Not having an Apple IIc handy but wanting the experience I went to http://www.calormen.com/Applesoft/index.htm and tried out the Applesoft Basic simulator that runs in Javascript. As others had said, no pre dimensioning/declaration of string variables necessary. Unless I am operating this simulator incorrectly, you can input statements including strings to be compared in mixed upper lower case, but the keyboard input received in input statements is upshifted to all caps. So your tests of any sting loaded from an input statement should read if a$ = "STRINGINALLCAPS" otherwise the comparison fails. You can still PRINT "UPPERlowercase" and that displays both cases. Acts like my keyboard is stuck on caps for input statements only.

10 home

20 input "What state do you live in?";a$

30 if a$="OHIO" then goto 50

40 goto 10

50 input "Correct! Type 'next' for the next question.";b$

60 if b$="NEXT" then goto 70

62 home

63 input "Type 'next' for the next question.";b$

65 goto 60

70 home

80 input "What month is this?";c$

90 if c$="FEBRUARY" then goto 110

100 goto 70

110 print "Correct! Thus concludes this program."

115 stop

120 end