<p>Please reassure your mom! Yale is actually a very safe campus and I speak as a very careful mom: my son was homeschooled and we live in a small college town. I would describe myself as quite protective (wouldn’t even let the boy go to school!) Since my son started attending Yale, I have observed a very attentive and constant presence of Yale security and New Haven police keeping the campus and surrounding environs safe. As for Brown, I went to graduate school there and cannot imagine why your mother would be concerned. The campus is up on “the hill” and really very separated from downtown Providence. The shops and restaurants on the hill cater mainly to the campus and I have never been aware of any significant crime rate.</p>