"Safety" Schools

<p>I think what matters more than the exact number of miles the students live from the center of a city is how they use the city and how often; that is usually indicative of the surrounding area's role in campus life. In my experiences with NYU, Tufts, and Brown, for instance (granted, I have only gone to Brown, but I have visited the other two numerous times and have many friends at each), NYU students use the city the most (not surprising), but then I think that on the whole--and I know this doesn't mean everyone, but on the whole--Tufts students really make more thorough use of Boston than Brown students do of Providence. I chalk this up to the wealth of activities on the Brown campus and the general feeling that you don't NEED to leave to find something to do or to buy what you need, but then, Tufts has a huge wealth of resources on campus, too.</p>

<p>But anyway, my point is that the proximity of a city is of no significance unless you use said city, and so being 10 minutes walking from the heart of Providence is probably no more necessary than being 10 minutes on the T from the heart of Boston.</p>

<p>Northern Maine is remote. Rural Wyoming is remote. Western Pennsylvania is remote. </p>

<p>According to the Tufts website, Tufts is FIVE MILES northwest of Boston. And it is accesible by subway. If Tufts is remote, then virtually every college in the US is remote. </p>

<p>I think the term "remote" should be saved for colleges that are really and truly remote (like Grinnell).</p>

<p>Yes, it is essentially about choice for the students. But when it becomes an inconvenience, then it is not such an even choice. And like you said, it does matter how students make use of their surroundings, but by a reciprocal effect, location shapes the mentality of the students.</p>