HI! Question about Housing and Cleveland

<p>Hiiii!!! I have two questions and was wondering if anyone could help me out. =))</p>

<li><p>This might be a really stupid question but how does the housing work at Case Western? Like do we have a choice in which dorms we want to be in? Is there some online form we have to fill out? I would appreciate it so much if someone could give me some data on this or maybe direct me to a site with all this information =))))</p></li>
<li><p>Is there a lot to do in Cleveland? Is it a fun city? I’ve heard from some people that it’s really fun but from others that it’s not as fun a city as I might expect.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I'm not totally sure about number 1, but I can probably answer question 2. I'm from the cleveland area and I lived at case for 3 wks over the summer. In my opinion, there is plenty to do! Severance Hall is right on campus, and I'm pretty sure they offer discounted student tickets. There are a bunch of restaurants near Case, including a short walk to Little Italy. While at my summer camp, we also went to Tower City multiple times. Tower city is like a big mall, and they also have a movie theater. "The Q" arena is also right there for concerts and stuff. I believe the Browns stadium and science center are also accessible from the RTA. Plus, Case is right in the middle of University Circle. In your freshman year you will be able to practically walk down the street to the Botanical Gardens, Natural History Museum, and Western Reserve Historical Society. A lot of people from the area downplay Cleveland's attractions because they are used to them, but I feel there is plenty to do in the area.</p>

<p>I'm a freshman at Case, and I can give you a little insight on the housing. After you are admitted, you'll fill out a form about some of your living preferences (bedtime, music you listen to, neat or not). Then, the housing people will match you with a roommate. I heard that this year's incoming class can choose which residential college they want to live in. A residential college is a group of 3 or 4 dorms that has a different theme (like community service). As a freshmen, you will live on the northside of campus with all of the other freshmen. </p>

<p>About Cleveland being fun, we definitely have all kinds of stuff to do. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying! As students at Case, we get free admission to all University Circle institutions. University Circle is where Case is located. All of these museums are within walking distance of campus. This includes the Cleveland Museum of Art, Western Reserve Historical Society, Botanical Gardens, and about a million others. Also, we get RTA passes to use the buses and trains. So, we can go downtown or other places to do cool stuff. Hope this helps!</p>

<p>Thanks you guys!! hey swimmerkp, do you know around when I'm going to get that housing form? Do they mail it to you? Is it posted on the website somewhere???</p>

<p>I don’t know much about how housing works, except buildings for the bulk of undergrads are all new and grouped on North Campus near the athletic fields. Better check the housing office although simmerkp gives good advice. Silversparkles18 and simmerkp are dead on in their descriptions of Cleveland for students. Those great museums and Severance Hall (top-5 Cleve Orchestra’s home) are literally ON CAMPUS interspersed, literally, amongst campus buildings in a gorgeous park-like setting. There are great restaurants in the area, again interlaced among campus and on Euclid, Cleveland’s main that splits the far-flung campus in 2. The retail district is lacking, at the moment, but is improving with plans for apartments and shops about to come off the drawing board. It’s not Cambridge or Hyde Park (Chicago) yet, but it’s getting there. The RTA rapid transit stops right on campus putting downtown, with all the activities and sports about 10 minutes away. Case is a great school that tends to fly just beneath the Ivy League radar. Lots of great programs, smart students and brand new housing! If you go there, enjoy.</p>

<p>Let me clarify a few things. Most undergrads do live/will live on northside. The exception being the class of 2009 will be in the southside dorms. Only the upper class dorms are new on northside. They are amazing. The freshman dorms are not new, but are still nicer than most colleges. As far as things to do. Lets be realistic here. Its not often case kids go to museums on a sunday afternoon, or other cultural institutions. Its great that theyre here. I've been to them all at some point or another. Kids go to Coventry (an interesting part of town with tons of restaurants, big music scene), Little Italy (self explanatory) for food. There are parties (not a party shcool though). Kids to lots of Greek (frat/sorority) related activities. Kids go to improv. There are movies on campus, or sporting events. You can even get professional tickets (cavs, indians) for cheap through case. Retail aroudn here is lacking, but that should in theory change somewhat soon.</p>

<p>the housing form. I think you have to go online once you enroll.</p>

<p>Right, the retail district is lacking, but plans are to make it better. Many kids who eventually do move out of the dorms (and not into frats/sororities), move up the hill into Cleveland Hts near Coventry and Cedar-Fairmount (think Coventry, Jr.). CWRU free buses connect Coventry to the campus. And don't forget thriving Little Italy which is just under the rapid tracks from campus/U.Circle. I think going to Case gives you the best of all worlds: small elite U, a major city, w/ activities and plenty of retail/activity nearby. It is the city, so you have to be street smart, even near the new dorms, but it's really no different than U.Chicago, Harvard or Georgetown, and actually better than, say, Yale in that sense.</p>