<p>vinzzy... While I am not a BME major (yay!), I can't speak for everybody, but I definitely know that's one of the harder engineering to be in. Plus, Case is number 4, or 3, I have no idea, in BME. So, yes, expect work. You're going to college, and majoring in BME at one that is 4th in the nation... Did you think it would be easy?</p>
<p>vinzzy,
I just finished my first year at case. I'm biochem and french with many bme friends. I've found Case to be academically challenging but it's doable and not cutthroat, you just have to stay on top of things. The average GPA for the whole university was a 3.1 for 03-04 school year. So a 2.8 is a bit below average. There's lots of help available particularly in the freshman classes. I didn't have a 1600 am in lots of clubs, a soriority and still did really well academically as did nearly all of my friends. So it's very possible you just have to balance things. Some people have to adjust more than others, it just depends on the caliber of their high schools. Case is #4 in undergrad BME. From my close friends BME gets increasingly more challenging, peaking in the jr. year. Freshman year there's only one course that's any different from any other type of engineer. Certain subspecialties within BME are more time demanding than others. All of the Freshman prospective BME's take a class called Intro to BME that surveys the different field, so talk to upperclassmen about the subspecialties you're interested in.</p>
<p>vinzzy,
relax, if you want to do bme, you'll do well and have a great time. it's the people that try to ignore the fact that bme is truly engineering that have the hardest time with it. Your grades may not end up to be exactly what you want, but in the long run, you will probably learn more than the people at other schools that have a higher gpa...grades aren't everything. Good luck, and have lots of fun, that's what college is for!</p>
<p><strong>edit</strong>
When I said your grades may not be what you want, I still think that nobody should have a problem keeping the required gpa for the scholarship if they put in the work.</p>
<p>btc8</p>
<p>You said that Case isn't as hard to get into as the ivies, but harder to stay in. That is probably due to other factors and NOT due to the academics. Don't get me wrong. Case is a GREAT school. But its not like the Ivy League is composed of easy classes and 4.0 GPAs. I know many people who go to ivies who sometimes take courses atCase during the summer, and they've told me how much easier those courses are than the courses at their schools (specifically math and science). Case is great, but lets not generalize and cut short the academics at Ivies as inferior.</p>
<p>Summer classes are typically easier then the classes during the year regardless of the uni. Just a thought.
Vinzzy- the day I see Case students getting cutthroat about their grades is the day I transfer out. It might be hard but it's not because we're all pitting against each other!</p>
<p>Ivyboy,
I wasn't generalizing. I was only going by what others have told me, and of course, this can be misleading. I was in by no way insinuating that the Ivy League schools are by any means inferior.</p>
<p>On the contrary, if I had the grades and the money, then I would choose Ivy over anything because of its fine reputation. But for now, that's not an option for me.</p>
<p>I assume you attend an Ivy League school, or will in the future. Congratulations and good luck.</p>
<p>After all this talk about Case compared to the Ivy League, I felt like saying something. I turned down Dartmouth, Emory, and Notre Dame to go to Case. I know that Dartmouth isn't the "best" Ivy, but I felt like Case was so much better in so many ways. I got a slightly better financial aid package from Case. Case students seem to be more focused on academic excellence than the students at Dartmouth. Dartmouth students were more focused on when they were going to party and get high. I was at Dartmouth for their Dimensions Program (4 days), and decided that it definitely wasn't the school for me. Case's science programs seem to be superior to Dartmouth's programs. I had more opportunities for undergrad research at Case. This was just my experience with Dartmouth--not all the Ivys. I will be a biology/pre-med major, music minor, and varsity swimmer at Case. I feel like I will have a great experience at Case that I wouldn't be able to have at Dartmouth-or any other school.</p>
<p>Good luck swimmerkp!</p>
<p>Yay for swimmerkp! I'm excited you chose Case :-D</p>
<p>I swam last season & the team is AMAZING--I had so much fun, and accomplished more than I ever thought I could.</p>
<p>Good luck!!</p>
<p>Hi MTbigsis,
Would you be able to tell me a little more about your swim experience at Case? D has this school on her list and hopes to continue swimming.
How was the schedule, did you find it difficult to keep up with everything? Thanks for any info.</p>
<p>I'd love to :-D</p>
<p>This year (the head coach, Chris Conlon, will be returning, so the schedule probably won't change drastically, although he does make adjustments from year to year), we swam or lifted every morning Monday-Friday and had afternoon practices four days a week (we had Tuesday afternoons off). In the weeks before our meets started and off weeks, we usually had a Saturday morning workout, too. Until my sophomore year (I didn't swim freshman year) I had swam for only club teams and Y teams because my high school didn't have a team, so this practice schedule definitely was a big change for me. However, the team is composed of swimmers with varying abilities, and the coach was always willing to work with me.</p>
<p>It was overwhelming at first, but the support system is amazing. I can especially attest to the spirit of the women's team because I was a part of it...there were always older swimmers willing to help me with anything, including schoolwork, and everyone was always keeping morale up (through early-AM workouts, walking to practice in the snow, long meets, etc.). We have lots of women's team traditions like spending the night at one of the swimmer's houses in Pennsylvania and running a 5K race together the next day, going out for a women's team dinner, and having "Secret Fish"--each girl draws another name and is responsible for decorating her locker & finding her small presents to encourage her throughout the year--then we reveal who had each other at the conference meet at the end of the year.</p>
<p>The season is long, officially beginning in late September and concluding at the end of February (or March for those who make it to Nationals). Although it is a huge time commitment, I found it manageable, but hard. Since I didn't swim my first year of college, I got involved in several organizations that also take up a big part of my time, and I'm the president of my class. Therefore, I decided not to swim next year so I could devote more time to schoolwork. However, most of the other swimmers tell me their grades are better in-season than out of season, because having such a regimented schedule forces them to be productive. A typical week for a swimmer last year would be:
Monday
6:30-8 AM or 7:30-9 AM (depending on whether you had an 8:30 or 9:30 AM class) Lift for 45 minutes, swim or other cardio for 45 minutes
9:30-4 Classes/lunch/work/meetings/library/etc.
4:30-6:30 PM Swim practice
7:00 PM Most of the team eats dinner together in dining halls
8:00 PM Study/hang out with friends/activity meetings</p>
<p>Tuesday
6-8 AM or 7-9 AM (depending on class time) Swim practice
then free for the rest of the day!!</p>
<p>Wednesday & Friday were similar to Monday
Thursday
7-9 AM Men-Swim, Women-Dryland (I was one of the people with an 8:30 class, so I was excused early)
4:30-6:30 PM Women-Swim, Men-Dryland</p>
<p>Saturday
<em>If no meet: usually practice about 9 AM - 12 noon, swimming and dryland
*</em>If meet: team breakfast about an hour before we had to leave (usually early AM), leave for the meet, get back sometime in the evening</p>
<p>There were also a few 3-day meets (we go to Wooster right before winter break) and the 3-day conference meet (this year we flew to Chicago) to end the season for those who don't make Nationals. This year we had two swimmers make it to Nationals, which was exciting. We also have a national champion as an assistant coach; she won the title as a Case swimmer three years ago.</p>
<p>It's definitely an intense schedule, but also manageable. 40+ students do it every year and keep coming back :-). Academics is definitely stressed as a top priority. Sometimes, labs or review sessions will conflict with practice, and the Coach is very willing to work with each swimmer to develop a schedule that works for him or her. For when we have to miss school for the long meets I mentioned earlier, we have documents from the athletic department to give to our professors so we can rearrange exams, homework, etc.</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend that you request a swimmer to host your daughter when she visits campus. Then she'll be able to meet with the team, coaching staff, and see what our schedule is like and if it would work for her.</p>
<p>Yes, there are difficulties, but there are also tremendous benefits. I have developed strong friendships with almost everyone on the team, and we always had fun. There is a 10-day training trip over winter break (last year we went to Florida, and next year there are rumors of Hawaii) that, while it is hard work, is also a blast because once practices are over, you can lay out on the beach and hang out with your friends. Away meets were also great experiences. And finally, I was so proud of what I had been able to accomplish and what my teammates had accomplished.</p>
<p>Sorry I went on and on--I love the swim team! If you have any other questions about swimming or Case in general, I would love to help :-)</p>
<p>Perhaps you already know this - Dartmouth's summer reading assignment for FR is the same book as Case is using, "Mountains Beyond Mountains".
BUT
I don't know if Tracy Kidder will speak at Dartmouth as he will at the CWRU freshman convocation.</p>
<p>Hi MTbigsis The info is much appreciated and helpful. Right now D practice schedule is about the same..doubles 2 or 3x per week,
5-6 evenings depending on meets etc. Sounds like a great group, congrats on your season and thanks!</p>
<p>WS17- I didn't know that! I haven't been keeping up on Darty after the whole selection time. Maybe he's just coming to Case : ) Go Spartans!
MTbigsis- Were you on campus March 24-26? I was on a recruiting trip that weekend with the swim team. Maybe I met you?</p>
<p>Hi swimmerkp! My first name is Elyse...I met a lot of prospective swimmers, but I left for home on March 25, so I'm not sure if I got to meet you...did you stay with the top of the hill swimmers/bottom of the hill swimmers, or freshman swimmers? Anyway hope you are having a great summer! I am working at Orientation 2B and the Welcome Days sections...plus lots of my best friends are on the team, so I'm sure we'll run into each other at some point!</p>
<p>Elyse, I stayed with Becky Davis at the top of the hill and played water polo with a bunch of the swim team. I'm going to Orientation 2. Hope to see you at the Welcome Days!</p>
<p>Awesome! I just ran into Becky yesterday at the pool :-) Water Polo games on Fridays are the best :-D. I'll see ya at Welcome Days, they are a lot of fun!</p>