<p>i just came back from a trip to case and boy, it was a pretty bad first impression! i guess maybe it was because that certain day, cleveland got 3 inches of snow, but the campus is extremely bland looking and does not look like a traditional college at all (this wouldn't be as bad if it was right in the city of cleveland) roads are also extremely crappy and it all seems a bit cramped. i sure hope the campus looks better in the spring time.</p>
<p>Everything looks bad in the winter. College campuses, ivy-covered or not, look old & dirty. Neighborhoods that might be perfectly acceptable when the flowers are blooming look like blighted slums you wouldn't want to be caught in.</p>
<p>Revisit in the spring? Or realize that's how things are in the winter.</p>
<p>I haven't asked my son if kids go cross-country skiing there. They do get a LOT of snow.</p>
<p>The weather around here has been...really weird. If you noticed under the snow, there are tons of flowers and decorative plants around campus (many daffodils, hyacinths, and flowering trees were hit hard this year by the snow that came after a few 70+ degree days). I also think that the sculptures around campus are meant to add some artistic flair to counteract some of the more boring buildings around campus.
The roads around campus are in deplorable shape this time of year. Add to that various construction projects (both from the University and the City of Cleveland), and it's a mess. They seem to be doing a fairly good job of patching things up once it gets warm enough. Truthfully, the bad roads aren't that big of a deal to the students who go here - we walk to most places.
Some of the buildings may look bland or cramped, but I think what most people on campus care about is what goes on inside those buildings, and thus the outsides may suffer a bit. There are plenty of gorgeous (or funky looking) buildings on campus though - Adelbert Hall, Peter B. Lewis building, several Greek organizations that live in converted mansions, Biomedical Research Building, etc. I love the fact that everything on campus is so accessible and that there is so much to discover...as a junior this year I have found numerous new places around campus that are wonderful for studying or hanging out with friends.</p>
<p>We personally thought that the campus was beautiful when we visited during the summer. When we were on the tour, some other families commented that it reminds them of Penn. And it does. It is really nice for an urban campus, at least IMHO.</p>
<p>Student1, have you seen the campus at MIT? :) If you pick your school based on the campus, you are probably missing the point. Case, while certainly not perfect, is actually pretty impressive IMO.</p>
<p>This has (I really hope) been a weird year weather-wise (I'm a freshman). I visited spring '06 and the weather was gorgeous.
As far as being cramped, the campus is actually pretty spread out (for an urban campus), from the freshman dorms, the walk to class is about 20 minutes or so. And if you ever want a place to walk around, University circle is quite pretty and relatively quiet--the Botanical gardens (free w student ID) are also pretty amazing.</p>
<p>Cleveland is getting over one of the worst (and longest) winters ever. Case is a pretty decent looking campus in Spring/summer.</p>
<p>I personally thought the case campus was gorgeous compared to many others I have seen. Granted the city of Cleveland is a slum and can turn you off, but I don't see how the Case campus could've done so. You really must've missed out, Student 1!</p>