<p>In a year he will be doing things like this as a matter of course if he is in college. So, he should be either ready for it or you better work hard in the next year to make him ready for it. </p>
<p>This trip may actually be a good way to have HIM plan out a safe route (ie. specific directions and paying attention to what time of day he would be in the questionable areas). Have him go over his plans, contingency plans and emergency info with you. </p>
<p>One other comment; how “street smart” is he? For instance, does he know it is safer to walk a crowded street than an empty one? You may want to discuss this with him, especially if he hasn’t been in a large city situation before.</p>
<p>After you get to Port Authority, you will get on a subway and switch at 125th street to get on the D train to Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse. From there your child would have to get on a number 12 (I think) bus to the campus. </p>
<p>Frankly, as someone from the Bronx, who took some summer classes many years ago at Fordham, and who still lives in the NY metro area, I would never have your son make this trip alone. If it was a straight trip on the subway, maybe. But the buses are always a time issue, and negotiating which corner is for which stop is confusing. Additionally, the neighborhood is very urban. If your son isn’t experienced in this kind of environment, he may be very uncomfortable.</p>
<p>My daughter flew from CA to NY city alone at 16 for a summer program. It was her first trip alone and her first visit to NY. She had a phone with unlimited texting, internet access and gps. It really allowed her to keep me informed, to make sure she was going in the right direction, and to find bus and train routes if needed. </p>
<p>I really recommend this type of device. It helped so much she could see the shuttle from the airport could not find the address so she got out of the van a couple of blocks away from her destination and walked.</p>
<p>My D boarded a plane on her 18th birthday to go from Texas to the East Coast. She flew to Philly, took shuttle to Delaware to see friends, took bus to Ithaca NY, bus to Purchase, train to NYC, cabs in NYC, and flew home from LaGuardia. Also did trips to Chicago and tried for Cincinnati but got snowed in in Dallas of all places. She spent nights in hotels and airports…a total of more than 14 days aways from home…all by herself. I prepared comprehensive itineraries with a sheet for each day, print outs of cab company info, hotel info, nearby restaurants, etc. so she pulled the sheet for each day and had what she needed. One meltdown, in Grand Central Station, but otherwise great, productive trips. We talked constantly and she was very proud of herself. I felt that getting through the trips, especially the East Coast one, was a good indicator she could do well in NYC, where she now attends college!</p>
<p>When I was 16, I took the greyhound from upstate NY to central MI and back. Changed buses couple of times. Had never been traveling by myself before.</p>
<p>I thought it was great fun, but frankly, now that I look back on it, I don’t know what my parents were thinking letting me do that. But then, I’ve wondered that many times about other things they did.</p>
<p>As a NYer, the only part of this plan that gives me any pause is the night trip on a bus. Make sure his wallet in secured in such a way that he can’t be pickpocketed while he is sleeping. </p>
<p>For the rest, again, I’d recommend taking the bus to Port Authority, especially if he has to book round trip both ways. Why? Penn Station isn’t a bus station; it’s a train station. That means the bus probably parks somewhere outside on the street and he would be waiting for it outside in the elements. At Port Authority, he would be inside with other people waiting for the bus. </p>
<p>He can exit Port Authority at 42nd Street and walk straight across from 9th or 8th Ave, depending upon which building he comes into, and walk East to 42nd and Park, where he enters Grand Central. At 7:15 ish, there should be folks outside walking to work. Alternatively, he can get on the subway and take the shuttle one stop to Grand Central or he can take the #7, which I think is two stops. </p>
<p>At Grand Central, he can exit the subway and go upstairs to the main concourse, where he can buy a ticket to the Fordham Road station. It’s more expensive than the subway, but not bad. In 20-25 minutes, he’ll be at the Fordham Road station, which is right next to the campus. </p>
<p>Again, I think the only “iffy” part is the bus ride. My biggest concern would be pickpockets.</p>