@ucbalumnus Thank you for the informative link for JHU. I’m not relying on my level of interest in this school as I can expect that the majority of applicants have the same degree of interest. Furthermore, I’m surprised that recommendations carry more weight than the essay.
In terms of CWRU, it is not a backup school for me, but rather an actual and rational choice for college that I will strongly consider if I do gain admissions.
Thank you for the helpful links, and I appreciate the continuing concerns for flaws and holes that may seem present in my process.