I attend the University of Maryland right now. You might have to skip buying a house, but in this market you might be fine. As for transportation, as long as you live relatively close to campus, you really really should be fine. DC, and by extension its suburbs which include College Park, has one of the best public transportation systems in the nation. UMD has its own transport system! Its awesome!! www.transportation.umd.edu And the metro is pretty darn good too.
I feel safe in the area, though there is crime, just like there is in any big city. The fact that we have such good transportation services helps though. There are certain areas you might want to avoid, like some of the areas around Knox Road that have a bit of a reputation, but overall its not bad.
Housing can be rather expensive around here, and you might have to hunt really hard to find a house that you consider suitable for your price range. However, because of the current housing market, you might be in better shape.
