What are some differences between rural, suburban, and urban campuses?
•If you are a rather cosmopolitan individual a city may be the right choice as you have greater access to cultural events, museums, major league sports, ethnic food, public transportation, internships, etc. On the other hand, it also has many more safety issues, generally significantly higher living expenses ($$$ to park your car) and less of a “campus feel.”
•A rural environment offers a close-knit community, access to an abundance of outdoor activities, a generally safe environment, the campus set apart from the neighboring town, activities that are almost entirely focused on the college, etc. On the other hand, they can also seem more stifling, not have as much access to internship opportunities during the academic year, and be more difficult to get to via public transportation. You often need a car, but will also have a place to park it.
•Suburban campuses fall somewhere in between the urban & rural settings, often having a quintessential college campus and town, easy access to cultural events and internships, relative safety, and ease of transportation.
Which is best for you depends on you. It is important that you assess yourself to determine which type of campus would be the most comfortable for you and where you would thrive. Not everyone would be happy on each type of campus.