<p>I’ve visited 3 schools- crossed one off, the other two made me want to go more- and am applying to those two plus another I haven’t visited. </p>
<p>Johnson & Wales University- I know since it’s mostly culinary arts and hospitality management, most CC’s won’t be interested anyway, but I spent 3 days/nights there (career explorations program) and decided I wouldn’t be applying. The program was great and super fun, but the campus and school itself didn’t interest me. I visited the Miami campus and felt too closed in and gated. I also didn’t like trimesters (I know, super picky), and some of the discussion of the academics during the presentation got me down. I just didn’t think I’d fit in.</p>
<p>UCF- I visited the main campus first and thought it was ‘kinda cool’. There were nice facilities and I thought the other students seemed nice enough, but again I felt too closed in and gated. After that we visited the Rosen campus, where I would live and take all of my non-General Education requirements, and I loved that. While it was still gated, the apartment-style dorms were amazing (built to resemble a hotel) and had amazing amenities like free laundry, parking pass fee waiver, housekeeping, and great dorms with individual bedrooms, nice common areas, and decent kitchens. I am applying for Fall 2013.</p>
<p>NYU- This was my top choice before my visit, and still is. The style of the ‘campus’ is the main reason people choose not to apply, but I loved it. It was exactly what I wanted- I truly felt like Greenwich Village was the campus. I wasn’t gated off from the rest of the world, it was beautiful, I liked the other students, and I could really see myself there. I’m applying Early Decision because I loved it so much. </p>
<p>I’m also applying to Boston University, though I’ve never visited the campus.</p>
<p>***!? Excuse me, how do you know Ms. Spierer’s family is “affluent?” Just because she is Jewish and is from Westchester County she must be rich?</p>
<p>Her father is an accountant, her mother worked at a florist and she went to a public high school. That hardly sounds affluent to me.</p>
<p>Golffather- Probably since the WSJ did that feature on all the affluent NYC area kids flocking to IU, it is assumed that this young woman fits the profile! And she isn’t “ethnic”. or is she?</p>
<p>Because my nephew knew her group of friends. If you don’t like the comment about affluence, ignore it. It doesn’t change my point, which is, you can’t assume anything about the safety of a campus or your kid. IU is a great school and a gorgeous campus in a bucolic town. Bad things still happened.</p>
<p>Of course bad things happen even at bucolic campuses. We all have examples. Things happened at IU (lots of isolated wooded paths through campus) back in the 70s when I was there!
That’s different from a campus that is surrounded by sketchy areas where there are frequent incidents both on and off campus. Look- my son loved Penn, but he was the victim of a crime and he knows many, many students who also were. It is not IU or Vanderbilt. It simply isn’t. The incidents at Penn were pretty constant. It’s just the reality.</p>
<p>Johnwesley- Obviously, the Clery Act statistics don’t reflect the reality. I guess since I’m extremely familiar with both campuses you’ll just have to trust me on this. </p>
<p>There are many things that make these schools with, perhaps, less desirable surroundings worth it. Philadelphia is a popular city and has a lot to offer. Hartford- not as much. Everyone weighs what is important to them and makes a choice.</p>
<p>I’m just as familiar with Philadelphia as you are. I’m also familiar with Hartford and New Haven. I’ve also been a victim of crime. Haven’t been to Tennessee, but I know something about southern cities, Richmond and Durham in particular, and frankly I’m more afraid of a southern-style home invasion than I am of walking across a fully lit northern campus. I think we’re really talking about perceptions, here. Nothing wrong with that.</p>
<p>Nashville bears no resemblance to Durham. We are talking, basically, about safe environments for students who attend college. And what in the world is a “southern-style home invasion?” And y’all get upset about someone using the word “ethnic”?</p>
<p>The whole sense of what constitutes “the city” is different Down South; you can drive for miles before you see a single apartment building and still be considered within the city limits. </p>
<p>Southern Style Home Invasion:
Hot day. Screen door is the only thing between you and and the street. Nearest neighbor is a hundred yards away.</p>
<p>Northern Style Home Invasion:</p>
<p>Someone walks up behind you as you put the key into your apartment door. Nearest neighbor: two feet away.</p>
<p>The Clery Act crime statistics can be a little deceiving because they only include on- campus crime. For example, around U. Penn, the campus and areas to the east are very safe and are heavily patrolled, and have active street life. I assume there are also a million cameras too. The criminals know to stay away. Most of the crime is to the west and northwest of the campus, where some off-campus students live.</p>
<p>People can also have outdated opinions of safety. For example, the area around U. Penn went through a crime spree about 15 years ago. In response, security was greatly increased, and the problem moved on. Extensive areas of Philadelphia have also seen major revitalization in recent years, such as the Northern Liberties area southeast of Temple U. However, some of the dangerous areas have become worse, and a number of cops have been killed. </p>
<p>Heavy security results in “crime displacement.” The crime still happens - it just moves to locations where it is easier.</p>
<p>After many years of decreases, many cities are seeing an increase in homicides - but it is heavily concentrated among gang members and persons in the drug trade.</p>
<p>^^Agreed. Drawing exact comparisons between Penn and Vanderbilit are difficult on a number of different levels. For example, you can walk to downtown Philadelphia in less than twenty minutes; it’s pretty much a straight shot and safe. The area around Vanderbilt may be very nice - but, it’s not downtown Nashville.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is right on the edge of downtown Nashville. Music Row (right at Vandy) is considered downtown. It is about a 20 minute walk to the honky tonks on Broadway and the business district. People walk between the two all the time.</p>
<p>This is sort of what I’ve been posting about; to someone raised in New York (or Philly for that matter) Music Row would barely register as a “downtown”. Don’t get me wrong, it seems like a very interesting neighborhood, there are several nice looking restaurants in the area, but if that’s downtown Nashville, then University City is downtown Philly.</p>
or is she?</p>