City College Versus Suburban College

The decision between a city campus and a suburban setting is crucial when choosing a college. Though a school may have all you could ever want in terms of education, if you're going to be miserable in your environment every day, spending 4 years there will be torture. Here are 5 main components to consider when deciding between a city or suburban school.

Noise: Sure, there's a clamor of noise on every college campus at all times of day or night. However, there's a huge difference between the yells of a few students who had a few too many, or the honk of car horns, blare of sirens, and pulse of music layered on top of the other commotion of the city. When choosing a school, don't consider the amount of noise you can put up with, consider the amount of sound you're comfortable with. Remember, this isn't a passing racket; it's your background noise for the duration of your college career.

Security: Security should be distinguished from safety. Safety is the amount of crime that is committed in a given place and your probability of being safe in a certain environment, while security is the amount of people employed to ensure the safety of a community. However, one does not always guarantee the other. Taking a look into a school's security plan is often a much better way of determining how safe they are than examining their statistics. While statistics can be deceivingly grouped or inaccurate, a security plan is nearly always carried out accordingly. This is important when deciding between a city and suburban school because city schools are often considered "unsafe." However, depending on a school's security plan, you may feel more comfortable there than with a suburban school because they have raised awareness regarding safety issues and increased staff dedicated to the safety of their students. Examine a security plan and even check out a school's implementation of a said plan before judging them on raw data.

Transportation: Chances are, if you come to a big city school, you're going to have to leave your car behind. There just isn't any room for every student to have one on campus. However, there are more available methods of transportation within urban areas. You should consider what you are sacrificing, though. If you would not feel comfortable riding the subway, bus or in a cab alone, you may face a major hardship and struggle to get anywhere outside of campus. If you do feel safe using public transportation, this may be a plus for you. Take into consideration your own needs and personality and do a little research on your city's transportation system. The best decision is an informed one.

Living Space: As a general rule, the more crowded the area, the less space you get for your money. The actual square footage may differ from school-to-school, but if you're living at a city school, you're basically guaranteed less space than at a college in a less urban area. You're also more likely to have more roommates in each room, changing the probability of whether or not you'll get along with everyone you cohabitate with. When choosing a school, consider how much room you need to be comfortable, and how many people you could consider living with. Try not to be idealistic; everyone wants to say they could get along with anyone, but consider the last fights you've had, how often you get irritated, and whether you like to be alone or in a crowd. Try and get a good perspective on your needs before making a final decision.

Cost of Living: Sure, it's hard to look beyond the big numbers of tuition and books when thinking of college, but there are other costs, too. These costs can differ greatly between a city school and a suburban college. Just basic entertainment, such as attending a movie, dining out, or having a drink can have a 50% higher price tag in the city - or more! Look at some actual estimates of what you spend a year before deciding if the price is right for you.