<p>Like to see if anyone has thoughts on these 2 schools for liberal arts. thanks.</p>
<p>Interesting question. Wooster is exclusively an undergraduate liberal arts college, on purpose. Case is perhaps best known for its graduate schools, which include law, medicine and engineering. I think the liberal arts program at Case is getting more attention now, and that’s a good thing. I know some of the Case liberal arts faculty members personally, and they’re impressive. But I do think liberal arts students at Case are going to be something of a minority, whereas at Wooster, there are ONLY liberal arts students. (OK, I’m not going to explain “liberal arts” since you know, of course, that liberal arts include math and science.) </p>
<p>Wooster’s the county seat of a prosperous agricultural/educational/service-oriented community. Case is located in University Circle, Cleveland’s pride jewel of museums and the home of the Cleveland Orchestra. The Case campus abuts a gritty urban neighborhood. </p>
<p>Both schools value diversity. Both have excellent faculty. Both are pricey but have generous benefactors. Wooster is easier to get into.</p>
<p>If you’re interested, visit both. It’s just over an hour from one to the other.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks so much. Like the town comparison. I think of Case as engineering but I have been hearing a buzz lately about it’s liberal arts so wanted to check with those who know as we are setting school visits up.</p>
<p>I grew up very close to Case and went to school at Wooster. I think ici pretty much hits it on the head. I absolutely love the University Circle area. Case is really in a great location that’s hard to beat, and locally, very well regarded. Very urban, but I think being in the city affords some nice opportunities for the students there. </p>
<p>However, for undergrad, Wooster is more singularly focused, located in a rural area, and dresses its marching band in kilts – gives it a completely different “feel”, lol. Completely different experience. I loved it.</p>
<p>You’ll really have to visit both to determine which environment you prefer. They are different enough that you should have no problem distinguishing which is best for you in terms of tastes, style, culture etc.</p>
<p>I went to Case for Dental School and at that time it was strong in sciences and engineering. I’m glad to hear their liberal arts program has improved. My son is a freshman at Wooster. I haven’t been to Case for some time but the campus does have an entirely different feel than a small town campus. I don’t sense there is much in the way of college traditions and sports that you’ll find at Wooster. There are a lot of things to do around the University Circle area, especially if you are interested in the arts. Lots of museums and Severance Hall. It’s not an area I felt comfortable walking by myself at night. Wooster -I don’t think I’d feel unsafe walking on campus at night. You won’t find much green space/campus quads at Case and Euclid Ave, a busy street bisects the campus. At Wooster, it’s Beall Ave. which is a two lane, moderately traveled st. Tha campus is dotted with trees and is nicely landscaped. Case - lots of concrete. Definitely visit both to get a good feel.</p>
<p>The first college my younger son visited was Case. He was overwhelmed by the technically-oriented facilities. The following weekend he visited Kalamazoo and was completely turned-off because many of those technical options were not available. This child spent the summer before and fall of his senior year looking at colleges on both coasts and in the midwest. I think about 25-30 colleges in all. Ultimately, Case went from his first choice to one of his last. Wooster and Kalamazoo became two of his favorites. </p>
<p>Case has more grad students than undergraduates and also significantly more (undergraduate) men than women. These two factors definitely effect the overall feel of the school. Also, he missed the intimacy that is a central theme at many of the LACs. He thought Case would be a great place for grad school but not for undergrad. </p>
<p>Case was very generous with merit money. It gave him the most money of any of the schools where he was admitted. (It would have been cheaper for him to attend Case than Michigan, in-state). Wooster’s merit offer was second or third. </p>
<p>College is an extremely expensive experience and where you attend will effect you long term. Visit as many schools as it takes (hopefully it will be within the 5-6 range) till you walk on campus and feel ‘that this is the school for me’.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Can you tell me how strong the religious climate is at Wooster? We aren’t religious and wonder if a student would fit in without it.</p>
<p>We just got back from Family Weekend. I would say there is not a strong religious climate on campus. There is an interfaith minstry office and a small Presbyterian church that meets virtually on campus but I don’t sense that it’s attended by many students. A non religious student would definitely fit in. In fact I’d venture to say he’d be in the majority.</p>