College Safety (Philadelphia, York, Penn: apartments, co-op, neighborhood)

[addictedtosmallville]

Hello! I'm a prospective student looking to go to college within the next two years.

I really want to be near a big city, and my top choices were New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. They're all the size and location I want-I like being near the Eastern seaboard. Plus all the schools I like are in the area.

The question I have is that many of the schools I'm looking at that are the most interesting are in Philadelphia, and I've heard some shaky reviews about safety. Can anyone help to clear up some of that confusion?

Colleges I'm looking at

-Drexel University
-UPenn
-Temple University
-Philadelphia University

I understand the safer parts of the city are more focused in towards Center City, and I've heard bad reviews about North Philly. Is the Temple area bad?
Also, the area Philadelphia University is in-how close is it really to the city?

Thanks so much for your help!

[orrmobl]

Temple area is the worst, then UCity, I don't think there is any dangersaround PU (sorry, just had to). From there web site: "The tree-lined Main Campus is located on the edge of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park in the beautiful residential area of East Falls, 15 minutes from historic Center City Philadelphia."

If you like city grit and danger, don't pick PU. If you like a little green with your urban environment and a little more safety, I'd go there over the other places.

A lot of the problems in the other areas are property damage ie cars broken into, apartments robbed. Then you get into gunpoint muggings or brickings or stabbings which could leave someone dead. For women the risk of robbery or sexual assault seems a bit higher...I don't know that I'd let my daughter attend anywhere in Philly these days...

Boston and NY are safer so you should factor in safety vs cost of living in making your choice as well...

[toobusytoday]

I won't argue about the safety factor at the Colleges in the University City area but I know several kids from my small town that are in college at Temple, Drexel, UPenn and Philadelphia University right now. The only dissatisfied student I've heard about is at Drexel, but her unhappiness is regarding her classes, not the area.

My neighbors son is at Philadelphia University and just loves it. I know five kids at Temple- one freshman, three sophomores and one senior. The senior was mugged once, but still there.

I think the area around UPenn and Drexel is very attractive and vibrant. If you are a HS junior, I would highly suggest that you do your college visits while colleges are in session and see what you think. Picking a college based on location is fine, but there is a world of difference between all of the colleges that you've named. If you have the stats to get into U Penn then I don't think you would really be looking at Drexel or Temple. If you want engineering, then you wouldn't be looking at Philadelphia University.

If you have a College Fair in your area, I would highly recommend that you attend and talk to admissions people from those schools: NACAC College Fairs

[Tone509]

Temple's overall campus has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years. The surrounding neighborhood still isn't all that great. If/when students decide to move off-campus, they are more likely to commute from down in Center City, about 15 minutes away by subway.

Penn has one of the prettiest campuses around for an urban school... and let us not forget it's in the Ivy League. There is a growing amount of retail and entertainment nearby geared to attract students, especially the 40th Street corridor between Walnut and Locust. Lots of students live off-campus, most to the west further into University City. Some of the more affluent kids may choose to live in the newer high-rises to east near the Schuykill (SCHOOL-cull; SCHOOL-kill) River or even over in Center City.

Drexel is a "concrete campus" that borders Penn around 34th St. It's famous for its five-year co-op program that allows the opportunity to gain paid experience. Many off-campus students live to the north in Powelton Village. You probably wouldn't want to wander too far north from there into the more challenged Mantua neighborhood.

I've only been to Philadelphia University once in my life. It's a nice enough campus. If you're looking to blow off steam downtown on a regular basis, it's probably the least convenient.

I would definitely get more info from at your college fair, as suggested, and come see the campuses for yourself.

[solibs]

Philly U. campus is quiet but you do have the 32 bus that will get you downtown in 20 minutes and you also have the R6 train that's a 15 minute walk from campus. It's a nice walk to the station but walking back to campus is all up hill.

If you've been accepted to all of them, you'll be living on campus and money is no issue then my choices would be Penn, Drexel, Phila. U., Temple - in that order.

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by solibs

Philly U. campus is quiet but you do have the 32 bus that will get you downtown in 20 minutes and you also have the R6 train that's a 15 minute walk from campus. It's a nice walk to the station but walking back to campus is all up hill.

If you've been accepted to all of them, you'll be living on campus and money is no issue then my choices would be Penn, Drexel, Phila. U., Temple - in that order.

Originally Posted by addictedtosmallville

Hello! I'm a prospective student looking to go to college within the next two years.

It's October, even if poster was a senior (sounds like he/she is not) he/she wouldn't know this early.

[solibs]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

It's October, even if poster was a senior (sounds like he/she is not) he/she wouldn't know this early.

I wasn't asking a question. I was posing a hypothetical and giving my preferences based on that scenario.

[JHG722]

Originally Posted by solibs

If you've been accepted to all of them, you'll be living on campus and money is no issue then my choices would be Penn, Drexel, Phila. U., Temple - in that order.

I laughed out loud.

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by solibs

I wasn't asking a question. I was posing a hypothetical and giving my preferences based on that scenario.

Apologizes solibs, my mistake.

[addictedtosmallville]

That helps a ton. My main concern is still safety-Philadelphia appeals to me through its mix of ancient and modern history and culture. I just don't want to go all the way down to Philly (from Western NY) to be in a detached neighborhood or a neighborhood where I shouldn't feel comfortable after dark, when I could be in a "safer" city. As a student at Temple (which looks like my top choice right now) would I have to be more on my toes than normal for Philly?