One of my best friends just found out he was deferred from Case and is really freaking out about it. He knows to hang in there, but he also wants to apply to a few more schools just in case he doesn’t end up getting in. He loved the academic vibe on campus when he visited and is looking for some schools that are similarly focused on academics and have a campus culture like Case. Does anybody have any suggestions?
The first school that comes to my mind is Carnegie Mellon, however, it’s more challenging to be accepted to than Case. A school that is larger but has an energetic, academic vibe to it is the University of Pittsburgh. You can walk to CMU from Pitt and I believe they will share some classes.
Emory, Vandy, Rice, Tulane, and WashU are similar.
U of Rochester, Boston U. Not as academic but with lively urban environments: Loyola of Chicago, U of Cincinnati.
We know CWRU very well and looked at similar schools. No schools will be exactly same, so these are similar in some ways, not others.
WPI: more hands-on and project-oriented than CWRU definitely, but also a STEM school, similar size to CWRU, very nice campus in a nice area of Worcester. We visited dozens and dozens of schools over the last 6-8 years and loved the vibe at WPI better than anywhere. Choice came down to WPI/CWRU for one of mine.
Also, Rochester is a great choice, great academics, similar size. RPI, another terrific STEM school. And Lehigh, another strong science/engineering school.
Good luck!
OP
What are your friend’s choices for majors?
Concurring with others on The University of Rochester.
George Washington, NYU, Boston University, and Northeastern are other private, non-sectarian, urban universities roughly similar in selectivity to CWRU.
Adding my thoughts about the University of Rochester. Most students I know who consider one will consider the other. More actually like Rochester FWIW. We’re more rural, so sometimes the urbanness of Case turns them off. U Roc is also in a city, but with more of a defined campus. Academically they’re quite similar with a focus on research, esp in STEM.
WPI, Lehigh, RPI, Rochester, Lafayette
My son had CWR, WPI, and Rochester in his list last year. WPI won. Strong academics were a common thread, but location, the WPI PLAN, and the ability to travel abroad as an engineering major put WPI over the top.
He’s undecided