<p>
[quote]
Yale is in a filthy and dangerous part of New Haven.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Wait, there's a non-filthy and dangerous part of New Haven? ;)</p>
<p>To answer the OP: No, college in Manhattan is not a "full college experience." Even if your school has the amenities and trappings of a "traditional" college, the effects of having the greatest city in the world at your doorstep have a powerful dampening effect at the campus life you always imagined.</p>
<p>Morningside Heights isn't particularly dangerous. Even Harlem isn't that dangerous. I lived for a couple months near the 1-train stop at 145th Street and Broadway while rebuilding my life from zero. Those familiar with Columbia or NYC will appreciate that this area is perceived as unsafe. Nonetheless, I never saw evidence that I had a reason to be afraid.</p>
<p>Even in the Bronx, there are reasonably safe areas. I don't personally have any experience with the area around Fordham. However, I've done business in the Bronx's Riverdale neighborhood, which is safe and almost feels suburban. Generalizations about an entire borough are irrelevant - what's needed is knowledge specific to a neighborhood.</p>
<p>NYU's neighborhood is not particularly dangerous, either.</p>
<p>NYC's crime statistics are actually below the national average. Admittedly, crime statistics don't tell the whole story. But even the worst neighborhoods of NYC, while having some crime, don't even begin to compare to the dangerous parts of some other cities.</p>
<p>Additionally, while the flagship campus of Rutgers is in New Brunswick, Rutgers DOES has a campus in Newark.</p>
<p>Rutgers also has a campus in Camden. Camden makes Newark look like a birthday party by comparison.</p>
<p>Thanks for that clarification Take3. Yes, Riverdale is a wonderful and beautiful section of the Bronx. The Bronx has several parks that are as big as Central Park. Manhattan College, a small private Christian Bros. school, is in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, which is less than 2 miles up the road from Fordham. In fact, whenever I drive to Fordham, I come across the George Washington Bridge, take Highway 9-the Henry Hudson Parkway north, drive along the parkway enjoying the stunning views of the river and uptown Manhattan, cross over the little toll bridge from Manhattan to the Bronx, pass Manhattan College and the Cloisters, turn right onto Moshulu Parkway and zip into Fordham University next to the gorgeous Botanical Gardens.</p>
<p>my friend goes to nyu and loves it - its like the whole city is a classroom - the best museums, shows, lectures - the worlds greatest thinkers alll pass thru nyc - why wouldn't u go there if you want the best? if u think of your college as the little pretty campus, then no - but if your campus is the entire city then maybe its the best college</p>
<p>Fordham's motto is thus: "New York is my campus. Fordham is my school."</p>
<p>hahahaha, Newark is really bad, but Camden is worse. It was ranked the second worse town in America four years in a row. I was mugged in Camden after coming home from a show in Philly. It was broad daylight too. Luckily all of my stuff was in my car so he just let me be. With the economy getting worse, bad areas get worse. I love how all of you are saying the city is safe, and I'm not saying it's not, but a lot more can happen than all of you are thinking.</p>
<p>To most people that ask these questions (and the majority of those that answer them coincidentally), "safe" is synonymous with white. The majority of the people that claim the area is dangerous have never had anything happen to them, and most never set foot into it long enough to even give an accurate assessment. Most of the stuff you'll hear about the Bronx is all conjecture, a combination of stories from people that lived there 15 years ago when it actually was dangerous and people that are afraid of anyone that doesn't look like they do.</p>
<p>Don't take my word for it, logon to nyc.gov and check the crime statistics. Even the most notorious areas of the Bronx are at to below the national average now. As a result of an unfortunate past, the Bronx has a stigma surrounding it that it will probably never be able to shake. </p>
<p>So to answer your question, Fordham is hell on earth with death lurking around every corner. Until you've been there a while and realize that cable television, music, and your grandparents weren't right after all.</p>
<p>Back to the original topic. I lived in Manhattan, but went to school at St John's. Big mistake. I always regretted not going away and having a traditional college experience. Also, any city school may have a large commuter population that disappears right after class.</p>
<p>I'll jump in on this one. I work near NYU and know lots of people who went there. Typical college experience? No. It's not for people who want rolling hills and big school spirit. It's for people who want to live in NYC and experience everything it has to offer.
As for your comments that you have to be a NY to really understand what goes on behind closed doors, that boroughs aren't safe, etc. . . I have to take issue with that. There are good neighborhoods and bad in every borough. Park Slope, Brooklyn? Very safe. East New York, Brooklyn? Not so much. </p>
<p>I'm sure the area around Fordham has its share of crime. But I've been there, walked around the campus (which is lovely, btw) and the neighborhood, and felt perfectly safe. The area draws thousands if not millions of tourists to the zoo and botanical gardens. I also have to agree with the poster who says that people would not regularly send their daughters (or sons) to an unsafe school. Sure, you don't want to walk around alone at night or carry huge wads of cash hanging out of your pockets, but that's good advice anywhere. Check out this link as well for more opinions. I know this thread isn't about Fordham, but . . .
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visits/fordham-university/comments12.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visits/fordham-university/comments12.html</a></p>
<p>Also, to the OP, there is also the Lincoln Center campus of Fordham, which is not in the Bronx, but in Lincoln Center (literally). I was at first worried at the thought of my daughter going to school in Manhattan until we spent a lot of time there (we have taken about five trips there in the last two years and have stayed 3 - 5 days each time) and I feel it is very safe in the City (compared to how it was when I grew up in NJ 30 years ago). I also have to point out that Gainesville, Fl (UF) is a sleepy little town where one would think there would be no worries, and Danny Rollings took care of that, just as Tallahassee (FSU) was always thought to be safe until Ted Bundy killed all those sorority girls in the 70's. My point is, even schools in "safe" neighborhoods are unsafe if serial killers or other crazies choose to go there (hello, Virginia Tech?)</p>
<p>As a student from Bronx Science (a HS quite close to Fordham), I can safely say that the area is not that dangerous at all. Normally you hear stories about incidents in the South Bronx but up there in the North Bronx, it's pretty much fine. </p>
<p>As for the original question, I'm a bit conflicted there myself too. On one hand I want to stay in the city and experience the city life but on the other hand I also want a normal college experience. I think whether or not going to school in Manhattan is considered a "full" college experience depends on the person. But I can definitely tell you that it won't be most people's definition of a normal experience.</p>