Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The 10 Worst College Towns in America

I've often said that Chester is a horrible college town, but thankfully our proximity to Philadelphia has probably saved us from being on this list.


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12 comments:

  1. Why is it a horrible college town. I have often spoke to Widener Univ students who love Chester. I would like to know why you would say this? Do Widener students leave the school after one or two years going to another school because of "Chester"? Is this rate higher than any other University? The reason why I am asking is because it seems to me that we were not on the list but you found a way to take a shot at the Chester. Just wondering?

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  2. Why is Chester a horrible college town?

    I am going to assume you are serious since you wrote a comment.

    It's 12 noon. Tell me where in I can find a group of Widener students hanging out in Chester; studying, playing games, working, sleeping, watching a movie, having lunch, drinking a beer, other than on campus.

    Nowhere.

    Widener is an excellent school that provides their students with a wonderful campus with most of the amenities students need. That is exactly why students stay.

    If Widener students had to count on Chester to provide them with off campus housing, eating/drinking establishments, a library, coffee house with Intenet access, movie theater, parking, shopping, recreation, there is no way a parent will spend $40k to send their kid here.

    That's what makes a college town.

    Again, I ask, where can I find Widener students hanging out in Chester right now?

    If you can tell me, I'll join them right now with my video camera and ask them what services, businesses, and other accouterments they enjoy in this city.

    Widener is one of Chester's greatest assets. One day, Chester will take advantage of that asset and build a community around the campus for the students to thrive within the city and outside the campus. The beauty of that will be that we residents can enjoy too.

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  3. Well your vision of a college town is very different from mine. I acutally think your expectation of Chester is far fetched; do you know that there was a coffe and doughnut shop with internet on the corner of 18th and providence right behind #1 China and it closed because lack of business this was 4 to 5 years ago. Why would Widener students have to use the cities public library when they have their own to use? When in was in undergrad and grad school i always used the schools library before i used the public library. Shopping-it sounds to me that your just trying to throw darts they are 5mins from a Walmart and yes I know its not in Chester but thats a place to shop. They are 10 mins from the Springfield or Granite Run Mall and if you use the excuse that they do not have a car then you can say the same about going to the library. Recreation I beleive falls on the Univ not the city and by they way there are enough parks and play grounds in the city for the kids to play. As far as adult recreation i beleive Harrahs and Bootleggers do a fine job in that area. Give Chester a break

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  4. We are now on the same page.

    The majority of activity that Widener students enjoy are outside of the Chester city limits.

    If Chester sat in the middle of nowhere like Grambling, LA, I doubt if Widener would have the enrollment it has.

    Our proximity to Philly, Delaware, Woodlyn, Swarthmore, Springfield, Media, etc., makes Chester attractive not just for students, but for us, too...at least for me.

    I'll give Chester a break when Chester gives Widener students a reason to come to Chester, live in Chester, stay in Chester, work in Chester.

    I'm trying not to bring up the safety issue, but Widener has thousands of students on campus everyday. How many do you see outside of the campus walls? The poor kid got shot 10 yard off campus at Waldos. There are dozen of campus police keeping thier students safe on campus. Once they go outside those walls...

    Let's create an environment where students and staff can enjoy Chester outside of the campus walls and not have to catch the campus vans to leave town.

    Sorry if my expectation of Chester is far fetched. Some call it economic development. We won't remain a crime riden slum with a bad image forever.

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  5. I never said Chester was a ideal situation but I saw now reason to bash Chester.

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  6. Give us 5 things to praise Chester for that will bring people into our town and improve our economy and reputation.

    I'll create a post with all 5.

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  7. For the sake of keeping it straight, I shall be known as Anonymous2 for this exchange. I have enjoyed reading both of your comments; you both have valid points, pro & con. I will admit that Chester does not have the ammenities that, as a resident, I wish it would, primarily because I believe the majority population is Black; If we had a more mixed community or primarily white population, I think that we would be having a different conversation. I also think that if they did make the city more appealing for the Widener/Crozer/Harrah's/ Waterfront communities to engage more with Chester, they would have to accomodate the communities more, and I don't think they want to do that in a Black city - there, I said it; I just wish it weren't true. Even with the city entrenched in the dirty politics that has it by the short hairs, no one can see the gain that all could benefit from beyond their own agendas.

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  8. Anonymous3: I was going to stay out of this one. In the past, I have debated Stefan on this very issue so I figured this was a waste of my time. But at least you expressed yourself better Anonymous2.

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  9. Who is they? And why isnt they us?

    If black people live here, and black people run city government, arent we the they?

    The problem is that we are not focused on economics, period.

    This is more than a black city, it is A city, the only city in the county.

    Chester has a river, a railroad, a bridge, an interstate, a public transit system, close proximity to the 5th largest city in the country, and only 10 minutes from an international airport.

    If we cant take advantage of those assests, we surely wont take advantage of a college, hospital, casino, or stadium.

    We'll just wait for them to come in and show us how it's done.

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  10. Anonymous3: Stefan give it up please!!! This idealistic view of where you live. No matter what they bring in, there's always going to be the Fear Factor and the Bad reputation Chester has built. THEY have to do something about those things before anything else happens.

    Listen I'm a Widener graduate and I have seen parents who took a wrong turn to Widener and got lost. They were extremely fearful for their babies. I guess they didn't read up on the city before selecting the university. Just like the bowling alley in Delaware who invited the class reunion out to his business. I bet he never do that again. Either he didn't know better or he was desperate for some business.

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  11. Ok. I give up. Chester is cursed forever. Widener should just pack up and go to a community that will work with them. I wonder if Swarthmore has room for another school.

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  12. Manhattan, KS = shit-hole!

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