<p>Hello CC friends ;) Maybe you can help me sort through some college comparisions and travel priorities... </p>
<p>My son has applied to Case, but it is low on our list due to its location. But in honesty I have not seen it since 1980 when I applied, and he has never visited. We plan to visit Carnegie Mellon Sleeping bag weekend 1/24-1/25....and I've found a way we could do some one way tickets to catch Cleveland/Case too on Friday 1/22. </p>
<p>We are already considering Carnegie Mellon (Pittsburg area) and Northeastern (in the middle of Boston). Is the Case neighborhhood better, worse, comparable?</p>
<p>Any recommendations for classes or activities to visit at case 1/22? </p>
<p>Colorado mom, I think you will be surprised at how different Cleveland is from 1980. I student-taught there through a program with a different college in 1979 (lived downtown, taught in Cleveland Heights), and then didn’t see it again until we took my son to see Case almost 3 years ago. Although it still has its problem areas (East Cleveland was bad 30 years ago and is still bad today), it’s much more built up. with many upscale malls in the suburbs east of Case, than I remembered. My son is a sophomore at Case and really likes it. He seems to feel that as long as you use common sense (don’t go wandering around alone late at night, stay out of East Cleveland, which is near Case), the campus is safe. There is certainly a lot of security–campus, University Circle, and municipal. I have never felt unsafe on campus. I really like the access to various cultural offerings in the University Circle area–Botanical Gardens, Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History, etc.</p>
<p>Never visited Northeastern, but we did visit CMU. My sense was it was a more student-oriented neighborhood than University Heights is–between CMU and nearby UPitt, there are a lot more students, and the type of merchants reflect that. My son also applied to CMU, did get accepted, but chose Case, mostly because their financial aid was significantly better.</p>
<p>I noticed in another thread that your son is interested in music. I think there are a lot more opportunities for music at Case than CMU–there are opportunities at the Cleveland Insititute of Music, there is Severance Hall (to which students can get discount tickets, I think) practically in the middle of campus. One of my son’s suitemates is a double major, mechanical engineeering and music. My daughter, who is a year younger, applied to Case primarily for the music opportunities; she did not like CMU at all (she chose a liberal arts school in the end). Because of CMU’s stricter division among its various schools, I think it would be harder for a non-music major to have as many opportunities there.</p>
<p>As far as specific things to see on campus when you are there, sorry I can’t be much help. I know they will be concluding their week-long recognition of Martin Luther King that week, and there are various campus events centered around that on the day you will be visiting.</p>
<p>Thanks for the great hints, skylandmom! My son is interested in Engineering (undecided or mech eng, like his parents) or maybe Math or Physics. Although he is not really interested in a lot of serious music course, I am really intrigued about your son’s suitemate that is double major, mechanical engineeering and music. At CMU I have worried about limited music opportunities due to the music majors. A similar issue at our local CU Boulder (plus its huge size of 25,000 students) has made me want to explore schools elsewhere.</p>
<p>TRAVEL QUESTION TO ALL - ANY HOTEL HINTS? We probably need it just Thursday night 1/21 after we land 10:30pm at the airport. It will only feel like 8:30pm to us coming from CO, so it seems like we should try to get within a few miles of Case.</p>
<p>I’ve had good luck with getting a nice hotel from Hotwire in the Independence district (sometimes Beachwood, but I prefer Independence). These are 10 miles or so from Case and take up to a half hour in traffic. Hotels near Case are at the Cleveland Clinic and expensive with bad reviews. </p>
<p>Right now you can get a Hotwire 3.5 star in Independence (probably Doubletree or Embassy Suites) for $47 plus $13 tax & fees. The 3-star is $42+$13, and is probably Hyatt Place, Doubletree, or Holiday Inn. Nice hotels for $55-$60.</p>
<p>Priceline and Hotwire are non-refundable and you don’t know what hotel you are getting until it’s booked. Your mileage may vary, caveat emptor, etc. Look at betterbidding dot com for hints and possible hotel lists by stars and amenities for hotwire and priceline.</p>
<p>The Glidden House looks lovely, but it is $229/night. At this point I am looking at the downtown Hampton Inn, about 5 miles away so not too far to drive in the morning. It is $113 AAA rate (with cancellations allowed) + tax + parking (approx $15) </p>
<p>For others reading these posts in the future, you can google “case western accomodations” for a some suggstions, including Gldden None of them are as cheap as the Hotwire recommendations above.
[Visiting</a> Case: Case Western Reserve University](<a href=“http://www.case.edu/visit/lodging.html]Visiting”>http://www.case.edu/visit/lodging.html)</p>
<p>colorado_mom: When I visited with my daughter back in October we stayed at the following place. It included a free breakfast and was actually $10.00 cheaper than the rate on the reservation. A pleasant surprise. If my wife and I stay over for the accepted students open house, I may spring for the The Glidden House Inn. Of course if she finds out how much it costs it may not be a very romantic night.
[Beachwood</a> Ohio hotels, Clarion Hotel near Geauga Lake and Wildwater Kingdom, Beachwood OH 44122](<a href=“http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-beachwood-ohio-OH257]Beachwood”>http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-beachwood-ohio-OH257)
26300 Chagrin Blvd , Beachwood, OH, US, 44122</p>
<p>Thanks, aglages! The Clarion looks nice. It looks like there is some overshoot/double-back from the prior night’s airport arrival. Probably not a big deal if weather ok. I put it on our list I think Glidden is pretty tiny - book early if you decide to go for it. </p>
<p>We have a full day for campus (except the 10:15 info session and 11:30 tour) before heading down to see family in Columbus. Hopefully my son get to sit on a class. Any other suggestions for getting the campus vibe?</p>
<p>FWIW - I spent a great deal of my misspent youth in Cleveland and now live just outside of Pittsburgh (misspending my middle years). I’ve been to both CWRU and Pitt / Carnegie Mellon numerous times and know students that have studied engineering at both. CMU has the “better” reputation but both are top notch programs for serious students. Both have urban locations. CMU has more students in the area because of its proximity to other colleges. Case offers better financial incentives (unless your son is at the very top of the pecking order). My opinion is that both colleges have some safe neighborhoods around them and some that are very risky. I would be comfortable with my daughter attending either…and I actually love her a great deal…today.</p>
<p>I think it comes down to which schools he is accepted, which offer the most money, and which one he (and you) feel has the best vibe for you. Of course the preceding should go without saying…but I couldn’t resist.</p>
<p>Our son has been admitted to Case and I have been following your posts lately. I would love to hear all about your visit after you go. We have not been able to go yet and would love to get your take on the campus. Our son wants the feel of a centralized campus and I am concerned as I read somewhere that the dorms are seperated from the campus by the hospital. Can you tell us if it has that college campus feel or more of an urban campus atmosphere? He doesn’t mind being near a big city, but wants the campus to feel like a college campus. For example he did not like Boston University as it was in the middle of Boston with major streets running through it.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance. Students and others feel free to chime in too</p>
<p>Centennialmom - Yes, I have learned a lot from CC posts and will be happy to add our family’s observations. (If I forget… please PM me a reminder after the 26th). </p>
<p>My son is a strong IB student with superb stats and interesting music EC. He hopes to get accepted at Harvey Mudd in CA (and maybe Olin or MIT… longshots). Mudd will be his gold standard of comparison - it was the college visit that most “clicked” for him. But even if he gets into Mudd, we parents see some disadvantages beyond just the money factor. It will be very interesting to see Case and CMU.</p>
<p>About campus safety:
The Bad News: It’s not spectacular, last semester/summer there were a handful of muggings and 2 or 3 sexual assaults/attempted sexual assaults (it was the worst semester I’ve ever seen, not sure if it was the economy or what). That being said, I’m a girl and in all my time here (I’m a senior) I’ve rarely if ever felt unsafe (maybe I should feel unsafe more because it would make me act safer, I walk home alone at night a lot). Furthermore, nearly all “incidents” happen at night and/or when the student is out alone.</p>
<p>The Good News: The aspect of campus security that has most improved recently is the Safe Ride. After 8 PM you can call Safe ride and they will give you a ride to anywhere on (or relatively near) campus. I live off campus now and anytime I’m hanging out with my friends on campus a bit later, I take it home. Usually I’ll call and the van will be there within 5-10 minutes. Granted, I really started using this service because I don’t want to walk home after a long day in the cold, but whatever, I’m safer, I get home safer, etc.</p>
<p>Campus vibe: Case is definitely a campus, the main activity happens on Northside (near all the freshman and upperclassmen dorms). I don’t know about CMU, because I really didn’t visit it, but Case is nothing like Pitt in that it really does have a campus and all that. In general (unless you’re an upperclassmen business or humanities major) classes are on the main quad, which is a bit of a walk, but most of the fun stuff happens nearer to Northside. (Sophomores who get placed on southside are a bit isolated from the other years, but it’s a closer walk to campus, so, tradeoffs.)</p>
I think Glidden is pretty tiny - book early if you decide to go for it. </p>