Differentiating between CWRU and URoch

Colleges and Universities A-Z Case Western Reserve University
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URoch pros:
-open curriculum, so no required classes/gen eds (except for a writing course, much like CWRU’s SAGES)
-extremely research-oriented to a fault (but I see this as a plus)
-club tennis (apparently CWRU doesn’t offer it)
-renowned in optical engineering (not a deciding factor, but it’s something I wouldn’t mind looking into)

CWRU pros:
-a more open campus (URoch’s is too closed or “isolated”)
-University Circle
-think[box]
-pretty good research opportunities
-a lot closer to home

I really like everything URoch has to offer, but the campus seriously doesn’t resonate with me as much as CWRU’s (I’ve visited both). Weirdly enough, I prefer Cleveland to Rochester. The weather is equally as bad in both locations, so I’m not taking weather conditions into consideration. The scholarship I was offered at URoch will offset the cost difference a bit, but I’m wondering if there’s anything else unique to CWRU (both positive and negative). I’m planning to go on the premed track, if that helps a bit.

**********In short:
*Am I just being picky about URoch’s campus, or does it really matter whether or not I can picture myself there?
*Should I email the admissions counselor at Case if scholarship money turns out to be a deciding factor? I’m only asking this since the scholarship money may sway my parents’ opinion.
*Do CWRU’s gen eds get in the way of taking premed courses or courses towards a major? And how well does CWRU prepare premeds?
*According to a few people I’ve asked, CWRU and URoch tend to be regarded as very similar schools. What differentiates CWRU from URoch? What else is unique to CWRU?
*Also, how are the professors at CWRU?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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bump

does anyone here know how much freedom people have in choosing classes at CWRU?

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CWRU has a single door admissions policy…so you don’t have to “get into the business school” to take business classes, for example. However if you are an engineering student, there is a curriculum for you that has some required courses but also technical and humanities electives.

https://engineering.case.edu/eecs/node/209

If you are doing pre-med, you see that Calc, Chem, and Physics are already in the curriculum.
You would need to add Bio, and Organic Chemistry.

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@bopper Are there a lot of gen eds that get in the way of choosing premed courses and courses towards a major? I’m just a little worried that majoring in a field other than the sciences won’t have as much overlap with premed as something like engineering. Or that I won’t have enough room to fit in the gen eds, the premed courses, and courses towards a completely unrelated major (for example, I’d assume that business has required classes entirely outside of premed).

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This is the Gen Ed requirements for School of Arts and Sciences: http://bulletin.case.edu/undergraduatestudies/casdegree/

For Engineering:
http://bulletin.case.edu/undergraduatestudies/csedegree/

Here is info on pre-med advising:
https://case.edu/ugstudies/pre-professional-advising/pre-health/

I would suggest that you ask your admission counselor: (see here) to put you in touch with someone who could answer your questions specifically.

https://case.edu/newstudents/firstyear/contact-us/

Little article about Business and Pre-med:
http://observer.case.edu/weatherhead-business-management-cwru/

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My son, junior at CWRU, a double major math and physics has found the general education courses to be minimal, and not get in the way of his double major. He grumbled a little about one of his SAGES seminars but liked the other two. He has really enjoyed the breath requirement for humanities and took an Indian Philosophy and Religion class, that is very well taught. He has outstanding professors in physics and math, he has had some good teachers for economics classes, but physics and math professors are stand outs.

He has a LOT of freedom to take graduate physics classes for undergraduate requirements, which is great for him.

A few fun CWRU facts: Students can get discount trips to Toronto, New York City and other destinations through an on line lottery program where the trips cost less than $80 pp, including hotel and bus fair. Usually over Fall Break, and other three day weekends.

Case’s Global Ethical Leaders Club sponsors travel to a leadership conference every year at Annapolis and international travel trips. See travel blogs here for students projects:
http://www.globalethicalleaderssociety.com

Students can apply for a $3000 research grant to stay on campus for the summer and work with a professor.
the program has additional travel grants and a weekly seminar on research methods as well as a poster session at the end of the summer.
http://www.case.edu/source/

Cleveland beats Rochester on ANY measure! Public transportation, SPORTS TEAMS! Fine arts, theatre, music for sure. Cleveland Orchestra and CIM (Cleveland Institute of Music, on campus, those students take general ed at CWRU ) , that combination of concerts are just better than the Eastman School of Music which is not near the U of Rochester but has its own campus.

Cleveland has more character and gets less snow than Rochester most winters. Cleveland is “east coast” in look and feel, red brick roads, ethnic neighborhoods, a huge church on every corner, architecture, West Side Market, but Rochester seems to be “midwestern” or “upstate”.

Cleveland has a nice Little Italy neighborhood with plenty of student priced dives, and its walking distance from Case.

Cleveland Museum of Arts has a wonderful cafeteria, Provenance Cafe, if you get tired of the meal plan food at Case and need a change of pace on occasion:

http://www.clevelandart.org/visit/provenance/provenance-cafe

And read your New York Times here on Sundays, for a relaxing coffee and scone.

http://prestisbakery.com

Both cities are friendly. Two good choices, really. Good luck.

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@bopper Those links were very helpful! Especially the last one–that was quite reassuring, haha.

Thanks a bunches!

@Coloradomama Haha yeah! The liveliness is definitely one of the main reasons why I like Cleveland a lot more than Rochester.

I’m glad that your son had such a good experience with gen eds! That’s pretty relieving to know :slight_smile:
I don’t plan on majoring in math or physics, but it’s also nice to hear how great the math and physics professors are!

I’m somewhat familiar with the research grant you can apply for (something I’m definitely considering), but wow, I didn’t know that you could get discount trips to some major cities. I’d imagine that the lottery would contain a lot of participants, but I don’t think I’d mind testing my luck. Is there a reason why the school is holding these lotteries?

Thanks for your help as well!

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They would hold the lottery to if there is more demand than supply, and it gives everyone an equal chance.

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@rlyoutofit Yes, apparently there was a lot of demand for the subsidized Toronto trips at CWRU. My son has been too busy to try for them, lately. I think they were funded in part of the Department of World Languages.

As you are thinking premed, did you read about the joint venture between CWRU and Cleveland Clinic, Called the Health Education Campus:

http://cwru-newmed.com/info/

http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2015/10/cleveland_clinic_cwru_break_gr.html

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Drove by the Health Education Campus construction site this past weekend. It’s really coming along and so very exciting for CWRU!

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@bopper Sounds good! Thanks for the info!

@Coloradomama It’s a little disappointing that expected completion will be fall 2019, but this joint venture is still a very exciting prospect I’ll be looking forward to! It’s very nice to hear how involved CWRU is in creating opportunities for premeds :slight_smile:

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@riyoutofit I am thinking that the idea behind the Heath Education campus is part of the way CWRU teaches medicine, so lots of interaction between health care providers, even though they for now work in separate buildings. Just a thought. I think the bio medical engineers are part of this interactive campus , as well as social workers, nurses, doctors. Those collaborations may be happening without the fancy building right now. Good luck!