Does UPenn have a nice, isolated campus? And what is the area around it like? Is it a nice or unsafe part of Philly?
It’s not a nice area, but I know a student there and she’s had no issues. Philly is a great city on the whole.
Thanks!!
Well, what’s your definition of “nice”? And “isolated”? The campus is surrounded by upscale shops and restaurants, and very nice residential neighborhoods. Isolated? No. Open campus? Yes. Are there poorer neighborhoods a few blocks away? Yes. Is there a very visible and active security officer presence on foot and bicycle 24/7 in a several-block radius around the campus? Yes. I have worked at Penn for 10 years and always felt safe coming and going from University City on foot, bike, public transportation, car, etc. at literally all hours of the day and night.
Sounds good, thank you!!
While Penn is in Philadelphia, it is located across the river from downtown proper in an area called West Philly. The campus is nice, the multiple medical facilities/hospitals of UPenn are nice. West Philadelphia is mixed. Crime does indeed happen in the area. Son has been robbed twice just across the street from campus. Once on the street and once in the Starbucks (His phone and airpods were stolen). In the Starbucks, he had his airpods on the table in front of him and someone grabbed and dashed. Son ran after the person and chased them into an alley (not smart idea) where the person had stashed a bike and rode off. Yes there is a visible presence of Penn Police around (who did nothing) but that hasn’t stopped crimes like I described from happening frequently. So everyone reading this you do need to be vigilant and not walk with your phone in your hand on the street or set your airpods down on the table in front of you. Philadelphia and West Philly has had a problem this last year with young groups of pre-teen gangs roaming the streets and assaulting people. It happened next to campus to students. It also happened this year to our family in an area of Philadelphia called Fishtown. Myself, my husband and two sons left a nice restaurant and were walking to our car when a group of pre-teens approached us and started throwing rocks at us. We ran, the rocks hit us multiple times. I was terrified. It is still a great city and U Penn has met and exceeded my son’s expectations (!!) but you DO need to be vigilant for crime.
not to nitpick, but the news accounts described the assailants as ten 14-15 years olds, not preteens.