Clemson Remains One of the Nation’s Best Public Universities
David Stone is an experienced financial advisor and the founder of the David Stone Family Endowment, which grants scholarships to students at Clemson University in South Carolina.
Mr. Stone has close personal ties to Clemson. Prior to his career in the investments industry, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and MBA from the university. While studying there, he was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honors Society and Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Besides funding scholarships via his family endowment, Mr. Stone remains actively involved with Clemson as an alumnus, legacy parent, and mentor. One of his daughters is currently studying at Clemson’s Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, while another daughter is a Clemson alumna and frequent contributor to the university. In addition, Mr. Stone acts as a mentor to both Clemson students and his fellow alumni who have an interest in working on Wall Street.
Clemson: A Top-Tier School
Clemson University has grown into one of the most positively regarded schools in the South. The second-largest university in South Carolina (based on enrollment), it is located in upstate South Carolina, halfway between Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte, North Carolina. This location provides easy, convenient access to urban centers, while maintaining a small-town atmosphere that appeals to students, parents, and faculty. The 1,400-acre campus is tucked between Lake Hartwell on one side and the South Carolina Botanical Garden on the other, offering students a quiet natural setting in which to pursue their studies and prepare for their careers. The town of Clemson was named the best college town in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2024.
The school offers a wide range of degrees and programs, including more than 80 majors, 90 minors, and 130 graduate degree programs. Although there are more than 29,000 students enrolled at the university (23,401 undergraduates and 5,676 graduate students), the school offers a 16:1 student-to-teacher ratio, ensuring students receive more personalized instruction that caters to their needs and interests.
Clemson has received excellent marks from Niche, The Princeton Review, and other educational rankings in a wide range of categories. The school received an overall grade of A from Niche, as well as A grades in academics, athletics (A+), campus (A-), professors (A+), student life (A+), safety (A), and even its party scene (A). It also scored well in diversity, value, dorms, location, and food. Meanwhile, The Princeton Review ranked the school fourth in the nation for “Students Love Their School Teams,” seventh for “Town-School Relations,” and tenth for “Friendliest Students.” The school also ranked 18th overall for best quality of life and 11th for its career services for students.
The university is particularly attractive for students interested in pursuing research as part of their studies and after graduation. It is one of the country’s most productive public research universities, having received $237.3 million in externally funded competitive research awards in fiscal year 2024. Its “R1” status in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a testament to its prolific research activity.
Excellent Value
Clemson is also a great option when it comes to value. Money magazine gave the school four out of five stars for value, while The Princeton Review ranked the university as a Best Value College in 2024. In-state tuition costs only $15,554, while total estimated costs per year (including room, board, books, and other fees) is right around $30,000. Nationally, average total yearly costs at private universities are around $58,000, making Clemson a particularly good bargain for South Carolina residents.
In addition, some 76% of undergraduate students received some form of financial aid in 2023-24, with 99% of first-time students receiving scholarships. In total, the school provides financial aid (including grants, loans, part-time employment, and scholarships such as those funded by the David Stone Family Endowment) to 20,000 students per year. As a result, the majority of students (56%) graduate without any debt, compared to the national average of just 39%. In fall 2023, the average first-year in-state student only paid 37% of tuition and fees out of pocket.
Clemson’s excellent academics, top-notch professors, friendly atmosphere, and vibrant campus life combine to create a school that students quickly become attached to—as shown in the university’s excellent 93.5% first-year retention rate. A full 86.6% of students graduate within six years, and many students remain connected to and active with the school long after they graduate, as is the case with David Stone and his family.
As one of the leading public universities in the country, Clemson has enjoyed a reputation for excellence since its founding in 1889, when the school was founded after a bequest from Thomas Green Clemson, who had long been advocating for an agricultural college in upstate South Carolina. He left his home and estate to the state of South Carolina to establish the university, which has upheld his vision of academic excellence ever since.