<p>never been there…</p>
<p>There’s probably been threads on this but I’ll leave it to someone else to berate you about not searching.</p>
<p>Providence is a cool place. It has the perks of a larger city, like (a lot of) good food and culture concentrated in a few square miles, but it’s small enough that it feels comfy and manageable. It’s pretty hip, mirroring the vibe of the colleges it’s home to (Brown, RISD). It definitely has thriving art and music scenes that welcome experimentation. Avant-garde bands, for example, tend to do a lot better for themselves than in a lot of other places.</p>
<p>berate berate berate /berate</p>
<p>i’ll chip in anyway. Greater Providence is more than just a few square miles. Brown students typically and unfortunately never stray from College Hill/Downtown area/Federal Hill because it has plenty to offer. The greater Providence area is actually much more populous than 175k people. Connected to Providence are other cities: N. Providence, E. Providence, Cranston, Warwick, Pawtucket,Central Falls, Cumberland,Lincoln,Smithfield, Attleboro, and Seekonk. Even more cities border those cities. My best guess for population of the area is somewhere under 1 million people.</p>
<p>It’s great. RISID is right down the street so there’s a lot of public art. Visit. Really.</p>
<p>:dddddd :dddddd</p>
<p>is it holy too?</p>
<p>…well… there <em>is</em> an episcopalian church randomly stuck on the edge of the main campus block, and like 3 off of benefit street… plus some more to the north, so that you can identify where you are based on the spires visible above the trees…so one might argue,yes.</p>
<p>Just looked up all the theatre groups in the Providence area…OMG, I’ll be in heaven if I end up there.</p>
<p>Ivy…there are tons on campus to become involved in too. Son is involved in so many theater related extracurriculars that I tease him that school itself is an annoyance and gets in the way of what he loves to do.</p>
<p>Beautiful campus, nice looking city. Hardly any parking near colleges or downtown. Decent public bus service. Brown/RISD/Johnson & Wales (I think) have safe student transportation system.</p>
<p>Cost of living pretty expensive. A 2-bedroom apt. on the desirable East Side (near all schools except PC) will run you $1,200 a month or more. Lots of places do not offer free parking; many do.</p>
<p>Lots of clubs, restaurants, entertainment on College Hill. </p>
<p>Not much in the way of museums.</p>
<p>Providence is a very diverse city and has areas of terrible poverty and crime, like most cities. </p>
<p>AudiB4 should be able to expound on school safety issues.</p>
<p>AudiB4, your son sounds like me…lol! My mom’s been trying to explain to me that if I do EVERY play and EVERY varsity equestrian competition I WILL go nuts…so I had to explain to her that that’s what will keep me from going nuts 
The Musical Forum looks amazing - they’ve done most of my favorite weird shows! (I mean, really, who does Hedwig & The Angry Inch!? Love it!)</p>
<p>Ehhh…RISD Museum?</p>
<p>Ivy. plus there are over 16 acapella groups, comedy improv groups, Shakespeare performances, student directed musicals and student written musicals. As well as faculty shows, dance shows (they even have a ballroom club where profs and students are paired up and compete). Musical Forum is a big one. Son directed Full Monty last year. There is alot to keep you very busy and happy.</p>
<p>The RISD museum is one of just a few museums in Prov.</p>
<p>:) If I don’t get in I will be a very sad person indeed.</p>
<p>awesome pictures of providence
[City</a> of Providence - Mayor David N. Cicilline](<a href=“City of Providence Home - City of Providence”>City of Providence Home - City of Providence)</p>