What is Harlem NYC like ?

It depends on what section of Harlem. Harlem used to be an all-Black neighborhood, and Harlem proper is still majority Black (though there are some White yuppies and even some Hispanics moving in there). You also have East Harlem and West Harlem (also called Hamilton Heights), which are predominantly Hispanic (with a few Blacks and some White yuppies). Harlem used to be very dangerous, but it's in the process of gentrification which means it's getting better. The thing is that it varies by area: You could have an area full of nice homes and hard-working people, and then further over there are crime-filled housing projects (there are hard-working people there as well, but there are also thugs in many developments), so you have to pick your area wisely. Before picking an apartment, go out at various times of the day to see your comfort level (e.g. Do you feel safe coming home from the subway in the evening?) This goes for any neighborhood in NYC. As far as cheap places, The Bronx and Queens are entire boroughs, large enough to be cities on their own, whereas Harlem is just one neighborhood (albeit a large one with subsections), so it's hard to generalize. Generally, the further out from Manhattan you go, the more value you get (either you'll get a safer area for the same price, or a larger apartment, or both, or the rent will be cheaper for a comparable apartment close to Manhattan). So if you don't mind traveling, yes you could look in some areas of the outer boroughs and commute to school, but again follow my advice about making sure you're comfortable there. I hope this information was very helpful.

Don W nailed it - excellent points, all of them. Pick his answer for the best answer.

Harlem is a traditional black African American area but recently has begun to become diversified a little bit. While Harlem used to have a reputation of being really bad and violent, it's gotten a lot better. It's still not that great though. It's still filled with a crime.

It's dangerous.