<p>If Columbia is being actively assaulted by Byerly, it can be for only one reason: it has finally become notable competition for Harvard admissions. </p>
<p>For the record, I am in my seventh semester at Columbia and I have neither witnessed, experienced, been the victim of, known anyone involved with, or even heard of a violent or even petty crime in Morningside Heights. Twice in that time I have heard of muggings in the far peripheries of the neighborhood which contain nothing of value for any student to approach at any time of day anyway- in other words, not places one would ever walk. </p>
<p>Most crime in New York is committed, by far, in far-flung isolated neighborhoods in the outer boroughs. And even within Manhattan, Morningside Heights is an absurd little cocoon.</p>
<p>In any event, it is always hilarious to hear Columbia being assailed for its location (not even in Morningside Heights, but typically "New York" in general) by its Ivy peers, the majority of whose alumni flock to Manhattan to work in its law firms, consultancy offices, and investment banks.</p>
<p>To my mind, the "campus" includes most of the neighborhood of Morningside heights, from Riverside Drive to Morningside Drive, between 110th and 122nd st. That entire neighborhood is essentially the 2nd-safest in the city after the upper east side.</p>
<p>The important consideration for parents and potential applicants isn't the statistics and comparisons to peer institutions, it's whether the neighborhood is "safe", in some objective manner. The New York of 2006 is very different from the New York that my mom grew up in, such that when (as an applicant from the boston area) I applied and wanted to go, my mom was horrified. Many people of her generation still have this idea of New York as the crime-riddled dump it was in the 1970s. A visit and some overnights will easily convince the students otherwise, and the parents will take some time but will come around.</p>
<p>I'm very amused by the comments following the table in Byerly's first link. It compares Philadelphia and New York to the United States at large, somehow thinking that they aren't comparing apples and oranges. And yet, look at the comments - everyone in Philly is ranting about how nobody should come to their city and they're trying to get out as fast as possible. With a few minor exceptions, everyone in New York is posting about how much they love it. Draw your own conclusions.</p>
<p>Columbia is hardly being "assaulted" be me. </p>
<p>That is a silly thing to say. </p>
<p>I simply wonder what the original poster thought we were to infer from the link provided. </p>
<p>I did not initiate this thread, and have made no claims whatsoever, other than that, for the reasons stated, "campus crime" stats should generally be taken with a grain of salt.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, it's a substantial logical leap, perpetrated by you, Byerly, that this thread has anything to do with "Cambridge...Ithaca...[or] Hanover". You initiated the competitive aspect of this discussion.</p>
<p>Don't be silly. If no "comparative" assumption was intended, then there was no basis for the original post. </p>
<p>Who cares, really, if NYC is "safer" than Miami or Houston? </p>
<p>On this site, on the Columbia page, the implication can only be that applicants should not steer clear of Columbia on "safety" grounds. All well and good. But I doubt if the potential audience was those considering Rice or the University of Miami as alternatives.</p>
<p>I felt the urge to check some of your past posts and you have a history of writing negative or provocative comments about every school except Harvard. Other people seem to be able to represent their or their child's school without being bulldog ;) about it. You MUST be an attorney, probably a litigator (and I suspect a fine one). Your comments are not in the spirit of this board and have a troll-like quality. You are a grown up. You need to tone it down a little.</p>
<p>One wonders who is behaving in a "troll-like" fashion here. </p>
<p>I have never said one "negative or prevocative" word about Columbia, which is, in fact, my brother's alma mater. He lives not far from there, and I visit the city often. </p>
<p>I have a suggestion for parents or potential students who want to get a feel for safety at any campus: read the student newspaper. City papers aside, student newspapers report when bad things happen on campus or to students.</p>