<p>I am from Southern CA and know nothing about NJ...how safe is this college and the surrounding areas?</p>
<p>[Rutgers</a> Police | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey](<a href=“University Public Safety | Institutional Planning and Operations”>University Public Safety | Institutional Planning and Operations)</p>
<p>There is a link on that page to a PDF of crime statistics for all three campuses (Newark, Camden, and the largest, New Brunswick–they are in different parts of the state).</p>
<p>The campuses of all three are patrolled pretty heavily. Townwise, Newark and Camden, are, well, Newark and Camden. Not garden spots. New Brunswick has its gritty areas but also a pleasant downtown that’s reasonably safe. I wouldn’t walk around alone there at night, but few places are that safe anymore.</p>
<p>New Brunswick is much safer than the Newark and Camden campuses (both not as selective as New Brunswick). </p>
<p>By the way, they are not close to each other.</p>
<p>Like all colleges, especially for women, the campus itself is much, much less safe than the surrounding areas (that would be true for Newark and Camden as well.) (Same is true in So. Cal.)</p>
<p>I suspect that it is about the same as other large state schools. I went there (and I was never assaulted, robbed or anything else) back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth , so my experience may not be very relevant. </p>
<p>However, make smart choices (like avoiding alcohol at parties) and your odds for a problem will be greatly diminished.</p>
<p>I see you have already posted on the Rutgers specific board…but here you go from a parent’s perspective. </p>
<p>Rutgers New Brunswick is made up of 4 campuses with a 24/7 bus system linking them, as you really can’t walk between them. 2 are in New Brunswick, College Ave & Cook/Douglas and 2 in Piscataway (Livingston & Busch). College Ave is considered the ‘main’ campus and is the home of the arts & science college/liberal arts and is where all the frats & sororities houses are located. It is bordered to the south & west by gritty part of New Brunswick. Students are told during orientation where that is. </p>
<p>Cook/Douglas is the home to the Ag School and Mason Gross performing arts. It houses the largest goat herd in NJ (120+), 20+ retired standardbred mares (horses) and lots of cows, pigs and sheep. I’m sure many of New Brunswicks ‘finer’ residents have no clue how rural this campus feels. </p>
<p>The Piscataway campuses house the athletic facilities, the pharmacy school and the business schools and have some of the newest dorms. </p>
<p>What else?</p>
<p>Our DS graduated from Mason Gross and lived on Cook Campus.
He loved visiting the farm!</p>
<p>We live in morris county and had no idea Rutgers has that rural piece!</p>