Converse College cuts tuition by 43 percent
While college students across the nation face continued concerns about rising tuition costs, one South Carolina college is slicing its price tag nearly in half.
Converse College said Tuesday it will cut its tuition by 43 percent next year — from $29,124 to $16,500 — The State reported.
One of two women’s colleges in the state, Converse made the decision to lower its tuition after seeing its total enrollment drop over the past five years and hearing students’ and parents’ concerns about the cost to attend the school, according to The State.
On average, students currently pay $16,500 after grants and scholarships are applied to their tuition. The school says it will continue offering scholarships and grants to students who now pay less than $16,500, even after tuition drops next year.
“No student is giong to pay a penny more than they are now,” Converse President Betsy Fleming told The State.
Drip owner opening Scoopy-Doo gelato shop
Sean McCrossin, owner of Drip coffee shop, plans to open a gelato shop, The State reported.
The Columbia Board of Zoning Appeals approved a parking variance to open the shop adjacent to Drip’s Five Points location.
The new Italian ice cream shop will be named “Scoopy-Doo” — a name chosen by McCrossin’s 8-year-old daughter.
McCrossin hopes the gelato shop will help draw more families to the area, according to The State. He plans to open the shop by next spring.
There are plans to include retail space in the store to sell shirts, mugs and coffee brewing kits.
Drip is located at 729 Saluda Ave. and has a second branch location at 1441 Main St.
South Carolina could get new area code
South Carolina could get a fourth area code, and it could be in service by 2015, The Associated Press reported.
The group responsible for coordinating the country’s area codes has filed a petition that would add another area code to the 843 region, which snakes along South Carolina’s coast. The area, which includes Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Hilton Head Island, has been growing quickly. The petition did not say what the new code would be.
The new code would serve customers in the Pee Dee region, which includes Florence and Conway. It goes up for a public hearing on Dec. 3 at 10 a.m.
South Carolina first added an area code in 1995. 864 went into service in December of that year and currently serves much of the Upstate, including Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson.
In 1998, 843 became the area code for the 21 counties it serves now.