hey! Im a prospective case student and I was wondering if any parents/alumni/current students could give me some insight on things to do at Case!
Im more of a big city girl in that I love to explore and active nightlife is preferable! Does case hold a lot of fun events? dances? sports games?
Does Cleveland offer a lot of great dining? Things to do? Festivals?
I do want to be in close proximity to bigger cities like New York, Chicago, etc. but I was wondering how does Cleveland compare to these cities, and in comparison to major cities such as Houston, LA, etc
I can’t speak to the Case specific questions but Cleveland is a great city. Definitely lots of great dining, some within an easy walk of campus. Great sports town with the Indians, Cavs, and even the Lake Erie Monsters (hockey). Amazing cultural scene - The Cleveland Symphony (adjacent to campus), Playhouse Square, all the museums (adjacent to campus). Lots of concert tours come through Cleveland as well. Most of the festivals tend to be in the summer.
One of mine was recently a student at CWRU, hence my long answers on your other thread. Yes, all the major cultural institutions are around Case–museums, concert hall, theater. Euclid Avenue splits the campus. It has been redone in the stretch through campus in recent years–a direct result of the school’s success–and now there are lots of restaurants, bars, etc. geared toward the students. Little Italy with more restaurants, etc. is just a few blocks from campus. There’s a Denny’s on campus and lots of students go there late night (at least as of 2 years ago). Sports are not incredibly popular but it is nice that football stadium, gym, baseball field, are close to dorms, academic quads. As noted, Indians and Browns and Cavaliers are in town, and I know students go to those games as well. Downtown is actually pretty nice with lots to do.
It is very cold and gray there. That’d be a negative to me. To me, the campus is fine, not the most beautiful one–Rice is nicer–but nice buildings and some character. I know JHU and I think it compares to there. Freshman live on the old Western Reserve side and often cross Euclid Avenue to the main academic quad, which was Case Institute. That’s not for everyone, crossing a city street, with other, non-CWRU people around, including lots of medical professionals from the hospital right there. One of mine was fine with it, one did not like that at all. Greek life seemed pretty moderate, definitely a thing but not the dominant part of campus social life, and more chill than at other places.
@sealotus Did you pick Case? Lots of dance spots downtown, Case students do take advantage of downtown going out spots. Greek life also gets students out and about in Cleveland. Sports are very important to Cleveland folks. If you are there in the summer, and the Cavs are in the playoff, expect to go to a bar or watch on a giant screen outdoors!
There is also a distinct intellectual vibe at Case, and lots of service oriented students. I think Case has a very good relationship with the city, which makes for a pleasant experience if you are a student. I have spent time with my son at Case and in NYC, SF and Boston. Cleveland reminds me most of the look of Cambridge/Boston. There are neighborhoods, and lots to do right in University Circle. Coventry is a nice neighborhood directly east of Case’s campus, to eat breakfast out, shop, or live in the summers, if you work on campus. Lots of duplex sublets in Coventry.
For weather, Case has much less snow than upstate NY or Boston. The fall and summer are wonderful weather. Spring is wet there, it sleets a lot in winter, but some snow too. Cleveland has the reverse lake affect, warms up at 5 pm every day near Lake Erie, by 5 degrees! Its a “thing” that almost no one but Cleveland people know about! .
Houston is not as east coast like, but more like a midwestern or Rocky Mountain city, more like Phoenix Arizona, if
you are familiar.
Cleveland is a mid sized city with great trains and buses, so easy to get around, and somewhat friendlier than bigger cities like NYC, Houston, or even Atlanta.