Most colleges are extremely safe, but some have lower crime rates than others, and they all have different approaches to safety. Regardless of the school, bicycle theft and home invasions are not uncommon on college property, and the rates of sexual assault tend to climb when young adults live and party together.
On your next college tour, inquire about campus safety. Are there many incidents of crime? If so, how are they handled? Does the college have its own police or security force? Does the school have a safe escort and ride service for evenings and weekends? Are emergency call boxes located throughout campus?
To learn about the reported crime statistics for a specific campus, visit The Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool created by the U.S. Department of Education.