<p>Daughter is looking at Boyer College of Music for graduate level study. We are strangers to the Philadelphia area. Looking for any info folks on forum may provide regarding:</p>
<pre><code>1. Adjacent housing stock and it's degree of costliness (or lack thereof)
2. Potential need for car (vs. availability of public transportation)
3. General safety of area around Temple U.
</code></pre>
<p>Thank you in advance for any input you may provide... drd</p>
<p>We just visited Temple. Our daughter is looking at undergraduate, jazz voice.</p>
<p>Temple does border on what is described as a “shady” neighborhood, but I think the danger aspect tends to be overblown in the media. For example, if you google Temple U and crime, the top stories that pop up are about Temple students getting preyed upon – when they are nowhere near campus, or doing something stupid at an ungodly hour of the night. I went through a lot of links, and didn’t find much on on-campus crime. </p>
<p>The police presence on the campus itself is obvious. I, personally, found parts of the campus inexplicably poorly-lit, but there were plenty of coeds walking around unconcerned. </p>
<p>We didn’t look at housing issues.</p>
<p>I would think having a car would be a pain in the butt. The on-campus parking is limited. There is a subway stop at one corner of the campus, plus bus service along the main roads (Broad Street) that run through campus. If there is inadequate housing right near Temple (which I would find hard to believe), the subway and buses offer ample opportunity to live elsewhere in Philly, then commute. </p>
<p>We went in expecting to cross Temple off our list – because of safety issues – and were pleasantly surprised. Our D will be applying.</p>
<p>I don’t believe that statistics tell the whole story, but schools are required by federal law to report crime statistics annually. </p>
<p>Here’s Temples report:</p>
<p><a href=“http://css.ocis.temple.edu/crime_reporting/annual_statistics.pdf[/url]”>http://css.ocis.temple.edu/crime_reporting/annual_statistics.pdf</a></p>
<p>Similar reports are posted on-line for other schools.</p>
<p>Temple had a complete security web page:</p>
<p>[–</a> Temple Univ. Campus Security Dept. --](<a href=“http://css.ocis.temple.edu/default.aspx]--”>http://css.ocis.temple.edu/default.aspx)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s awful. I’ve been shot and killed many times in my three years here.</p>
<p>My son currently takes classes and music lessons at Temple (dual enrolled as a high school senior). The neighborhood is not great but there is A LOT of security. I have taken classes at night at Temple and I did not feel unsafe walking alone at night since there is so much security present. The neighborhood has greatly improved over the years.</p>
<p>I agree a car would be a pain in the butt. Public transportation - both the subway and regional rail stop right at Temple so it’s very easy to get to and get to other places from. Philly is a great town and so much to do. My son with his TU ID goes to see the Philadelphia Orchestra FREE almost every week. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>Cars in big cities are also a pain in the wallet! Parking is wildly expensive, IF you can get it,factor in the inevitable parking tickets and your insurance rates could skyrocket (no, you don’t really have to tell the company that the car is there, but if something happens to it at 3:30 on a Monday morning, a good answer would come in handy!). Philly has good public transportation- although those recently inconvenienced by the SEPTA strike might argue that- so that shouldn’t be a deterrent. The train has always been a terrific way to live out along the Main Line and commute to Center City- Bryn Mawr and Haverford are closer in on the line so there is a lot of housing available and I know that it has been quite common for folks along there to rent rooms/private apts in their houses to students at pretty good rates.
Housing in any city is higher on the cost scale, but the school will have informtion about available places.You can also look at MyNewPlace.com or any of the apartment finder services you can pull up on Google; have the zip code of the school handy and you can find out exactly how far it is and what public transportation is nearby.
The area around Temple as always been seen as less than delightful, and has always been poorly lit-why?- but there are campus escort services which will send someone to walk with a student, or pick her up in a campus vehicle (just let them know they will be needed in plenty of time…), so common sense will go a long way towards safety. Females walking alone, or even in pairs, are common “targets” for the guys in cars who have had more than a few too many drinks- just don’t engage them in conversation and keep moving towards populated areas.</p>
<p>diontechristmas, that made me laugh!</p>
<p>Good. That was my intention :)</p>