CCNY Neighborhood/college info. (Amsterdam, Ohio: section 8, credit, houses)

[mdowling]

My highschool boy wants to go to ccny. He's a white boy from a small town in Ohio, has no clue as to what urban living is, besides the fact that he's been to Chicago a couple of times, and Dublin Ireland a couple times, and is hell bent on going---could be the girlfriend at Barnard is influencing his decision. As his mother I'm of course worried as to how he'll adapt to the change living enviroments as well as college adjustments. He's planning on living in the Towers dormitory. So....my question is how safe is that area? Any opinions about CCNY, his only choice since we can afford it, and it has a dorm.

[Elvira Black]

Have you already reserved space for the fall term (assuming that's when he's going?) According to the website, the Towers are fully booked for fall.

In my opinion, this looks like a very good housing situation for someone attending CCNY. I believe it's in Harlem--however, this area has been changing rapidly and is no longer a true "no go" zone. Having an "on-campus" experience in Manhattan is probably about as ideal a situation as you can get. And Columbia University is nearby so it's kind of an uptown college "enclave," just as NYU is downtown. Columbia in particular has taken over a lot of space in the area for dorms over the years.

There may be some culture shock, but in my opinion it sounds like a wonderful opportunity. One has to use caution and common sense in NYC, but his dorm will probably be fairly secure, I'd imagine. He can easily get to all areas in Manhattan by subway, so can explore the city. Great internship opportunities as well, which can give him quite a heads-up in his field. I might not advise wandering around too late at night, but others on this forum would probably have more insight into this area.

I know that NYU provides bus shuttle service and such for its students, so the same might be true for CCNY.

[NooYowkur81]

Take a walk through Convent, most of the CCNY campus is on Convent and Amsterdam. But take a walk through Convent especially. It's quite suburban actually. That area is changing a lot. Anyone who invested in thoses brownstones, made a killing.

CCNY has a bus shuttle, takes students from the train stations (135 & Broadway 1 train, 145 & Saint Nick ABCD trains) to the campus.

I'm sure your son won't be the only White person in those dorms. Also, I used to live around there and I never heard of the students being in any particular danger.

[newtoli]

Keep in mind that you are not going to get the NYS resident tuition. You will pay $360 a credit, so assuming 15 credits in a semester, $5400 each semester ($10,800/yr). Thats before dorms. The cheapest one at the towers looks to be around $750/mo. It's not going to be cheap by any means.

[straightshooter]

i went to ccny a couple of years ago for a conference. the immediate surrounding area is nice. however, i wouldn't stray too far from it. people on this board will talk you a blue streak about how up-n-coming, gentrified, etc. some areas are. it is a topic of constant, fierce debate on this board. although many of these neighborhoods are not as bad as they were in the 80's (read: abandoned buildings being torched every night and crackheads on every corner), they are far from good or safe. i don't care what the property values are. property values didn't do anything for the columbia grad. student who was raped and tortured for 3 days in her inwood appt. before she escaped after her tormetor set her appt. on fire in an attempt to kill her. obviously, that situation is not the norm. but, there is still a very bad element in many of these areas and plenty of section 8 housing which typically houses them. if your son does go to ccny, he's going to get a very real dose of nyc. plus...i know that all 18-yr. olds think that they've found the love of their life in the first girl to give them any ass, but moving 1/2 way across the country to the dominican ghetto....c'mon.

[NooYowkur81]

CCNY is one of the better bargains in the nation. It's a pretty good school. But is he going to be able to pay in-state tuition? If not it might not be that different from a private. What happened to the schools in Ohio? Ohio U and Ohio State aren't bad schools. Guess he wants to get the hell out of Ohio. His main motivation is that girlfriend.

Safety wise I'd be a little more concerned if it were a young female. But as a young dude he should be alright, as long as he uses his common sense.

[newtoli]

If they are from Ohio, they will not get instate tuition, unless it's through illegal means.

[NooYowkur81]

Originally Posted by newtoli

If they are from Ohio, they will not get instate tuition, unless it's through illegal means.

I think he might be able to get it after a year, from what I've heard.

[mdowling]

Ohio has the 2nd highest tuition in the country after Vermont I believe. It would be nearly $9,000 a year for tuition to go to OU, more at Miami U. Dorms are less costly but overall, out of state tuitions for SUNY'S/CUNY'S are still competative with Ohio's in state tuition.

[newtoli]

Originally Posted by NooYowkur81

I think he might be able to get it after a year, from what I've heard.

You have to establish permanent residency for a full year. Can you live in the dorms for 12 months?