Philadelphia area colleges

Parents Forum
21

<p>I attended a 3-day event at Temple (not a university-related event) and I found the area near campus depressing and bleak. The event was in the main gym and every door was locked and we needed to get guards to open the doors, if we went outside and came back at a time other than when the events were starting/ending. The campus seemed to be an isolated oasis. During our time there, we hardly saw any students on campus–we went to the student center for coffee and it was nearly empty. The neighborhood surrounding the campus was sketchy–run-down buildings, trash on the streets, few retail stores. Someone with us needed Advil and we drove quite some time before finding a store. In fact, I never did see a CVS or Walgreens or a grocery store. </p>

<p>Unless there were some compelling academic/financial reason to go to Temple, I don’t think I’d be comfortable having my kid go there. While surroundings don’t necessarily define a college, IMO there are some surroundings that are difficult to ignore. I admit it’s a gut reaction–I feel the same way about Worcester, MA. I worked at Clark University for 3 years and the neighborhood surrounding it had that same bleak and disturbing vibe for me. I’ve been through the college search process with 4 kids/stepkids, so I’ve seen a number of campuses in the Northeast and Midwest.</p>

22

<p>Wow are you serious? You were probably on campus during the summer, when there aren’t too many students around, and if they take summer classes, they’re taking them and going home after, not hanging around on campus. I interned at Temple this summer and it was pretty empty all summer.</p>

<p>I dont know how you could describe our campus as bleak. Drexel is bleak. LaSalle is bleak. Temple isn’t bleak.</p>

<p>By main gym, I assume you mean the Liacouras Center (no one calls it a gym, because it’s not a gym). Those doors are locked the whole year, unless a basketball game or concert is going on. There’s actually only one door open right now, so I’m not sure why you needed someone to open it for you, unless of course, you couldn’t figure out that the 3rd door from the right is open. The only reason to go to the LC now anyway is for students to get their football tickets.</p>

<p>Again, the student center was empty because everyone went home after their classes were over for the day. I assure you, right now the SAC is completely packed. The other reason it was empty could’ve been because they were doing some renovations/improvements on the SAC. No one gets coffee there anyway. The places to get coffee on campus are Saxbys on Liacouras Walk, at Richie’s and all of the other food pads, at Dunkin’ Donuts, at the Starbucks at Barnes and Noble, and at the Starbucks inside of the TECH Center.</p>

<p>‘Few retail stores’: They’re building more. We’re also like 5 minutes from Center City, so it’s not like we’re completely isolated from any retail stores. We have everything we need on campus anyway.</p>

<p>‘Someone with us needed Advil and we drove quite some time before finding a store. In fact, I never did see a CVS or Walgreens or a grocery store.’:</p>

<p>Well then you’re blind, because there is a Rite Aid and a Walgreens on campus. You also could’ve gotten Advil at either of the 7-11s on campus, and at the campus book store in the SAC.</p>

<p>‘Grocery store’: You must really be blind, because there’s a humungous, multi-level Fresh Grocer that just opened this year. In fact, Michelle Obama was there at the opening. Have you heard of her?</p>

<p>[THE</a> ILLADELPH: Michelle Obama Visits Fresh Grocer In North Philadelphia](<a href=“http://theilladelph.blogspot.com/2010/02/michelle-obama-visits-fresh-grocer-in.html]THE”>http://theilladelph.blogspot.com/2010/02/michelle-obama-visits-fresh-grocer-in.html)</p>

<p>I have to laugh at your typical suburban mindset towards the ‘big, scary city’. I’m from one of the safest, wealthiest suburbs of Philadelphia. I originally attended BU, but left and transferred to Temple. While at BU, my friend was pistol whipped right on Commonwealth Ave. in broad daylight. But I’m sure you wouldn’t hesitate to send your kid to school in Boston, now would you?</p>

<p>You couldn’t know less about my school, and it’s almost laughable how inaccurate your post is.</p>