Applying to grad school when price doesn't matter

[lilyflower]

Since I go to school in ghettotastic Newark, I really sometimes don't feel comfortable there since it's such a high crime area. I fear that even with the club someone's going to steal or vandalize my new car and worry that someone will try to mug me because I often go to class in my nice work clothes.

Being a single white female, I obviously have cause for concern here, so when I do my applications I'm wondering if I would be safer at a more expensive school. Although there is crime everywhere going to say, Columbia, would at least negate the need to park on campus since I would obviously take the train in from New Jersey. (Plus as a bonus there are some really cute investment bankers on the trains into Manhattan).

I know Columbia is very expensive, but who cares? It's not like I'm actually paying for it anyway and it seems far more prestigious and advantageous to my rapidly advancing to have a degree from the best school possible.

Plus, hopefully I'll eventually be able to move closer to the city (ideally a waterfront condo in Hoboken, but more likely a nice condo in an upscale neighborhood with easy train access) and cut down the commute.

[winneythepooh7]

I look at school as a positive investment/good debt. I say go for Columbia.

[biodork]

Same here. go for it!

[dengeist]

Go with Columbia.

[Winter Storm]

Being a single white female, I obviously have cause for concern here...

Do you feel that you are more of a target of crime because you are a single, white female in a 'ghettotastic' area? Just curious.

[yankeeyosh]

lily, if you get into Columbia, and price is not a concern, without fail, GO!

[coll214]

I'd say shoot for Columbia, if it's the better school. But just remember, there's gonna be issues everywhere. It seems almost every week at my current Ivy League employer we're getting emails about muggings, car-jackings, etc... and it's only in the so-called NICE areas of town.

[biodork]

I'd say shoot for Columbia, if it's the better school. But just remember, there's gonna be issues everywhere. It seems almost every week at my current Ivy League employer we're getting emails about muggings, car-jackings, etc... and it's in the so-called NICE areas of town.
Yeah 2 of the 3 places I'd be moving to if I got into grad school are on the top 10 list of worst cities for crime. So just be prepared.

[yankeeyosh]

Columbia's really got a bad rap for its location...it's actually not in Harlem (which really isn't that dangerous anymore), but in Morningside Heights, which is more of a Bohemianish neighborhood.

[pisces2473]

I'd say shoot for Columbia, if it's the better school. But just remember, there's gonna be issues everywhere. It seems almost every week at my current Ivy League employer we're getting emails about muggings, car-jackings, etc... and it's only in the so-called NICE areas of town.
Sooooo glad I don't work there any more, esp. after my near attack in the parking lot.

[coll214]

Sooooo glad I don't work there any more, esp. after my near attack in the parking lot.
They all seriously have been about 2 blocks from me :(

[pisces2473]

They all seriously have been about 2 blocks from me :(
Greaaaaat. :(

[yankeeyosh]

So you mean she wouldn't be able to pick up cute investment bankers on the train? Is there a med school nearby? Maybe she could meet some doctors...

No, there will be "cute" I-bankers on the train, guaranteed...it's a "hip" area with the well-to-do 20-somethings...and Columbia does have a med school...and a law school. Not sure where classes are taken, though.

[lilyflower]

Do you feel that you are more of a target of crime because you are a single, white female in a 'ghettotastic' area? Just curious.

First off, WS, I am extremely paranoid about being attacked in general. But being young, single, white and looking like I might be worth mugging does not help matters. I'm also originally from a VERY small town so I certainly don't have street cred (even less than WB has sadly). All of that together makes me fear for my safety in bad neighborhoods.

And the neighborhood I currently go to school in (in Newark) does nothing to dispel those. I seriously fear walking around the campus (and the main part of campus) alone at night. Knowing that the surrounding neighborhood is really scary does not help me in these matters - especially since most of the buildings can just be wandered into by any random person.

[lawya girl]

Since I go to school in ghettotastic Newark, I really sometimes don't feel comfortable there since it's such a high crime area. I fear that even with the club someone's going to steal or vandalize my new car and worry that someone will try to mug me because I often go to class in my nice work clothes.

Being a single white female, I obviously have cause for concern here, so when I do my applications I'm wondering if I would be safer at a more expensive school. Although there is crime everywhere going to say, Columbia, would at least negate the need to park on campus since I would obviously take the train in from New Jersey. (Plus as a bonus there are some really cute investment bankers on the trains into Manhattan).

I know Columbia is very expensive, but who cares? It's not like I'm actually paying for it anyway and it seems far more prestigious and advantageous to my rapidly advancing to have a degree from the best school possible.

Plus, hopefully I'll eventually be able to move closer to the city (ideally a waterfront condo in Hoboken, but more likely a nice condo in an upscale neighborhood with easy train access) and cut down the commute.

Don't get me wrong, I thought about going to Columbia, and I went to Gtown law for God's sake which isn't in a good neighborhood AT ALL, but the area around Columbia is known for being not that safe.

[lilyflower]

Don't get me wrong, I thought about going to Columbia, and I went to Gtown law for God's sake which isn't in a good neighborhood AT ALL, but the area around Columbia is known for being not that safe.

What's the deal with so many schools being in bad areas? I've always wondered about that.

[lawya girl]

What's the deal with so many schools being in bad areas? I've always wondered about that.

I don't know! Well, with Gtown law, they wanted it to be close to the courts which are in a bad area. I mean to tell you, there was a crack park across the street and a homeless shelter a stone's throw away. Now, I'm all for homeless shelters but these people were scary and love to harass law students.
The crack park is gone now.

[lilyflower]

I don't know! Well, with Gtown law, they wanted it to be close to the courts which are in a bad area. I mean to tell you, there was a crack park across the street and a homeless shelter a stone's throw away. Now, I'm all for homeless shelters but these people were scary and love to harass law students.
The crack park is gone now.

Yeah, the crack park would concern me even more than the homeless shelter. *shudder*

I wonder if a lot of times the neighborhood becomes bad because of the school. That's probably a subject for another thread though. :)

[yankeeyosh]

What's the deal with so many schools being in bad areas? I've always wondered about that.

Well, it's just that a lot of the big name schools, most of which were founded at least 100 years ago, are in the big cities of the Northeast (where most people lived near at the time), which in the past have had problems with crime.

But as I said, Columbia is pretty safe. Morningside Heights is not like East Harlem (which isn't nearly as bad as it used to be). And you know the Columbia police are on the ball...after all, parents are probably expecting extra protection to protect their $40k a year investments.

[lilyflower]

Well, it's just that a lot of the big name schools, most of which were founded at least 100 years ago, are in the big cities of the Northeast (where most people lived near at the time), which in the past have had problems with crime.

But as I said, Columbia is pretty safe. Morningside Heights is not like East Harlem (which isn't nearly as bad as it used to be). And you know the Columbia police are on the ball...after all, parents are probably expecting extra protection to protect their $40k a year investments.

Very true. I really don't fear most of NYC (I fear Newark more as dumb as that sounds)

[lawya girl]

Well, it's just that a lot of the big name schools, most of which were founded at least 100 years ago, are in the big cities of the Northeast (where most people lived near at the time), which in the past have had problems with crime.

But as I said, Columbia is pretty safe. Morningside Heights is not like East Harlem (which isn't nearly as bad as it used to be). And you know the Columbia police are on the ball...after all, parents are probably expecting extra protection to protect their $40k a year investments.

Well the same can be said of Gtown but that doesn't mean it's safe.

Although, all in all, there's not a WHOLE lot of crime around campus.