<p>We are from TEXAS and DD will be attending Rutgers in Newark. She loves NYC can anyone give me some advice on places that are safe in both cities for activities for DD to do.</p>
<p>Flounderingfree–is your D attending undergrad or grad (maybe law school?) in Newark? I’ll frankly say I’ve never heard of someone coming from OOS to go to undergrad at Rutgers Newark. Is she living in a dorm, or off campus (maybe not in Newark itself?) I didn’t even know they had dorms.</p>
<p>We live about a mile from Newark. My H worked there for many years. Both my kids have lived or live in NYC, and I’m very comfortable with that, but Newark is a different kind of place. It is not a college town in any sense of the word. There are some great things going on there–New Jersey Performing Arts Center is great, and the Ironbound area has great restaurants. The Newark Museum has some wonderful exhibits; it’s an overlooked gem in this area. Street festivals can be cool. Overall, though, the crime rate is out of control (those who think I’m exaggerating–my H worked in emergency rooms there, and I teach mostly students who come from there–I’m not making this up.)</p>
<p>That said, your D will have to be very street smart. It’s not a great place to be after dark. Personally, I’d suggest living off campus and commuting in from a nearby town.</p>
<p>As far as NYC–the easiest and cheapest way to get there is by PATH trains from Penn Station in Newark. I can’t begin to list all the great things to do in NY–she should arm herself with guidebooks and just start exploring. My S has been there for school for two years now–some cheap things he likes doing are riding the Roosevelt Island tram, hanging out in Central park and Coney Island, and checking out all the museums which are free or reduced rate for students. </p>
<p>I hate sounding alarmist, but just let your D know that Newark is not NY, and the levels of safety are not the same. She will need to be really alert and on guard.</p>
<p>yes she is from out of state and yes she is an undergrad incoming freshmand and yes she is in the ba/jd program. she has several friends from other states that will be going there too and they have very good housing. i know that any big city will have crime we are aware of this and have made sure that she knows not to be walking around town at night she is not stupid enough to think that she would be safe in any city alone at night no girl would be. we have also made her promise not to go to new york alone and to stay out of central park especially after dark. i was just wanting some good tourist sites for her to see on weekends. thank you foryour time and efforts and i will make sure that she knows not to walk around at night alone and to stay out of the bad areas of town.</p>
<p>I would have to back garland up on this one. We also live close to Newark, and I would definitely look at places in the suburbs for her to live, and maybe take the train to the campus (I know Rutgers-Newark parking is a nightmare). </p>
<p>Nice suburbs with train service to Newark are plenty and the same trains also go into NYC. </p>
<p>There is a thread on the parents forum concerning places to see in NYC. </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=198523[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=198523</a></p>
<p>thanks about the other forum however she will not be taking her car to school so the parking issue is not really an issue. I am so surprised that most people tell me about safety but oh yeah be sure and go to central park. we have stressed to her not go to the park because of everything that is told to us about nyc. thank you so much for all of your concerns. i am so glad that everyone is so helpful on this site</p>
<p>Central Park is wonderful! </p>
<p>Sure, she should not go in at night, nor should she be carrying an expensive camera, etc.</p>
<p>But during the daylight hours, there are TONS of people around, especially the weekends, and so much to see!! I would highly recommend it.</p>
<p>Some things to do in the big apple are:
Museums- The Met, Guggenheim, Natural History, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum
Observation Deck of the Empire State Building
Circle Line Boat Ride- and visit the Statue of Liberty -suggest this before it gets cold out
Walk around Chinatown, Greenwich Village, Seaport, 5th Ave., Times Square
See some Broadway Shows- probably can get some good student discounts
Visit Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
Catch the Christmas Tree in Lincoln Center
Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
See the Christmas Show in Radio City Music Hall</p>
<p>Just basically get a guide book to NYC and have a lot of fun!</p>
<p>New York city is very safe (not to be confused with Newark). If she has any street smarts at all she’ll be fine. You would take the same basic precautions there that you’d take in any big city. She will have a great time being able to go into NYC. Central Park is gorgeous and totally safe (again, with basic street smarts) and a do not miss sight. </p>
<p>Who is telling you that NYC is dangerous?</p>
<p>I lived in downtown Newark in the 1970s when I worked for the State. I spent as much time in NYC as I could. the bus to New York came right up the driveway of our apartment complex. I used to take the PATH trains and then the subway to buy tickets for Off-Broadway plays at lunch time.</p>
<p>I have been back to New York many times since we moved to DC in 1974. I never had any fears walking around in mid-town New York. I often had to walk home at night from work in Newark. That caused me some concerns, but it was a long time ago and hopefully things have improved.</p>
<p>As a Rutgers-New Brunswick grad I find it amazing that someone from Texas would go to RU-Newark. I never even knew anybody from NJ who went there.</p>
<p>There are winter sports in the Poconos 2-2 1/2 hours drive.</p>
<p>I live near Newark. Newark is no where near what NYC is (security sense). However, if you’re street smart and don’t go out alone in the middle of the night to an ATM (and do things like that) you should be fine.</p>
<p>FF–I’m sorry if my warnings offended you. I do think you need to know that Newark is not as safe as NYC–my kids have both spent lots of time in Central Park; that doesn’t worry me at all. Newark doesn’t really have good and bad areas–that’s the way it’s most not like NYC. I don’t want to scare you, but your D needs to know where she is going with eyes open. You did mention safety in your original post; that’s why I discussed the subject.</p>
<p>I happen to know 3 people who have attended Rutgers Newark. They have found advantages over the New Brunswick campus b/c class sizes are smaller in Newark. Also, many professors are the same, they just move between campuses. The big disadvantage to NJ residents is the lack of housing at Newark and it is given to students that live far away over instate residents (at least this is what I was told several years ago, when I inquired). Students have told me that they felt very safe on the Newark campus, as there is a lot of security. A couple of blocks off campus is another story.</p>
<p>Another sight seeing stop- The Intrepid</p>
<p>To the west of the Rutgers is a good buffer with the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and to the south and east of the campus is pretty much downtown. It’s in a fairly safe area, but, since there is no night life in Newark (maybe over by NJPAC), the streets are empty at night. So she must definitely stay indoors at night. If she does need to go out, campus security would probably provide an escort.</p>
<p>But Newark is looking up - they just elected a young, Stanford/Yale educated mayor and there is great promise!!</p>
<p>Plus the campus has a great indoor recreational/sport facility.</p>
<p>That’s true about Booker, JMParent–I am really hoping he can turn things around. The way things have been run has been so destructive.</p>
<p>I also agree that with security, the campus will be safe. There’s just no where to go much at night. There may well be some kind of security to get back and forth to Penn station, to go over to NYC. Montclair which is nearby also has a nice young people nightlife–my D just moved there from Brooklyn and she is in absolute heaven over it.</p>
<p>well i am learnning alot about mass transit we do not have it near us and houston only has it downtown not like up there. i hope that she is smart enough to know not to walk at night by herself and i have read that newark is rebuilding and that the night life is getting better but my d is only 18 so she can not go clubbing like that anyway. thank you so much for all of your concerns i am sure that i will keep you posted as we will be at orinentation in 2 weeks about what i really think of the place</p>
<p>FF, I really have to echo garland’s comments here. Newark is an entirely different ballgame when it comes to safety. There is absolutely no reason that a girl could not or should not go into NYC alone, including Central Park, as long as it isn’t after dark. In fact, Central Park is a bustling place during the day, especially in the summer months. It’s a popular place with city residents and tourists alike. There are, however, many many reasons for a young girl (or anyone for that matter!) not to live in Newark itself. The crime rate is appalling. NYC does not come close to having the same concerns. I know we’re probably all causing you more worry than you probably already had but it seriously is a dangerous place and your D needs to be very aware of that. I have two family members who practice medicine there and the stories they have are truly frightening.</p>
<p>Having said that, for things to do in NYC, have a look at this thread for ideas of things to do in the city:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=178519[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=178519</a></p>
<p>Montclair is one place I had in mind to steer the OP’s daughter, if she decided to live off campus. It may be a somewhat of a hassle by train, but doable.</p>
<p>Montclair has many great restaurants!</p>
<p>Echo everyone else. I live in New Jersey, and at 18 have taken the train into NYC alone a number of times, walked from Penn Station to Central Park to meet friends. Always in daylight, and I am cautious but I have never felt unsafe. I truly don’t understand your concerns about Central Park.</p>
<p>I would not, however, for any amount of money go anywhere in Newark alone at any time of day. I, and everyone else I know, stay out of it as much as possible (occasional trips to NJPAC are the only reason we have to go). My father got his MBA from Rutgers Newark and did once meet a man with a knife on the street. I also had a teacher who grew up in Newark and shared with us truly frightening stories about the things he encountered playing on his front steps as a child. I would hope that these incidents represent Newark in the past more than Newark today…but unfortunately that is not a wise or a safe assumption to make. Newark is consistently ranked among the most dangerous cities, though that doesn’t mean your daughter is destined for trouble. She does need to exercise extreme caution and the more “fun” time she spends taking advantage of other areas the better. Montclair is charming and she will be lucky to be so close to the city (oops…New York, to clarify).</p>
<p>I’m not trying to imply in any way that Newark is a poor choice, I do know friends’ siblings who have graduated from colleges in Newark (most from NJIT) without major incident. It is imperative, though, to be aware.</p>
<p>I attend CE courses a few times a year at UMDNJ in Newark. I’m guessing it’s a half mile to a mile from R/Newark. The UMDNJ campus, I mean strictly on the campus itself, appears safe and they’re building new dorms for med/dental/nursing students…the area between UMDNJ and Rutgers really isn’t too bad, a lot of new apartments etc. But overall Newark is scary and I wouldn’t walk around at night.</p>
<p>My nephew works at Prudential in Newark. He lives in Hoboken. I’d suggest eventually (especially after she’s 21, since there are a lot of clubs there) this kind of arrangement…Hoboken’s close to Newark on the PATH, it’s less expensive than NYC (though still far from cheap).</p>
<p>Also know a first year UMDNJ student who lived in a suburb and commuted in, which worked out well for her. I’d suggest living outside of Newark.</p>
<p>And yes NYC is entirely different ballgame as far as safety. Those concerns about Central Park are outdated…it’s beautiful and busy any nice weather day. Just wouldn’t advise running there alone at night but that would be prudent for any urban park.</p>