As was mentioned, Miami Shores is not the nicest, but it's also nothing terrible. Would I live there? Not if I had a choice, but I wouldn't be scared either. It probably wouldn't be wise to routinely be out walking around alone in Miami Shores outside of the campus after dark (esp if you are female), but there's not much to do in that area anyways, so I'm not sure why somebody would be. I have classmates who lived a couple blocks from campus for our entire 4yrs here, often stayed late to study, and have had no problems. I
The entire Barry campus is fenced in, gated entry after dark, security patrolled, etc. I lived and worked on the campus for 2 years, and every once in awhile, you will hear of a student getting their car broken into, mugged, etc. By and large, those are students who parked a block or two off campus on the side streets to save a few minutes instead of walking or taking the shuttle from the secure Barry lots. Yes, that sucks that they were crime victims, but Barry security patrols go around putting paper notices on cars parked nearby that say basically "caution, this parking area not patrolled by Barry security, park at your own risk," so those students were taking a unecessary gamble just to save a few minutes or a few quarters in a meter.
I think you're best off finding a roommate or budgeting well to live in Sunny Isles, North Bay Village, or Aventura simply because you get the full Miami experience if you live near the water. However, North Miami or Miami Shores are also good options that will give you more $ to spare if you are on a tight budget and/or don't want a roommate. With the bad housing market, you can probably knock 10-15% off most rental prices, esp if you offer to pay each semester up front when you get your loan checks. Be a bit careful buying... yes, it's a buyer's market, but pod curriculum is tough, and attrition is high some years. Make sure you are going to be very serious about your studies before you plunk down a big downpayment and sign a mortgage.
...All in all, it's a good place to go to school. The biggest strengths are busy clinics, many full time accessible faculty, and a nice city/climate. It's nice to have good weather and many options when you get caught up with school work, and if you're single, the "scenery" here is amazing. Cost of living is a bit above average, but Barry tuition is low relative to other pod schools and there's many scholarships. Some people are rude and traffic is sorta bad at times... I think that's how it is in any big city. Of the schools that have busy clinics, Barry is probably the best IMO due to the tuition/scholarships, full time faculty, integrated campus, and safety. Relative to the other pod schools in big cities with busy clinics (NY, Temple, Oakland, etc), Miami Shores is not scary at all. You will see exactly what I mean if you tour other schools in metro areas.
I would disagree here. I have enough trouble mastering my own language.
If I ever move to a country where Spanish is the national language, then I'll make a point to learn it. If Spanish speaking people move to America, they can learn our national language. It'd be pretty rediculous for a Mexican, Cuban, etc citizen to move into France, Germany, Japan, etc and expect to get by speaking just Spanish and have their new neighboring citizens learn Spanish on their account. Why is the US any different?
