<p>I just thought I might clear some things up:</p>
<p>Yes the immediate area surrounding Columbia's campus is nicer than that of NYU's, however Columbia is just as connected with the associated problems of city life as NYU, if no more so. Columbia is in Morningside Heights, an area that can be described as having the best New York City life, with a dabble of the worst. You have the Cathedral of St John the Devine, St Luke's Hospital, Columbia and Barnard, but you also have Morningside Heights Park, a notoriously crime ridden park that Columbia's own literature will tell you to absolutely stay away from at night, and implies somewhat it may be worthwhile to avoid during the day. Traveling south of Columbia you'll never have any problems, but traveling north you will start seeing some of the less safer aspects of New York City starting in about 10 blocks. That being said, the whole area is (and has been) gentrifying rapidly and as a result, will probably see a slow but steady reduction of crime in the future.</p>
<p>NYU is in Greenwich village, a very Bohemian area of New York, but pretty much harmless. Yes Greenwich village will have graffiti and some shady looking characters, but so does any part of New York City and out of towner could name (including the area around Columbia). Also there are so many people out and about in the surrounding areas at night, that one can take comfort in the safety of numbers. Also rust stains are hardly indicative of a bad area, in some parts of New York City people believe they add character and would passionately fight to protect them. If I'm out at night at a party, I would place Greenwich village in the top 10% of places in New York in terms of how safe I would feel.</p>
<p>Now don't take this as an attack takeme2cali, but if you have been all over New York City, I think you may have gotten a very white-washed tour of it. As a lifelong resident of Brooklyn, living simultaneously in one of its nicest neighborhoods, but also a ten to fifteen minute walk from an extensive public housing complex, I can safely tell that I can think of so many more places that I would be worried about getting stuck in than Greenwich village. I have got a friend that lives four blocks from Wall Street, and sees a theft or attempted theft in his building at least 5 times a year (and was used as a block in the ghetto on Without a Trace, but that's a different story) Should you be vigilant in Greenwich Village? Absolutely, but you should be vigilant wherever you go in a city, even (or especially) a neighborhood you might think of as being on of its nicest.</p>
<p>That being said, the difference between Penn and NYU I believe mainly comes down to campus style. Penn has a Campus, and frankly NYU doesn't. Washington Square Park is the nicest substitute one can get for a campus (A large portion of NYU surrounds the park), but it still doesn't match the campus of Penn. That being said, if you're a real city person it seems to me you might feel somewhat insulated at Penn. Myself I subscribe to the stereotypical image of a college with quads and old buildings, but I am also a city-kid at heart, all of which I find at Penn. I would also mention if you are someone that is into studying or being in a community dominated by arts (theatrical, visual, musical, etc...) and entertainment (as in the industry, not the noun), there is no doubt in my mind that NYU should be your choice. Personally I feel the need to see some place else for a change (even though I absolutely love New York City) so Penn is where I'd choose.</p>