<p>For students and families considering CWRU:</p>
<p>One really cool thing about Case is that the language departments offer weekend trips to Toronto and Montreal for undergraduates. It’s a bus trip to visit Toronto
Or Montreal for the weekend and Case subsidizes the trips. Really fun way to get to know other freshmen and upper classmen.</p>
<p>Also the service opportunities at Case Western are phenomenal. Every freshman takes two writing courses and service is part of the requirement for the writing courses. That can be tutoring inner city children in math and writing or a host of other opportunities in Cleveland. </p>
<p>Cleveland is a city with history, architecture and beautiful INDOOR and outdoor gardens. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Roosevelt Garden right north of the campus on my last visit. Cleveland is a beautiful place and students are friendly at Case Western. Its got a healthy social scene, and a good balance between liberal arts and professional oriented degrees like nursing or business. Its got professors who CARE about undergraduate students, unlike some larger state schools. Students do not fall through the cracks even if they do not declare a major right away, because Case helps students with all aspects of their life, social, academic and professional . </p>
<p>I have to add that we went with our son to the admitted student overnight at Case last weekend, and we were very impressed. We really liked the campus and the programs and the faculty, and our son felt that he fit in well with the other students. He spent the night in a dorm in Juniper (I think it was) with a freshman who is majoring in mechanical engineering, and they really got along famously. During the visit we also attended a presentation about the mechanical/aerospace department, and we were thrilled with all the opportunities for undergraduate research and co-ops that the students can pursue. My son was also very interested to learn about the 5-year BS/MS program, which we really hadn’t looked into before talking with the professor who staffed the presentation. I thought we were going to have to physically drag DS out of the ThinkBox facility–he didn’t want to leave! And to hear that the facility will be expanding and moving into a 7-story building space this year–wow! The staff at Case Western has also impressed us – every interaction we’ve had with them has been welcoming and gracious and helpful and enthusiastic. We have two more Admitted Student programs to attend this month, but right now I have to say that Case is at the top of his list – and ours! </p>
<p>@LanaHere: I’d have to ask my son that question–he got an email from his host in the week or two before the overnight, but I don’t know exactly how early it was. He was able to email back and forth with his host a bit before arriving. They seemed to hit it off well, which was good to see because my son is normally rather reserved and quiet. They were chatting away like old friends when my husband and I left them in the gym! ;)</p>
<p>Engineering at Case Western offers some majors that other schools do not offer such as Macromolecular Engineering, which is the study of plastics and rubber and how they are used to make products. (Akron used to be called Rubber City, because Bridgestone Tire has a research laboratory focused on macromolecular engineering). I think overall, Case has very strong math and engineering, given the local companies and national labs like NASA Glenn in Cleveland, and their recruitment of professors from well known universities such as MIT. Also, it seems that most engineering and math students get good internships in the Cleveland area. Professors are accessible and helpful and many hire undergraduates in their labs. CWRU has its own solar cell farm, a research facility to test photovoltaic cells, which is located west of the Cleveland Art Museum. We visited a research lab that works on solar cell durability, and there were undergraduates in materials science, computer science and chemistry working for that particular engineering professor, as well as graduate students in materials science. (Professor Roger French’s research group). </p>
<p>Very accurate description of CWRU. I have always tried to paint this picture to other prospect, and advice them that US News ranking does depict the schools rightful place in the ranking as it should be.</p>
<p>We live in the south, and I sort of stumbled upon Case Western while searching for college options for my son, a high school senior. He is applying, and I am very interested in the comments made in this thread. If any of you can compare the undergraduate experience at CWRU to that of a larger school like UT, Auburn, Purdue, I would appreciate your input.</p>
I am an Auburn grad who now lives in Ohio. I visited CWRU back in September, and would have to say that there is no comparison between CWRU and the state schools you mentioned.</p>
<p>First, CWRU is very much an urban school. Cleveland is not a “college town” in the sense that Auburn or West Lafayette are. However, CWRU is in a relatively safe part of the city with lots of interesting things going on. The Cleveland Art Museum is literally around the corner from CWRU, for example. So is the Museum of Natural History and more.</p>
<p>Second, sports is not a big deal at all at CWRU. Indeed their sports facilities are below average in my opinion. On the other hand, fraternities and sororities are quite popular on campus.</p>
<p>Third, and most important, CWRU works its students hard. Yes, all engineering schools are demanding but CWRU has a reputation for very heavy work loads. Very few slackers survive at CWRU. To get a better STEM education, a student would have to go to MIT, or Cal Tech, or Stanford, etc…</p>
@ amiable what was your son’s final decision? My DS is in the same position right now, he goes for the admitted students overnight visit next week, he is trying to decide between Case, Purdue, and OSU.
Thanks @ LanaHere. Do you have a student at CWRU? We just returned from the admitted students visit and were very impressed. My son is not yet sure though, he’s worried that it’s really small and maybe not diverse enough? Any thoughts?
More CWRU info:
Case offers summer research grants for physics, biology, chemistry, economics engineering and mathematics majors, where the student writes a proposal, with professor guidance, and the student submits that proposal to the SOURCE (Support of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endevours ) office. The awards are $3000 plus travel grants.
Case has a cool ethics club that sponsors and funds international travel trips, and conference attendance, at Ethics conferences, called GELS (Global Ethical Leaders)
Case offers TWO medical campuses within a mile of each other in Cleveland. Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals at Case. There is a new Medical facility to help dental students , nursing students and medical doctoral students interact:
@headchef, sorry it took so long for me to reply. I was on CC but didn’t see the notification for your post.
CWRU’s Multicultural Affairs Office is very active and supportive to all minority students, regardless of their origin. The academic and living environments at CWRU are very collaborative. There is no such thing as “us” vs “them”. Students come together and are very supportive of one another, regardless of gender and race.
My student is a minority student, but she doesn’t feel “alone” as her friends and suite mates are Middle Eastern Americans, African Americans, Whites, Asians and Hispanics. Having suite mates from different ethnics backgrounds saved my D from having to eat frozen TV dinner for Thanksgiving. Her suite mates cooked up a huge Thanksgiving dinner. They enjoyed East Indian food as well as the traditional American Thanksgiving food.
But I do understand your concern. After my D came back from her overnight campus visit, she said: “Momma, there are a lot of Asian and White students at CWRU. And there are some Black and Middle Eastern students and everyone was really nice and friendly.The buildings are really nice and modern looking. I want to go to CWRU.”
If it’s not diverse enough, blame the weather, seriously. A lot of Asians and African Americans I know don’t care for the cold weather and the snow. They would rather live in locations where they never have to wear a winter coat again.
So what school is your student attending now? CWRU, I hope!
I think its not updated as there is one mistake on it, IBM Vermont sold its integrated circuit/semiconductor manufacturing facilities to Global Foundries at least two years ago now, so I would ask Case for an updated company list if this interests you.
