@jumbletumbles Thank you for the 11th hour suggestions, I will pass on to my son today.
It just seems as if this process is a bit too crazy, not just for Case but for most colleges. If you spend 4 years working hard, challenging yourself and taking rigorous courses, working to get great scores on standardized tests, participating in many things that you have a passion for…then actually carving out the time to complete very time consuming college admission applications to the colleges of your choice - it seems that you are showing your “interest” and “dedication” throughout! The fact that you have to do this additional contact for them to feel that you are truly interested is crazy! If students do their “homework” related to the colleges they are applying to, they may not have a need initially to ask more questions or make contact. It seems to me after being accepted is a much more appropriate time to make time to contact, visit, make sure the “details” reinforce that it is a good fit before making that final commitment.
Look at the Common Data Set for colleges of interest…it shows you what each college takes into account.
It won’t hurt to request an alumni interview as part of the reason is for you to be able to ask questions of an alumni.
Also he can make sure he is signed up for info, and he can read some of the emails that are sent.
If you think about any college (not just CWRU), they want the students that are admitted to attend. If you have shown no interest at all, then it is hard for the college to gauge if you would go there. If you have attended an info session or request an alumni interview or perhaps visited the school, there is a higher chance you will accept admission.
Also, since there is no application fee, they may be getting more “what the heck” applications.
Very informative and useful post @bopper I would add being a sibling helps at Case, I believe in both admissions and possibly in merit based awards??? , although Case seems to be very fair and bases merit on test scores and grades, sometimes sweetening the pot a bit for division 3 athletic ability and willingness to play on the team. Calling coaches is a way to show interest even if the student later decides not to play for that team or only plays one year. Many schools like Carlton College in Minnesota, RPI in NY State and Case use siblings as a criteria under the “interest” category because they know that the family is happy if child number 2 is applying, and they know that the family is familiar with Cleveland already.
There is additional wise advice at Case. Show genuine interest, which this school is worthy of. Show interest by demonstrating that you really want to attend. Case has too often been designated a second choice. It is not a second choice school. Students who attend are comparable to MIT, Berkeley, CMU and Caltech. Once you recognize that, then the choice is not difficult.
I think it is better to say that you can get a fine education at Case without comparing student bodies to those you listed. While there are some students at Case that are at the same level as say MIT, that is not true for the student body as a whole.
@bopper I tried that college fairs list you linked to - it doesn’t look like Case is on the road much this fall. Just four college fairs listed. Do you know if they do any fairs or info sessions at other times of the year, or is this a school that just doesn’t send people out much?
College Fairs are usually in Fall and Spring. HS are on summer break so they may not have set it all up yet. I know in NJ they regulary attend college fairs and they will in the future. Also it depends if they send a admissions counselor or have an alumni cover it…if no alumni volunteer than it might go uncovered. I see they have asked for volunteers for covering 20 NY/NJ college fairs.
TL;DR Be patient, they will show up soon on that page.
