<p>I’ve read the crime reports sporadically for the U of C, and it seems that many of the crimes are students being mugged (but not physically hurt) when they are walking alone, off-campus, late at night. No, not all of the crimes happen late at night, so students have to learn to be “street-smart”–not a bad lesson to learn.</p>
<p>Chicago is not an idyllic New England campus out of Norman Rockwell. On the other hand, it is an outstanding school, located in one of the most dynamic (and underrated) cities in the U.S. The students there are exposed to diversity on a daily basis.</p>
<p>If crime is a concern for a parent, have your child live in one of the dorms that are right in the center of campus–Max, Snell-Hitchcock, and to a slightly lesser extent, Pierce. All these dorms are just steps from the library, the gym, lots of classes–as campuses go, U of C is fairly compact (at least, compared to the sprawling state school I attended.) And, Chicago is a gorgeous campus.</p>
<p>Personally, I’d hardly call Hyde Park a “ghetto” when the current President of the U.S. has decided to keep his residence there. His house is about 4-5 blocks north of campus, and is reportedly worth $1.5 million (and it’s not a mansion, by any means). Obama’s wife was paid 300k in her job at the U of C hospital, and they are not the only affluent family who has chosen to live in Hyde Park.</p>