Health & Fitness
Better to Be Safe Than Sorry
Campus safety is an important part of the college search process.
For students and parents alike, campus safety should rank high on the list of things to consider when looking at a school. Keep in mind, a student will be spending approximately 15 hours a week in classes and the rest of the time in and around the campus. Colleges and universities are required by law to report annually, the statistics of crimes that have taken place on a campus.
The office of admissions will have the statistics and will be happy to provide them if asked. Talk to current students while on the campus. Ask students how they feel about walking from class to class, or back to their dorm at different hours of the day and night. This is also a great way to get a feel for things. A couple of other good resources to find more information would be the US Department of Education (http://ope.ed.gov/security/) as well as http://www.securityoncampus.org/. Each has a rich data base of information readily available.
A word of caution: statistics can be misleading, so be sure to use them as a guide. The way schools report incidents will differ from institution to institution. Some will not report incidents that take place off campus even though students are involved. I would suggest looking at the campus and local newspapers of the city or town the school is located in to get a sense of what is happening as well.
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A campus is like a small city or town, so expect to find some news reports on criminal activity. It is important to note the frequency and severity of the activity. There is no doubt that the vast majority of Colleges and Universities are safe and students will have a positive experience while attending. It is still important to do your homework to ensure your time on campus is a safe as it can be.
