<p>I love some schools such as Cornell and Dartmouth but am not sure if a super rural campus is for me. I love how at rural campuses, one does not need to worry as much about safety in the way a person would in NYC, Philly, Chicago, etc...I also love how pristine the campuses look and the community feel on a more rural and isolated campus. I also love the charm of small towns. </p>
<p>One thing that makes me hesitant is that I am not a partier...at all...and feel that an isolated rural campus will have a huge Greek life and drinking presence for entertainment (which Dartmouth and Cornell undoubtedly have). There are fewer options for a non-partier away from a city.</p>
<p>I also feel that it will be hard to be away from any malls, airports to get home easily, etc. </p>
<p>Anyone think I should avoid rural campuses altogether? I love a lot of schools in rural areas but don't know if I should cross them off my list..and I can't visit b/c of financial reasons...aaggghhh!</p>
<p>apple: I am looking at urban and suburban schools too...I'm just stuck on whether or not to eliminate some rural schools I'm looking at b/c I have a really long college list...</p>
<p>kwu: the rural colleges I'm looking at (reaches, matches, and safties) are:</p>
<p>Cornell
Dartmouth
Davidson
Denison
Franciscan
Williams
Amherst
Swarthmore
Middlebury
Bowdoin
Hamilton
Bates</p>
<p>I would not place Denison in the rural category (Kenyon is rural). The town of Granville is very quaint and a short walk down the hill from the school. Columbus OH is about a 30 minute drive away.</p>
<p>I wouldn't say that the only activity is drinking at rural schools and I wouldn't recommend eliminating them for that reason alone. Typically at rural schools the activities and stimulation simply come from the school itself instead of the surrounding area. Is there a lot of drinking at Dartmouth and Cornell? Of course, but there will be a lot of drinking everywhere except Bob jones university.</p>
<p>In many ways a smaller college town is an ideal haven for students. Ithaca, Ann Arbor, and Weirton are hardly rural. Swarthmore's location makes Philly an easy destination, and would hardly be called rural. </p>
<p>More significant are your concerns about transportation. It can be difficult getting home or to your college if it is not near a place that has connections to your home. Again, it depends on where you live, and what transportation is available. With gas prices where they are, travel is going to be expensive. Most colleges we know have shuttles available to airports or other places to connect to transportation during key breaks, but it is a lot easier when you go to a college that has a direct line to your home city. </p>
<p>My good friend was so happy when her son graduated from his rural/small town school because it was a 3 1/2 hour drive to the college with no transportation directly to his home town. He would have to take a bus to either of two cities (2 hours away) and get transportation home from there. Either way it was a 5 or more hours ordeal unless he got a ride home, which is what he most often did. I am a bit worried about my son's college because it is so far and there is no direct flight home. He has to transfer. That is something to consider in looking at schools if money is tight.</p>
<p>I know exactly how you feel! I got around it by applying to schools like Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr... When you're standing in the campus, it seems rural, and they're safe, but Philly is only 20 minutes or so away. I picked a lot of schools that were in the suburbs of cities so I could enjoy my grass and trees but still have something to do outside of the campus.</p>
<p>Safety is a concern at EVERY school. There was a tragic murder of a student at Dartmouth a few years ago, on PARENTS WEEKEND.....she had been out drinking with friends (I have no idea why) while her parents were at their hotel, she walked home and met her terrible fate. It can happen anywhere. Some suburban and urban campuses are actually very very safe. You can check the stats online for safety, because they are required to report their crime stats to the government. It may surprise you. Fordham, for example, had less crime than Wake Forest. </p>
<p>That being said, MOST crime having to do with college campuses is not violent crime or sexual crime, its simple larceny....stealing computers, Ipods, cameras or books.....so lock your dorm room when you leave or go to bed at night. And stay away from alcohol abuse. </p>
<p>Not picking at Dartmouth, just using it as an example of what can happen...anywhere.</p>
<p>Definitely check the schools out if you can. Sometimes the image you get by seeing the school on paper or on the computer is totally different when you actually experience it for yourself.</p>
<p>If you wouldn't want to stay on campus over the weekend, rural school's probably aren't for you. However, schools like Dartmouth do offer skiing mountains and other activities if you're into outdoorsy stuff. And drinking is rarely the only available activity!</p>
<p>Cornell- Biiig school, I doubt this would feel terribly stifling.
Dartmouth- Rural, but offers outdoor activities.
Davidson- Okay, I live in Davidson, and it's about 20-30 minutes from Charlotte, NC and 10-15 min from malls and shopping centers, but I do get the impression students stay on campus/in the immediate town more often than go out.
Denison
Franciscan
Williams- Ditto Dartmouth
Amherst
Swarthmore- Right by Philly!
Middlebury
Bowdoin
Hamilton
Bates</p>
<p>Big schools in non-city areas still feel like communities even with no city in sight. And some LACs you mentioned are right near cities! Visiting is the best way to decide which environment is best for you.</p>
<p>IMHO, these are among the very best of the nation's colleges (including the Ivys) for an undergraduate education and they are suburban with easy access to a city!</p>
<p>Is Ithaca, NY anything like Ann Arbor, MI? I love Ann Arbor and the area around UMich b/c there are so many shops and restaurants? Is the area around Cornell similar b/c then I would not have a problem in Ithaca? The only really rural schools left on my list are Dartmouth, Syracuse, Ohio U, and UIndiana-Bloomington...any more info about what there is to do?</p>