Baltimore and Memphis, good college towns?
 

Hi, I know that this is a travel board but it seems that many of you have lived in many parts of the US sooo . . I am interested in people's opnion of two towns that my daughter is applying to college in. The first is Baltimore (Johns Hopkins University) It was listed as an " armpit" city in another post. Why is that. The compus looks nice, is it in a bad part of town? What is the city of Baltimore like, are there fun things for a college student to do? The same questions appy to Memphis, Tenn. My daughter is looking at Rhodes college there. Thanks for your information.

Bubba, I love that name.

When I lived in Memphis, it had the highest murder rate, per capita, in the United States. 10% of the city is drug/gang infested. I would hope your daughter would stay away from those areas. I did, and loved Memphis.

Baltimore is the same. You just need to know the bad parts of town to stay away from.

Just like Boston -- Stay away from the Combat Zone. In San Fran, stay away from the tenderloin.

If she is accepted into Johns Hopkins, I would jump on it. ((b))

Don't know Memphis, but I do know Baltimore...

The city has its bad parts and good parts. Most of it is pretty darn cool and a heck of a fun place to live and work.

The Hopkins campus is very nice, and some of the neighborhoods adjacent to the campus are extremely upscale. On the other hand, you can get into very iffy neighborhoods within just a few blocks of the campus. Towards the back side of the campus is a neighborhood called Hampden that's pretty cool in a bohemian sort of way.

My best advice would be to go and see it for yourself, especially if you can find a knowledgable local who isn't selling something...

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

Bubba:
I wouldn't dream of sending my daughter off to college without visiting the college and surrounding areas. We live in Jackson, TN, about 80 miles from Memphis which we visit frequently. I love Memphis and so do thousands of students at Rhodes, University of Memphis and other colleges in the area.
It's a great town.
Budman is right, like any big city, stay away from the problem ares and she'll be fine.
By the way, In Jackson, we have Lambuth College, Union University, and Lane College, and a great Medical Center. All in a very small town of 50,000.
Good luck.
John

I'm a Hopkins alum, work in the northern suburbs of Baltimore, and my daughter just started at another college in Baltimore. Absolutely visit JHU before making a final decision! (You can wait until after she's gotten her acceptance letters.) As others have posted, the campus is beautiful, near some areas that are lovely and others that are high-crime area. The campus is nowhere near the hospital, which is in a much worse part of town.

This is definitely the Big City, so anyone attending JHU or any other college in a Big City needs to be prudent--watch your valuables, don't walk alone at night, avoid the bad parts of town, etc. etc.

Baltimore gets a bad rap because it's between Washington and Philadelphia, both of which are more sophisticated and have more to do. But it's definitely not an armpit! The downtown Inner Harbor area is an easy bus ride from JHU. There are plenty of theaters and museums. And, on weekends, it's easy to take light rail to Washington or Amtrak to Philadelphia or New York.

The big question for your daughter is whether she wants to go to a college in a big city, with its pros and cons. Also, what character of college does she want? JHU is pretty serious and research-oriented and highly competitive (most students are trying to get into med school or law school). She won't get coddled there.

Good luck to your daughter!

If your daughter can get into Johns Hopkins, then I personally would say go there. It is really an excellent school. As noted, Baltimore has good and bad spots, but I would not let that be the deciding factor, esp as the campus itself is fine.

By way of comparison, both Yale and the Unversity of Pennslyvania are in worse parts of their towns (esp Yale), but I don't think anyone would hestitate to go there if they were accepted.

Hi Bubba,

I think this also depends on what you are used to. I have lived near cities my whole life (on the east coast), and I think Baltimore would be fun for school.

Memphis is quite a southern town (especially if you are a northerner). This is not meant to offend, but it is a slow-paced, not very exciting city. A friend's son goes there (we are from northern VA, just outside of DC), and when he is not doing school stuff, he is bored to death there.

But, if you are from the south, it may be perfect for your daughter. To me, it depends on what you are used to and what you are looking for.

Good luck!
Karen

My vote goes to Baltimore. I dont know much about Memphis, just know it has a high crime rate like New Orleans. The public transportation is a whole lot better than what Memphis will have. The Baltimore-Washington area has dozens of colleges/universities, its definitely a big college area. JHU isnt right downtown and its near the upscale areas of the city.

Hi bubba,
Can't really say anything about Baltimore.

I'm from memphis and grew up 1 block from Rhodes college.
Lovely neighborhood within the college area ( a little diff. just outside them though) w/ the mem.zoo across the main st. from the campus.
I've heard really good reviews about this college from other parents.

The entire campus is like a gated community w/ security-guardhouses for entry and exit. The building are similar to what you'd see at an Ivy league school..very pretty.
I used to swim at the campus pool when i was a kid...they don't allow that anymore.
I'd say check out both schools..it's the best way to know which is right for her.

I don't know how anyone could call Memphis boring. I loved living there. Rhodes College is lovely and there's tons of fun stuff to do.

Have not been to Memphis, but am familiar with Baltimore and JHU area is in very nice area of the city. Here is a website neighborhood guide to that area - "Charles Village". By all means, you have to visit it to really appreciated it (the fodors people here can help plan your visit of course). Take a moment to click on the other neighborhoods as well.
http://www.sunspot.net/entertainment...agemar01.story

Also check out the "related artilces" at the bottom of the page.....

FYI

Boston's "Combat Zone" is the home to the new Ritz Carlton hotel and residences. If your daughter happened to go to the Zone (now dubbed the "ladder district") she'd be much more likely to be confroned by a bouncer at a trendy nightclub or a $200/meal restaurant than anything bad happening to her.

I am going to be a little snotty here. If i had the choice of going to Johns Hopkins (which i did) and Rhodes College, I would go with JHU, which is known around the world. Whereas, most people haven't heard much, if anything, about Rhodes.

As for the area around JHU, it's pretty decent, until you get about 10 blocks away. It is bounded by several of the best and most expensive neighborhoods in Baltimore - Guilford & Roland Park - and then a college-village-type neighborhood on another side. If your daughter is living on campus, she'll be fine.