<p>So here are my pros and cons about each. My main areas of study would be history, writing (english), german, music, anthropology, art/art history, and sociology. Any clues about strong/weak programs at these schools would be appreciated.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Case: i like the urban atmosphere, though it might be a little too much. i would be in the liberal arts section which is given less attention than engineering i think, at the same time, i would get more personal attention.</p></li>
<li><p>Oberlin: it has really good music opportunities, but i think it is sort of stifling with such a small town and campus. i am liberal, so i would like the politically active campus, though i am a little curious about the students. also, i have heard about different events/parties that i might be a little uncomfortable with. i do like the focus on liberal arts and personal attention from oberlin.</p></li>
<li><p>Uni. Rochester: I haven't visited, but i like the cluster system and connection to Eastman. it's also in a city but has a campus. i'm not sure how strong the liberal arts are there.</p></li>
<li><p>Wooster: not as high on my list. i feel like there are stronger options, but the campus was cute and the people were friendly. i am wondering whether i would feel as challenged here as at the other schools. it is also less diverse.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I am interested in a place with many different things going on, lots of cultural activities, art/music activities, social and political action, and less of a party scene or at least a place where it's ok if you don't drink. I want a school with a diverse student body of people who are very academically focused, but are down to earth, friendly, respectful, open minded, and also are interested in the things i posted (like feeling a drive to make a difference through clubs like amnesty). So, any ideas about which school might fit me best?</p>
<p>FWIW, my daughter's at Oberlin and as far as I've discerned all the areas of your stated interest are well regarded there.</p>
<p>I've a close relative who attended Rochester and liked it; however I recall her saying she really didn't go into the city much at all. And Eastman is across town from the main campus or something.</p>
<p>As for waiting on Wesleyan: That's really up to you. My daughter didn't like Wesleyan as much, for her, and didn't apply. I really don't know how its offerings are regarded in areas like music or creative writing. In any event, from what I've observed these days, not that many people are getting off of waiting lists.</p>
<p>I'll be going to Oberlin in fall, and as for your concerns I know that that's a big concern among some people I've talked to. But I don't drink and when I visited I didn't have any problems regarding that. In terms of events/parties they have, no one's forcing you to do anything or any peer pressure of any kind. That's what I really loved about it. Everyone completely respects each other's decisions and choices. </p>
<p>Although it's small, from everyone I talked to it only felt small when it came to the dating scene. But otherwise, it didn't seem like that many people left campus all that often. </p>
<p>But in terms of what you're looking at, Oberlin seems like it offers the most opportunities for those (no, I'm not trying to sell the place). Granted, I don't know that much about the other schools. Wesleyan would come up a close second, but again, getting off of waitlists is close to impossible these days.</p>
<p>We have pretty similar preference for a school. And, I will be most likely going to URochester in the fall. So far, all I heard about this school is good things except the cold weather. if you want to know more about URochester, you should check out the URochester forum! =)</p>
<p>one more thing....
As you probably know, eastman is recognized as one of the top music schools in the country, so URochester must be your definite choice if you have a passion for music!</p>
<p>Case Western is a genuine, multi-faceted university with strengths not only in engineering but also the liberal arts and sciences (as is the University of Rochester). An advantage of a university with diverse offerings such as CWRU is that if you want to switch your major to an unrelated field, you don't have to transfer to another college/university. Also, at universities such as CWRU and Rochester, you can get exposure to different graduate fields (such as medicine, law, business, and Phd programs) through talking to graduate school professors and graduate students in those fields (and possibly taking graduate level classes as an undergraduate as well). Thus a student who is exploring possible different career interests can do some test driving before fully commiting oneself to a particular field while still being at the same university.</p>
<p>Academically, Oberlin is the stand-out here. But you have to make the choice between a liberal arts college and a university. Oberlin is large for a LAC, not small, but you need to decide whether you'd be happier at a place with grad students or not.</p>
<p>I think all of the Universities you posted above are very "liberal artsy" except Case which is more research and career oriented (co-ops, undergrad research, Case is the 12th research University is the US). I suppose Rochester has a little of both, which seems to be what you're going for...</p>
<p>"you need to decide whether you'd be happier at a place with grad students or not."</p>
<p>This is a key point in this case, since Rochester is a rather grad-student focused school.</p>
<p>Rochester students probably will not stand out in your " make a difference" political/ social action criteria, whereas this is what Oberlin is about, in part. On the other hand, perhaps you might be more comfortable with Rochester students in other social respects; don't know.</p>
<p>I will seek some comments on this specifically relating to Rochester.</p>
<p>However, in the meantime, general observations:</p>
<ul>
<li>Undergrad classes are likely to be bigger at a research university, with grad student TAs grading papers and holding review sessions. And in some cases, actually teaching courses.</li>
</ul>
<p>-access to, and relationship with, the actual professors is likely to be more remote
- the professors may view their primary mission is to work with grad students and do research, and undergrads are a secondary priority.</p>
<p>-At the LAC profs typically also do research, but their first obligation is to undergrad teaching. And there are no grad students to help them with their work so they have to use undergrads.
- In smaller classes, more of the teaching can be discussion based, rather than lecture based. Where this is desirable. Class discussion plays more of a role, and if you don't understand something there's more of a chance that your question will be specifically addressed in class. On the other hand, you may have to endure more potentially stupid questions and discussion of other students.</p>
<p>Some benefits of the research university:
- Profs may be involved in more cutting-edge research, which may trickle down into the classroom
- at some places undergrads may be able to get involved in this research. However this may vary between institutions. Remember they have grad students for this.
-In classes that are large, the availability of TA graders might encourage the prof. to give more papers and other assignments than at the LAC, since he/she won't have to grade them all. Although the number of such large classes is typically much fewer at an LAc, when they do have such classes the Prof. might have more of an incentive to reduce his/her grading burden.
- In a large class typically the prof won't really know if you show up for class or not. So if you decide it's pointless you really don't have to go.
In a small class the Prof will definitely know. In many classes at an LAC class attendance is mandatory.
- the larger research university might offer more advanced level courses in particular areas of study.</p>
<p>I applied to Case and contemplated applying to Rochester for the longest time and Oberlin as well. I know some about Wooster as well.</p>
<p>Rochester seems like it would be the best fit for you. Case doesn't seem right for you- too grad focused, too research focused, etc (though part of me wants you to join me there!). I think you should really consider just letting it go. It's not that I don't think Case is awesome in the humanities, but it's just a smaller area at Case. Rochester to me seems to have the postives of Case with the positives of an LAC rolled into one. It's also close enough to a big city where you could see the city on a weekend trip and such. Ohio...not so much. Now Oberlin. I can't tell- but you have to consider how liberal Oberlin is. As in past the noraml liberal school. This can be bad or good- personally I lean more liberal than conservative, but I'm not oberlin liberal either. Oberlin is also in the middle of nowhere, which sounds like it could be a downer. Just what I think.</p>
<p>Oberlin is about 35 minutes from Cleveland. I doubt Oberlin students really go to Cleveland much, in part because there's lots to do on campus and they have a lot of work.</p>
<p>However I have the perspective of at least one Rochester alum that in fact she didn't hardly go into Rochester at all either. The campus seemed sort of isolated to me from the rest of the city.</p>
<p>Agreed that fit with the prevailing campus culture is important though. Do an overnight?</p>
<p>estargrl88 - Responses from moneydad are very accurate regarding general characteristics of an LAC versus research university (grad students as TA's in some classes; professors teaching virtually all classes at LAC's, etc.) However, be sure to reach your own conclusions vis-a-vis Case, U of R. and Oberlin. I attended the University of Chicago where the general case regarding graduate students as TA's in large research universities was not the norm whatsoever. Almost all my undergraduate classes were taught by professors and were relatively small (in the vein of the typical LAC). However, at typical Big State U. or Big Private U. the grad students as TA's would be much more prevalent. So on your visit(s) to U of R, Case, and Oberlin test out whether the general research university versus LAC maxims hold true. (For me, the benefits of close-by strong graduate school programs for an undecided undergraduate was a benefit as I mentioned in my earlier post.)</p>