<p>It occurs to me that this isn’t an unusual experience. A lot of really good schools are surrounded by blighted areas. some of the best schools in the country are in really sketchy neighborhoods. I’m thinking Columbia, Penn, Wes, Yale, Vassar - all of them are in towns or neighborhoods that are in pretty bad shape. Even in the next tier of school you have Trinity in Hartford, Colby in Waterville, Providence College, Conn College in New London - these aren’t ideallic towns you send postcards from. These colleges are all in some ways in conflict with the surrounding working and lower class towns (or at least their local neighborhoods) in which they reside. Sometimes there is an honest resentment of the rich, mostly white kids who make up the student body. Sometimes there is an elitist attitude given off by the students that causes friction between town and gown.</p>
<p>Most of the time, if the students are friendly and open with the people in the town, the town is happy to have the students as customers and residents for 9 months a year. The businesses and residents of the town are usually cognizant of the fact that the college adds significant resources, without which the town would be poorer, so as long as the students aren’t obnoxious and rude the local businesses welcome them back every year.</p>
<p>There is a bit more crime in these areas than the students are likely used to. Part of this is that the students largely come from low crime neighborhoods and as a result they aren’t as aware of their surroundings as the typical city dweller. This makes them easy prey for the criminal. Also, kids from upper class neighborhoods tend to leave their stuff unwatched and unlocked, so stuff walks.</p>
<p>An important point to note: Most of the theft that occurs on all of these campuses is student on student. The city residents are rarely involved.</p>
<p>So, what am I trying to say? I guess if your choice is between, say, Princeton and Wes, Princeton is a much nicer town, so that could play into the decision. But let’s say your son is choosing between Wes, Vassar, Conn and Colby. Waterville and Colby do NOT get along. New London is decrepit. And Poughkeepsie is just as big a hole as Middletown is. So I’d go with the best fit and not worry so much about the town.</p>