I went to grad school at Hopkins at a time when the surrounding neighborhood, outside of a few blocks right adjacent to the campus were pretty sketchy. You learn to deal with it. Hopkins is an open campus (no gates to block folks from walking on) although maybe they restrict cars (can’t recall but certainly there is parking adjacent to campus) but I don’t remember feeling unsafe on-campus or even going back to my apartment just across the street. Kids at Clark seemed to feel safe and happy. I would not count it out on that basis.
My point about type was that one of my sons is not an artsy type and would have maybe played his sport there. The tour guide said nobody cares about sports, but the tickets for the dance performances are gone within minutes. That would have been great for one of my kids, but not this one. The info session emphasized that there is a specific type of student that the school appeals to and that you would not be happy there if you didn’t fit that type. I am sure the kids there are happy - because they fit that type. There are lax players there that apparently form their own universe. The one soccer player I know that was recruited left after first semester freshman year to transfer to a more traditional school where he would not be playing soccer.
I think Skidmore is also very artsy and theater is big there. There seemed to be no potential for merit aid there as there was at Clark for my kids, so we didn’t even visit.
We are not comparing which colleges nationwide are located in the sketchiest places…we are comparing two schools as requested by the OP. Just because Clark isn’t THE most dangerous school (or even one of the most dangerous schools) doesn’t mean safety shouldn’t be considered when comparing these or any two schools. While I didn’t forbid my daughter to apply to ClarkU, I did not allow her to apply to her #1 choice (Trinity in Hartford) due to an unsafe neighborhood. And I agree with another poster that the buildings are run-down, somewhat dirty, and certainly in need of updating.
@wisteria100, sorry you take offense, is it the term hoodlum? Okay, let me rephrase: high school aged males, pants hanging off their butts, dirty black hoodies, unshaven, smoking cigarettes or weed not sure, congregating in such a way as to block entrance into the store, during school hours (hmmmm). Maybe not the true definition of hoodlum (someone who engages in crime and violence) but certainly someone who presents themselves that way.
This thread is getting off topic and I apologize to the OP. I wish you the best in your decision, there are so many schools out there and so many different aspects to consider when choosing.
@NEPatsGirl Yes, the Hartford area immediately surrounding Trinity is not the best, but the campus is gorgeous and the college goes to great lengths to keep it safe with a variety of security measures. Probably more so than at other schools we visited.
With regard to ‘hoodlum’ - my first thought was that you saw a teen wearing a hoodie and jumped to a conclusion, which you just clarified that you did
It’s very true that there are a lot of good schools in bad areas. In fact, I can rattle off a number without really thinking (USC, Yale, UPENN, Trinity, Temple). My D was seriously considering Clark and I had no problem had she chosen to go there despite the bad area. My note about the nearby murders was specifically because you said it “doesn’t feel remotely unsafe” and I was thinking you must not have taken the full tour around because parts nearby are more than a bit sketchy.
Again, there are a lot of great schools in terrible areas. I attended one and wouldn’t mind having my D attend one. In some ways they are safer because they take security so much more seriously than some other schools. That said, once you step off of the south and east sides of Clark’s campus it’s scary (the north side seemed fine to me and Peppercorn’s just to the north of campus is a great and safe place to stop for a good meal and a beer).
After our visit, my D referred to Clark as “the safety version of Skidmore”. Clark had a very similar vibe academically (emphasizing creativity in problem solving, changing the world for the better, similar size, opportunities to interact with professors, etc.). But everything else was a BIG step down from Skidmore - the surrounding area, the dorms, the buildings. Two things that she pointed out, to @SuzyQ7’s point: the buildings were “dark”, and they had chalkboards instead of whiteboards. Everything did seem old and dated.
It’s still on D’s list as the “Parent’s Choice” because my husband and I love the academics and think it would be a great fit for her, and we’ll definitely visit again with an open mind, but it will be a tough sell.
The real question is: how much of your kid’s time will be spent off campus? Any place you think is sketchy, just cross check what kids have available on campus- activities, films, concerts, where they hang out, what it’s like to walk back from the library at midnight, etc.
Worcester is certainly more city than Saratoga Springs. And Skid is up the road, by itself. But SS also has issues. Dont forget there are a lot of college kids in and around Worcester, with the consortium.
We love Clark. Clark has an excellent relationship with the community and does a lot of service: the school that Clark runs has won national awards. There are children from the community on campus during the summers. Clark has a seminar program for freshmen that sounded great, as I remember, and there are interesting majors. A student interested in communications would have a great time.
Clark is one of the Colleges that Change Lives. You might want to check out Loren Pope’s book by that name, the CTCL website and national fairs. Pope also wrote “Looking Beyond the Ivy League” which has a lot of info on many many schools.
Skidmore is definitely artsy and many love it, but I have never visited.