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I'm hearing and reading about crime in the downtown Charleston area and the dangers to the students living at C of C.
My daughter is considering coming to college there and I'm beginning to get a bit nervous!
We live in CT outside of New Haven and it is thought to be a dangerous area as well, however, we
know the areas that are considered more safe at night and will occasionally go in to town to dine, see a play etc.
So, is it much to do about nothing if she is careful about her whereabouts at night or is crime unpredictable and random there?
I guess what I'm worried about is the campus housing situation. It is not guaranteed for students after their 2nd year. If she has to move off campus...
You'll hear many divergent opinions on this issue. First, define "lots". I drive Uber/Lyft and see many single females walking, after midnight, in most areas south of the connector. There are sites, such as Spotcrime, that will give you weekly updates on crime in a specific area. As mentioned, being conscientious is paramount.
At first glance, you'll go, "Oh my God, I'm not letting my child anywhere near that place". Now, zoom in and start clicking on some of the icons. You'll see large number of public intoxication, loitering, and disorderly conduct. It's a college town with a mixture of crime. Most, but not all, is non-violent.
The crime rate in Charleston is less than half of what it is in New Haven. Downtown Charleston where CofC is located is one of the safest areas in the city. The population of the downtown area around the college.... unlike New Haven... is a mix of middle class, upper middle class and wealthy residents....( not including 15 thousand college kids)therefore very different than New Haven. My daughter lives a couple blocks from the college ... and has no compunction about walking anywhere in the area ... even at 2 am... tho usually accompanied by her BF.
Take a trip down ... to ease your mind ...youll love it.
I went to school in 06-08 and had plenty of friends living off campus. The areas are even safer now. We used to walk around spring street and into the sketchier places and never felt that unsafe, it's just about using common sense. If also imagine that in her third year she would prefer to live off campus somewhere, and there are plenty of places to do so. I wouldn't use crime as any factor in going to school at CofC.
Your daughter will be safe as long as she uses common sense. That goes for any campus. Don't walk alone at night off campus, dont walk and be distracted by your phone (this is probably the biggest), make friends with the right people, stay out neighborhoods she doesnt belong, stay away from making or going to drug deals (students do this), dont act like a tourist, keep your bike locked, etc.
I never felt unsafe and never heard of anything super serious occurring, and no one I know personally has been a victim of anything. She'll be safe if she stays smart.
Keep CofC on the radar, the good far outweighs the bad.
Our daughter graduated in 2012.We always felt the CoC campus area was safer than an average college setting.Her CoC experience was great overall. Maybe going to visit her was the best part!
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