Okay, so I recently got accepted into these two and I really like both of them but for different reasons.
Financially, Clark is going to be more expensive (30k Temple, 42k Clark COA) but it is not a major concern.
Temple is in Philly, and I really want to be in a big city. It also has lots of food offering which is really important to me. On the other hand, it is in a bad part of the city, so I don’t know if it would really be worth it to give up on Clark to go there just for the city.
I love that Clark has a more traditional campus and it looks more academic than Temple. It has lower faculty to student ratio. It is ranked much higher. But it seems to be in a somewhat boring city and not in the best neighborhood either. Boston is like an hour away so I can visit frequently, but I wouldn’t really be LIVING in a big and exciting city.
I love the academic offerings of both, but Clark seems to be superior when it comes to that.
They are very different. Temple is a large, public university. It isn’t in a great neighborhood, but it’s improving, and the immediate campus area is quite safe. Disclaimer: I have a son at Temple. Philly is a fabulous city for young people, because it is relatively affordable, yet has all the sports, arts, food, culture, etc. that you would seek in a city. It’s more problematic once you are considering long-term employment, or raising a family, but it’s a fun place to be young. Its winters are more temperate than New England’s, which might be a consideration this year. Clark is very highly regarded, also. Have you visited both? You might want to shop around for some deals on hotels in Philly (Groupon, LivingSocial, et al often have some great offers), and spend a weekend there before deciding.
Both are good schools but as you noted, they are hugely different. You have done a good job of recognizing the pros and cons of each school, but only you can decide which is the best fit. I’d suggest that you visit the two schools again and see if that makes things clear to you.
Clark University. Personal attention, the smallest research university in the country with the flavor of an LAC. Proximity to Boston. In a city that provides boundless opportunities for community service and involvement. Not a public or city college. The “horror” of Worcester is overstated. The campus is actually quite lovely, with beautiful buildings that range from collegiate Gothic to late 60s Brutalist. They harmonize nicely. On the north side of campus, Clark is adjacent to the Worcester Historic Area, that is comprised of lovely Victorian homes, built for the scions of industry that built Worcester. The campus is heavily patrolled and there are alarm boxes every ten feet. Escorts are available and common sense is encouraged. Bad things can happen in the woods, too.
When we visited, my wife expected that Worcester would have gotten much worse in 30 years. In fact, it was slightly better.