<p>Rochester is very much a self-contained campus. The city is whats left of what used to be a bustling corporate headquarters for Kodak and Xerox. Now, all thats left is a dying city (since Kodak is outa business and Xerox left). The students visit the city occasionally for the bars and for a few restaurants, but thats basically it. The airport is also located out of the city. </p>
<p>The city of rochester felt safe enough to us, but New York City still felt safer. Some parts of the city are much better than the others, and the nicer parts are the more suburban parts (mostly residential). The Downtown-Rochester area only looks nice, but it didnt seem too safe to me.</p>
<p>So all in all, its nice to have a city nearby, but like many students there, I'll be spending most of my time on campus where there's lots more to do and where its safer =P</p>
<p>If you have any other questions, just ask! Hope ur son likes the UofR =)
Im very happy to be going there as its a good school that fit everything I wanted: Instate (i come from nyc so i wanted to be somewhat nearby), Great science school, small university (not a huge one like NYU), liberal arts, and prestigious. I also like the cold better than the summer heat =P</p>
<p>I have to defend rochester on this one...Yes yes yes, you look at the stats and per capita (or per 100,000 people) NYC is <em>safer</em> than Rochester.</p>
<p>But just for a moment...consider the actual numbers. Rochester had a total of 36 murders occur in 2004. Sadly about 28-30 of them occured within this tiny blight / slum area of rochester which is known for it's drug dealing, gang rivalry, and just crazy people with guns and knives. Now NYC had 570 murders that year in various parts of the city. At least in Rochester you know to avoid __________ street (I don't know it's name, you just can tell when you drive past it [and it's not that close to...it's over the river and...a long walk away]) </p>
<p>Plus the per 100,000 statistic is just terrible becuase Rochester only has 215,000 people so it'll bloat our "crime rate" Compared to NYC's 8 million people. </p>
<p>It's not that dangerous, especially on campus and the areas where it is socially fun to visit anyways (Eastman School of music, museams, clubs, waterstreet music hall (rock in general), i forgot the name of the heavy metal place, Frontier field, and any of the suburbs). </p>
<p>(but on a nicer note, yay to the enjoying of the cold. finally someone who isn't terribly worried about turning into an ice cube [Which isn't true! it's not that cold!]).</p>
<p>Thanks again, Awakien and dltprm--just got back from spending the day in downtown NYC, in fact -- touristy stuff!
We will make an upstate college visit loop in the fall (Vassar, Geneseo, Cornell and Rochester). It doesn't sound all that bad, tho as you say, it sounds like there are definitely areas to avoid. S. prefers schools that have lots to do on campus anyway. Also, you are speaking to another family who doesn't mind winter. We would prefer the cold over 90 degrees + humid any day...</p>
<p>Awakian:
Xerox has left?! You are sorely mistaken on that one. The suburb of Rochester I live in has their main production facility (and it's humming along nicely thank goodness), and we have a large office tower downtown full of Xerox employees, as well as an office building next door with Xerox people (all their IM offices in that one). Actually Rochester's economic strength is in small high tech companies at the moment. Hopefully that will continue growing. All the upstate cities have struggled, but Rochester may have the best chance.</p>
<p>lspf:
The U of R kids do really fun stuff. There is an office there that really focuses on having students get involved in the community, and learn their way around too. Check it out at <a href="http://www.rochester.edu/College/rccl/%5B/url%5D">http://www.rochester.edu/College/rccl/</a>
We had the Dean on a panel at the place I work recently and I was so impressed with her. Some wonderful programs and a real commitment to getting the kids to do fun stuff off campus. </p>
<p>Also, the U of R kids go to the "East End" (which dltprm talks about above) for music venues and to the Public Market (great food). Many of them live off campus in a fun part of town called the Park Avenue neighborhood. Granted, kids who have cars have more mobility - but we do have a bus system here that is not too bad. </p>
<p>Now if your son comes from a sheltered suburb and has never enjoyed urban activities he may not understand how to get involved in things like that here, because it's not right at the doorstep of campus. But Rochester is a small city and kids who aren't scared and venture forth are well rewarded. </p>
<p>By the way, my kids have made their way downtown for music stuff (lessons, ensembles, concerts) at Eastman since they were in 7th grade. (They went to HS at Catholic school that is almost in the city.) Even now when they go out with friends they head that direction, not our boring little suburb. They know where all the good diners are, the artsy movie theater, the jam sessions and the street festivals.</p>
<p>Alright Lspf72! Yeah, I couldn't live without A/C (oddly enough it's been really hot lately...) </p>
<p>and thanks Weenie. Oh and anyone who lives on Gilbert 3 next year will get a really nice tour of the city including stops at Eastman, Java Joe's Spots, the public market, and The Little (an independent movie theatre, great movies there [foreign and independent])</p>
<p>Thanks, both. Used to visit relatives in Hemlock, but haven't been up that way in many years. Also, for anyone who might be interested, U Rochester has a pretty decent DVD they send out to prospective students. I forget how S got his, but I'm sure you can request one.</p>
<p>that's a good point about the weather. cause you can only take off so much to bear with the heat. but in the cold, there's always heat inside, and outside, u just bundle up...and when there's a blizzard, just shield urself with an umbrella! ok, idk about the last one, we'll see. i come from a nj suburb so it's somewhat similar. plus, i've lived in pittsford for my vacations (summers and winters) from when I was a lil kid.</p>