<p>I live in the south, and we don't have the time or money to visit Yale's campus. Does anyone have any personal input? It could be about anything -- weather, cities, campus layout -- that may not be described online.</p>
<p>@Husgomboc , I haven’t spent much time there, but on nicer days, the campus is full of happy, smiling faces. People move with a purpose, until they run into a friend anyway. It is a place with a happy vibe. Most of us say it, and it might sound like a cult chant, but you can feel it in your bones. Every time I’m there I feel so gratified that DS has this as his college experience. </p>
<p>The town has a lot of nice restaurants and such, but DS spends most of his time on campus.</p>
<p>Most of the campus is convenient, although DS gripes sometimes that classes on Science Hill are a bit far away, so he can sometimes be late for class if he’s not taking his bike.</p>
<p>Living in New Haven my whole life, I would have to say that although Yale’s campus is beautiful, New Haven is an absolutely terrible city. I’ve seen people get shot in front of my eyes.</p>
<p>And it’s funny really. I have lots of friends who go to Yale, and even as juniors, they haven’t stepped a foot outside of Yale’s “bubble:” the area owned by Yale, which is about 35-40% of New Haven. </p>
<p>A couple years back, a professor at Yale’s architecture school tried improving the homes in the non-Yale parts of New Haven, and he got mugged. </p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong. Yale’s campus is absolutely beautiful, but in a city where you should be terrified to walk outside of your school’s campus after 10 is a no-no for me. </p>
<p>Totally wrong about New Haven. It’s no more dangerous than any city. I doubt you have seen people shot in front of your eyes. Cite an example so I can verify it happened. You’re bordering on the irresponsible to make such a claim. I’m not a native but I’ve lived in New Haven longer than you have been alive, and I feel no less safe than I do in my native NYC. I have 3 kids who have lived here their entire lives, and have attended New Haven public schools. None would agree with your assessment. None have been crime victims or even witnessed crime. They roam freely through the city exercising the good sense required in any urban setting. Their friends from suburbia envy their living in such a vibrant, fun and culturally rich environment. </p>
<p>Tired of these canards about my adopted city. </p>
<p>You’re also wrong about the one fact you stated. New Haven is 20 square miles. Yale is 1.3 square miles including the golf course. Even if we threw in another square mile for Yale owned non-campus property it would still be far less than 35-45 percent of the area. And if what you are saying is true, nobody should come to Yale. There is no bubble. Public streets run through all of the campus. There are no walls to keep out the fantasized roving marauders.</p>
<p>give google satellite or street view a try. You can get an idea of the ratio of green to building, etc. Though it will probably not show you the lovely courtyards that each residential college has. I’m a born and bread suburban mom who feels very comfortable wandering around the campus whether it’s during the day or evening going to one of the <em>many</em> very nice restaurants.</p>
<p>Visited Yale and stayed in New Haven a few months ago. Lived in northern NJ for 10 years. I have a colleague at work who does alumni interviews and D has applied RD. Campus is not as bustling as Cambridge, MA., felt more peaceful. Some athletic fields are a few miles away from the main campus but otherwise the campus is fairly compact and directly in New Haven proper. Some homeless people in park next to campus but from what I’ve heard there are very few issues students have. It is safe but there are parts of New Haven that are bad. Right or wrong it felt to me that undergraduates are more important at Yale than at Harvard. Living along the mid Atlantic seaboard you will get Nor’easter storms with a lot of snow but being close to the ocean moderates temperature extremes. It is easy to get from New Haven to either Boston or NYC</p>
<p>Ha Ha @Wje9164be You’re right. “Moderates temperature extremes” == slush 
Get your boots!</p>
<p>As a 1982 graduate with a freshman D, I can say Yale is one of the loveliest campuses around. Though it is in Downtown New Haven (which by the way is just as safe as any other urban area), it has lots of wonderful courtyards, gothic buildings and wonderful paneled dining halls and classrooms (think Harry Potter). The weather can be downright brutal in the winter, but no worse than the rest of New England. Warm boots and a coat are a must. </p>
<p>The vibe on the campus is very laid back, though it can get stressful during finals. The residential college system leads to a sense of smaller communities within the larger college. They are where you live, eat and where you generally make most of your friends. </p>
<p>Are you an applicant? If you get in, you can get assistance to attend Bull Dog Days which will give you the best overall feel. I’ve known Yale for 36 years and I’m at at a loss to describe it adequately. There are just no words. </p>