<p>How bad is New Haven, really? I've lived in Manhattan for all of my life and am decidedly a city girl. I'm scared at the idea of being cut off for four years from the museums, restaurants, clubs, sights, parks, exquisite details of New York. Columbia has been my first choice for months, but I want to be persuaded to like Yale - and if someone could tell me good things about New Haven, it would help a lot.</p>
<p>Okay, and in case New Haven is the black hole / slum many claim it is - how easy is it to come down to New York on weekends?</p>
<p>It's actually pretty easy to get to NY on weekends (two of my suitemates went there yesterday to see Phantom, actually, and last time my mom came to visit, we went and spent our Saturday at MoMA)... if you take the MetroNorth train from New Haven to Grand Central, it takes around an hour and a half and it only costs about $26 round trip.</p>
<p>I admit that New Haven isn't quite as big-city-ish as New York, but it's definitely not a "black hole/slum". There are two (admittedly small, but cool nonetheless) museums run by Yale less than a block from campus, there are a TON of really good restaurants within walking distance, a couple of good night clubs (one or two of the others are a little sketchy, though)... there aren't really any BIG parks, but each of hte colleges has a nice quad/green in the middle, and the New Haven green and Wooster square are also fun to walk through. Nothing on the scale of Central Park, though.</p>
<p>I think the only way to really know if Yale/New Haven is city-ish enough for you would be to come visit, though - are you coming to Bulldog days?</p>
<p>Yes, I'm coming to Bulldog Days. I mean I've seen Yale itself and it's very beautiful - I'm just concerned about feeling a little stifled. I guess I'll see! Thanks, athena_wiles.</p>
<p>Pristine--I'm usually a big advocate for Yale, but it sounds as if you love Manhattan so much that Columbia might be the better choice for you. When most people worry about New Haven being "bad," they're afraid it's too urban/scary, but that's clearly not your concern. While New Haven does have some nice museums, restaurants, etc., it's obviously not in Manhattan's league; most Yalies center their lives more around the campus than around the town. For some, that's an attraction of Yale--they like the idea of a more intense campus experience, where kids are less likely to scatter all over the city on nights and weekends. It's not hard to go to Manhattan on weekends, but it's a schlep (about 2 hours door-to-door each way), and it seems a bit of a waste of the Yale experience.</p>
<p>i've lived in the new haven area for over ten years now and it's gotten much better (Cleaner, more shops, more vibrant overall). Trust me, New Haven isn't as bad as what some people make it out to be.</p>
<p>Yes, I'm coming to Bulldog Days. I'm just concerned about feeling a little stifled. I guess I'll see! </p>
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<p>Sounds like a great plan. New Haven is not a black hole/slum by any measure, but no one else can tell you whether you'll be happy living somewhere...just keep an open mind and talk to some other New Yorkers on campus and you'll find your answer.</p>
<p>mmmm... i definitely agree with the "talk to some other New Yorkers on campus" suggestion. one of my roommates is an avid manhattan-ite, and she hasn't found new haven to be at all stfling/etc., but if you have questions about the differences between living in NY and living in New Haven, there are plenty of NYC yalies around who'd be more than happy to help</p>
<p>Living in Maryland as the daughter of a New Yorker, I tend to view places and ask myself if the town has good ethnic diversity. New Haven, in this respect, was phenominal and the best of any school I visited. The town is a little run down in places it seems, and like any city, it has its "bad parts," but this is to be expected. As anyone who has lived in a city can tell you, every city has bad parts and good parts and a general set of rules to live by. New Haven is no different. It is one of the nicest environments I have seen.</p>
<p>I am a native New Yorker who has been living on the outskirts of New Haven since 1990. In those 15 years, New Haven has come a long, long way! I think that it's a great small city and getting better by the minute. Run down neighborhoods are becoming gentrified and abandoned factories are becoming hip condos. There is nothing to fear on our streets. But you'll find: a growing artists scene, lots of music clubs, theatres, museums, galleries and restaurants of every ethnic persuasion. And the pizza is fantastic! I take advantage taking Metro North to NYC whenever I can. We are also very close to the beautiful CT shoreline, parks for hiking, skiing, etc. It takes only 2 1/2 hours (or less) to drive to Boston. Yale has a tremendous influence on one's intellectual life, but there is also allot going on at the other Universities like Southern, Quinnipiac and about a dozen other schools. Of course, it isn't NYC--what else is? As a side note, as a freelance writer, I've written articles about Yale and had to interview undergrads and grads from around the USA and abroad. All are taken with New Haven. Truthfully, Yale is a very international place. Your roommate is likely to hail from Belarus or the Bronx.</p>
<p>My D is a graduating Senior (not attending Yale--she doesn't want to be that close to home) and in the past year we've visited quite a few urban campuses. As I walked around many a quad, I kept saying, "Very, nice--but it doesn't compare to Yale." I really mean it.</p>