<p>I am looking into Notre Dame but a lot of people tell me to go to BC or Georgetown because Boston and DC are so much better locations than South Bend.</p>
<p>Can someone tell me about the quality of life in South Bend and what are the things available for students to do off campus, what is the schedule for public transportation to Chicago, etc. </p>
<p>I want to go to a great college but I also don't want to feel like I am stranded on an island and cannot easily get to the real world once in a while for a change of scenery.</p>
<p>It is really easy to get to Chicago--there is a bus from campus that will drop at either airport, and lots of students have cars. </p>
<p>I went to college in a really cool city and in a dump, and it made no difference. You think you want to get off campus, but in actuality you never do. The advantage that the dumpy town had over the cool town was that rent and general cost of living was a lot lower--we had a great house for very little money, where in the cool town rentals were difficult and expensive and parking was out of the question.</p>
<p>How big of a dump is South Bend? Do any students live off campus? How much are the typical rents near campus and is it safe? I do not want to necessarily live in a dorm all four years if I don't have to.</p>
<p>Want to add to previous posts as I have 2 daughters-one at ND and one at Boston University. I also grew up in South Bend. While people are very correct in commenting on the surrounding area to campus as having little to offer, I like to let people know that South Bend is a large community with many affluent areas. Its a common misconception about the town. </p>
<p>Having gone to a non-metropolitan school myself I agree that those schools often offer more on-campus based fun and the experience in more internal than external. While my Boston daughter is loving her experience, there is no minimizing the huge additional recreational expense of that experience.</p>
<p>I kind of like how the city forces the center of life to be on campus.</p>
<p>Of course, Ive only been there for weekends at a time, so I cant offer the prospective of a student. But, I appreciate how most students are centered on campus and I think the city of south bend has something to do about that.</p>
<p>I don't think anyone who has responded so far actually goes to ND, so I'll give it a shot while I try to put off my arabic hwk a little longer. I have stayed on campus most of the time I have been here, and it really hasn't been a problem at all. There is a ton to do on campus, and if you do get bored, there are always off campus parties at upperclassman's apartments. I don't feel stranded, and I really don't ever feel the need to go off unless I'm going to a party or if I need to buy something. I wouldn't really even worry about South Bend when you are deciding whether or not to come here, assuming you get in that is.</p>
<p>Based on Son's experience so far (soph), I will second danbrenn's comments. Son rarely leaves campus unless it is a party--he really does not have time to be off-campus. His workload is such (according to him so far) that the issue of being off campus is almost nill. When he isn't working on coursework, I think he is trying to catch up on sleep(weekends). In fact, I don't think he is all that interested in moving off-campus. He made the comment that he was not really interested in having to drive to campus (from an apt or house), find a place to park, then get to class on time. He said that right now, why would he want to live off-campus? Dining halls are super convenient, classes are even more convenient, etc. I get the impression that there is plenty to do on campus, and if you want to go off campus, it might not be Boston or Chicago (1 1/2 hrs away), but it is still a very convenient place to go to college. It does indeed foster the sense of community that perhaps other urban campuses may not promote. I guess that when deciding on a campus, you have to decide what is important to you. If you visit South Bend, and not just the campus, you should be able to get a feel for how it compares to other urban campuses.</p>
<p>I am hearing you say you love South Bend because the city forces you to stay on campus?</p>
<p>Seems similar to loving the frigid winters because it forces you to stay inside the house. I understand the value of a tight knit community and I'm sure the people in the green zone in Baghdad have a rather tight knit community feeling as well.</p>
<p>I think you just completely misunderstood what was said. We often stay on campus because our needs and wants are taken care of on campus. We don't need to go off campus for that much. It's not the same thing as saying we stay on campus because the surrounding city is terrible.</p>
<p>I have been in Law Enforcement for over 33 years and since the day daughter arrived on campus I sleep well at night, that said anywhere can be dangerous, ND is in close proximity to South Bend but for the most parts you really don't need to go there, and not all of SB is as being depicted.As with most cities there are places that you advise people not to travel to and avoid and others are no problems.This also applies to cities like Philly,Boston,NY,.... pick some place. </p>
<p>As indicated above there is so much to do on campus and in the burbs of ND that with the time needed for class commitments there is not much time left and if you do want or need to go down town to SB use the same common sense that you should utilize in any of the aforemention locations.</p>
<p>I am posting as a parent of a current ND freshman who has lived the last 30 years one hour south of S. Bend. I have never thought S. Bend's crime nearly as bad as it is portrayed on boards or in college forums. Yes, it is kind of dirty and dumpy in parts (coming in from the south isn't particularly attractive...)</p>
<p>The campus is beautiful and safe. It is very insulated and bubble-like. Do people need to take the usual precautions? Sure, but I can honestly say I have worried about tons of things since August, but his safety was not one of them.</p>
<p>Another thing you didn't have to worry about was the coolness of his dorm. A lot of people worry about the fact that their son is placed in a lame dorm (<em>cough</em> Dillon <em>cough</em>) but at least your son had the good fortune of being placed in a truly sweet residence.</p>
<p>I walk a couple blocks to work, and have to walk back in the dark. I have walked to and from off campus apartments in the middle of the night. Never had any problems. Plus with Eddy Commons it will get nicer in the immediate vicinity. I am from a big city, but I like just staying on campus because its convenient and frankly, I don't get bored with the people here.</p>
<p>South Bend is SO different from the days when I was in school. As a native midwesterner, I never had a problem with it, although there were some iffy sections downtown, where I used to go sell my plasma cause the three jobs were still not enough to meet all the tuition increases. I also had a friend from ND who got shot in downtown by a stray bullet that someone had shot into the air, but that was a random fluke thing that could have happened anywhere. I did grow weary of fellow students from the coasts, whose complaints about South Bend seemed more just like whining about the Midwest in general (too flat, no beaches, cold, lake-effect snow, etc.) I also had friends from the coasts who loved the convenience to Chicago, the seasons, and the ability to see the stars. Moreover, for those who embrace the spirit of Notre Dame, the location really doesn't matter.</p>
<p>We go back with our children every year, and can assure you that South Bend is much different than it was in the late 80's, when I was there. It seems very suburban now. There is still easy access to Chicago to take in a ball game, a concert, or whatever one might seek from a large city. We still feel free to wander most areas at night. I guess part of the reason I never really was concerned about it being a smaller city was that I could never really afford the expense of a bigger city. Plus, in college, I never really had time to do much beyond campus anyway.</p>
<p>I agree. South Bend is horrific but Notre Dame is terrific. If you are on a gated manicured campus with security and you never go off campus, who cares where it is located?</p>
<p>This is a parent of NDfanfromCV, and I have to disagree with what I have read so far about South Bend and the negative comments. Granted I was only there for a short time while my son attended a football camp at ND two summers ago. My sister and I stayed in SB for the week and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and never once felt in any kind of danger. We visited numerous restaurants, the mall, went downtown to the Sports Museum and went to the Amish area, etc., and just loved it!! Maybe we missed something, but what we saw was a beautiful, midwestern town. I would return in a heartbeat!</p>