<p>College Navigator paints a great picture when it comes to campus security, but what about the city of Worcester itself? I checked the CC history and saw some posts from 2008, and I'm wondering if anything has changed. </p>
<p>For example, the walk from campus to the train station (for those weekend trips to Boston I'm hoping to make) is an easy 2 miles or so, but if I get back into town late at night can I get back to campus safely? I don't see a bus route from the station to campus.</p>
<p>WPI and the sorrounding area (with a radius of around .2 miles) is very safe. There are very few incidents of robbery and mugging and even fewer incidents (one or two in the last five years) of violent crime. However, Worcester is not necessarily the nicest city and it would be wise to take caution while going away from campus at night. </p>
<p>As for going to the bus station, there is a service called SNAP which provides escort service during the night to non-commercial locations (such as off-campus housing or the trian station) so this shouldn’t be an issue. There is also a shuttle which goes during normal hours to the Worcester Union Station and Taxis are also an option.</p>
<p>Overall, I would say WPI is a very safe place and the main drawback of Worcester that WPI students face is that there isn’t as much to do in Worcester as say, Boston. The clubs are generally mediocrer (I am not really a clubber) and there aren’t really any first rate restaurants around WPI but these shouldn’t be an issue unless you have an excess of money, something rare among college students. </p>
<p>But Worcester has its plusses. There is the American Antiquarian Society, Higgons Armory (a museum about armor), and many good yet affordable dining options along with many other colleges in the region which make Worcesterr a pseudo “college town”.</p>
<p>As a parent, I had some reservations about Worcester for my daughter. She is a freshman this year. However, she mostly (and always at night) goes with someone when leaving campus. She and a friend wanted to go to a minor league hockey game. It was also raining that night. They got SNAP to take them to the train station, which is next door to the hockey arena. Clever use of the system, but gaming it a little. </p>
<p>There may not as much to do in Worcester as in Boston. But the tickets can be a lot cheaper and easier to get. Try getting a Red Sox or Bruins ticket at the last minute can be a challenge, but there are minor league teams around WPI that have ticket avialble for a lot less money.</p>