Quote:
Originally Posted by AGDee
I'm getting very nervous about sending my 17 year old to NYC all by herself for this program at Barnard. I'll be glad when this trip is done. Is this how I'm going to feel if she gets into Columbia?
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The area around Columbia/Barnard used to be - well, not the safest area around. I participated in the Columbia Science Honors Program as a teenager in the early 1990s, and my father drove me into the city every Saturday and walked me onto campus and into whatever building I was supposed to be in. Then he sat in his car for 3 hours, went over and waited outside the building until I emerged, and walked me back to his car and drove me home. I told him I was perfectly capable of navigating the LIRR and subway, but he wouldn't allow it. (Then again, he was overly paranoid.)
I don't know how much the neighborhood has changed since then. However, I can say that the Columbia campus has limited entrances and security guards. (At least, it did back then, and I assume that is still the case.)
If she goes to Columbia, she'll get street-smart in no time. You just have to stay sober, stay alert, and always look like you know exactly where you're going, even if you're totally lost. Most Manhattan streets are a grid, so it's hard to get totally lost.