How important is the college town?
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Anonymous
| For those who have kids in college, do they spend a lot of time off-campus in the town? I always fall in love with the schools that have great college towns connected to campus, but I wonder how important this is for a kid. Is there a benefit to having a campus in a sleepy town where everyone stays on campus? |
Anonymous
| Every college is in a town or city. Not sure what you are asking. I am sure there are college students who are content to stay on campus 24/7. |
Anonymous
No, I don't think there's a benefit to not having a somewhat active college town. It means there is more to do and better shops and services. You do need them sometimes. I went to school in a big city and a college town (population say 40K). Both were great in different ways. If it's too small and isolated, I think it would get boring. |
Anonymous
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I went to a school that was technically located in a town but a very small, somewhat run down town. Didn’t matter, we stayed on campus and it was fine. I think there were two bars, three pizza shops, two sub shops and two fancier restaurants for when the parents came to town.
My kid goes to UVA and while Charlottesville has its crime and challenges, they like that it’s a bustling city with alot to do, lots of restaurants/bars and shopping. I enjoy visiting and check out new restaurants almost every visit. |
Anonymous
| That's an interesting question. I love the quaint college town my DC's college is in, but I don't think they necessarily go off campus a lot. It's not a big town--it is just a small main street with cute restaurants, shops, and a couple bars. That being said, I think it adds to the school's charm and makes it a more fun place to visit. Some of the schools we have visited are nice, but the surrounding areas are so depressing. |
Anonymous
My "college town" was a dumpy midwestern tundra, freezing and flat. We very rarely went to a townie bar for 10 cent drafts because, well, college kids. Other than that it was on campus, frat parties, or the half dozen college bars near campus. That's it. Went to a mid-sized city for grad school. Cleveland/Pittsburgh sized city. And liked that MUCH more. But I was also older and liked eating out more, seeing the city more, rather than just drinking beer with friends at a party. |
Anonymous
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My oldest lives being in Boston and does a ton in the city.
My youngest loves being in the south so he can golf a few times a week. Some went big football games, some don’t care. Each child is different |
Anonymous
| Yes, and they go into the nearest city (train ride away). A friend of mine has a son who went to Binghamton and he told her all the college kids have complete contempt for the "townies". |
Anonymous
My college town was like that and it was fine. We could have used some more clothing stores and perhaps a drug store, but we didn't have the Internet to order from like kids do now. My DD is at school in a small city that's an absolute s#ithole. While there are some bars and restaurants, they are all in a two-block area. She seems to go there occasionally but it's a cab ride away, not right off campus. The rest of the city is a dump and I worry about her safety. I would much rather her be in a small, cute town. |
Anonymous
| It really depends on the kid. DH and I both went to college in Boston. He rarely left campus (and if so, he went to local bars) but I went off campus a lot to go to restaurants, shopping, museums, etc. |
Anonymous
| Important to mine, but it truly depends on the kid. |
Anonymous
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Nice towns are great for parents when visiting/dropping off. After staying in the world’s most ominous Comfort Inn and eating at Arby’s, the only option around, I started to sour on a particular college. It’s also nice to be in a town with good healthcare/hospitals and potentially part-time job options.
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Anonymous
Agree with the "it depends on the kid" posters. My extraverted party DC went to a tiny SLAC in a small town in the middle of nowhere and never missed the big city or lacked things to do. There were more parties and gatherings on campus than my DC was able to attend, as well as student theater and music productions (DC participated in theater and music). DC was an athlete, which meant they spent a lot of weekends out of town with the team. DC also had a car, which made a difference as it meant they could travel to nearby cities for events and shopping. So, I think it depends on the kid, the school, the situation, and the options. |
Anonymous
| Very important. And extra credit if the restaurant/bar district is right next to campus, so you can leave a classroom building & walk right into a coffee shop or bar & continue a classroom discussion. |
Anonymous
| Growing up in the DMV, my kids both preferred schools that had towns nearby. My current freshman rejected two schools because of isolated locations --- and I think he was right to do that for him - he currently likes his town and often goes out to eat or do things in the city near his college. And my older DS goes to school in a city and goes to bars, restaurants, concerts and sporting events. I think it depends on what your kid prefers, but mine are used to having a lot of things to do in this area and wanted that for college too. |