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My daughter has just been accepted to Seton Hall. We made an east coast trip but didn't have time to get to that area. I was just wondering what the area is like. Is it safe, things to do besides party? I'm not naive to the college party scene, I already have a college student, but I feel like the more there is to do around the campus the less kids need to just get together and drink.
We will make a trip back if she chooses to go there. Right now Fordham is in the running but she thinks she wants to go into nursing, and in that case, she may want to check out Seton Hall.
I'm just trying to get some insider information as to what Orange and the area is like around the campus. Thanks for any input!
South Orange is okay, but Seton Hall is right on the Newark boarder. That area of Newark is known as Vailsburg, which is NOT a nice area to get lost in. Orange, East Orange and some parts of West Orange are to be avoided too. Lets just say, the further uphill (west) you go, the better it is. Once you're in Newark, it'll just get worse and worse.
So no, the neighborhood isn't that great, but the campus itself is fenced in from the surrounding neighborhoods.
South Orange is okay, but Seton Hall is right on the Newark boarder. That area of Newark is known as Vailsburg, which is NOT a nice area to get lost in. Orange, East Orange and some parts of West Orange are to be avoided too. Lets just say, the further uphill (west) you go, the better it is. Once you're in Newark, it'll just get worse and worse.
So no, the neighborhood isn't that great, but the campus itself is fenced in from the surrounding neighborhoods.
Not all of Newark is bad , just a few neighborhoods. But i would go to area first and look around.
Seton Hall is in South Orange. It is right on the border between Newark and South Orange. However as mentioned the campus is gated.
South Orange is a nice town. There is the SOPAC (South Orange Performing Arts Center) and some places to eat. It also has a train station that can connect you to NYC in about 40 minutes and other nice NJ towns. Otherwise, there are not a lot of local things to do.
It is also a nice walk to Maplewood which also has a nice small walkable downtown.
South Orange does have a higher crime rate because of it's proximity to the following towns: Newark, Orange, East Orange & Irvington. However it is a nice town with a lot of professionals due to the train station and the commute to NYC.
I wouldn't suggest a girl walk around alone in the evenings (which I don't recommend anywhere truthfully) but she will probably be with friends most of the time.
Thank you for the valuable information. We are trying to plan a trip for her to see the campus. We don't mind the surrounding area being a less desirable area as long as the campus is gated and safe. Fordham is similar in that it is in the Bronx but feels safe because of the walls and gates. USC is in a terrible area but no gates exist!
I am happy to hear that NYC is so close as she loves the city and I think it offers some great opportunities. Thank you!
Thank you for the valuable information. We are trying to plan a trip for her to see the campus. We don't mind the surrounding area being a less desirable area as long as the campus is gated and safe. Fordham is similar in that it is in the Bronx but feels safe because of the walls and gates. USC is in a terrible area but no gates exist!
I am happy to hear that NYC is so close as she loves the city and I think it offers some great opportunities. Thank you!
She should try Jersey City Heights , its cheap , safe , and has great Transportation , she can take a train form Hoboken Terminal to the Seton Hall area. NYC might burn a hole through your wallet.
I was a grad student at Fordham in this decade. Not so familiar w/SHU although S. Orange is on our list of possible towns to move to.
Fordham's Rose Hill campus in the Bronx is gated too but the students walk around a lot and the neighborhood is low-income on one side, lower-middle-class on the other. The lower income side has lots of stores (mainly cheap ones) and, if it's still there, a Starbucks; the other side has a couple of bars that are popular among Fordham students. I wouldn't say there's a lot For about two years the school sent around email notifications whenever there were "incidents." It seemed as though every single week there was a notification of a mugging off-campus. Incidents of injury were rare and I only recall one sexual assault. They finally discontinued those notifications - I"m sure they were alarming people.
Most undergrads go to Fordham's Lincoln Center campus which is not gated but is in a vastly more pleasant neighborhood where one can walk around at all hours. It's the middle of New York City so they're going to have a *lot* of distractions. But it would be a dream come true for most young people to live in NYC.
I am a 2001 graduate of Seton Hall. (originally from Boston). I LOVED Seton Hall. LOVED IT. Yes, it borders Newark, but don't worry - kids from SHU don't hang out in Newark!
Safety at Seton Hall is phenomenal - they changed alot of rules for the better after the 2000 Boland Hall fire.
You cannot get into a dorm without your ID card. Guests must have a guest pass. Also, you can't get into another dorm on campus after midnite unless someone signs you in. That someone also has to be someone of the same sex. (they are very strict!). When you enter the campus at the main gate, security will swipe your ID card after 9PM. Again, they are pretty strict with stuff like this.
I always felt safe at Seton Hall. It's a very small and cute campus, very well-lit at night. Being an out-of-state student, NYC was what we always did on weekends! Alot of the local NJ kids do go home on weekends. It was a bit lonely at first, but then you just find your clique of out-of-staters and all is well!
Most SHU parties are in the dorms, or in an off-campus frat house within walking distance. Most choose to live on campus also.
The train to NYC is a one mile walk down South Orange Ave. Super easy! Super convenient! It's a 20 minute train ride. South Orange Ave also has tons of cute shops and restaurants. The Gaslight and Cryans are the two most popular bars for Seton Hall.
Seton hall has one of the BEST nursing programs in the state, so if your child is interested in Nursing, SHU is definitely a great choice!
I used to live in Orange and like to go to the area where Seton Hall is. It seems safe though the college is not gated as I used to rollerblade in a park within the college. It is is pretty close to bad areas and you should avoid leaving the campus alone at night.
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