Attention high school students.
So, my sister is a high school senior this year, and has been going through the process of examining and applying to colleges. I remember this process well, and can also remember a book called “America’s 365 Best Colleges and Universities,” which essentially guided my decision-making process. Since that book was full of shit, I was pleased to have the opportunity the other day to write a review of Case Western Reserve University for a website that wants to become the free online college guidebook. Here it is.
What are the biggest pieces of advice you’d give to a high school student considering your school… why did you choose it? What kind of student should stay away from your school?
Come to CWRU if:
– You are definately majoring in engineering (esp. BME) or applied sciences.
– You have some kind of scholarship to cover the tuition.
– You like Asian women, or, actually, Asian men, since there are a lot more of those.
If not, don’t. I chose this school because I wasn’t thinking.
Describe the best and worst of social life/campus life… Partying? Sports? Clubs? What are weekends like?
– There are sports teams if you like to play, but they all suck and few people go to games for the enjoyment.
– There is a large fraternity/sorority network, which is probably the most active part of the social life at Case.
– If you like to spend more than 8 hours a day playing MMORPGs, then this is the school for you. If you do not know what an MMORPG is, then you do not belong here.
– Cleveland is a nice town, paticularly downtown and in the Coventry and Little Italy districts. Case residence halls (on North side) are in a high-crime part of town, however. Several dozen muggings a year.
Describe your school’s academics – what departments are great/suck? What about Professors, TAs, and workload?
– Lots of money is poured into computing and research facilities — great wireless and broadband internet access, and both facilities and opportunities for research.
– Faculty quality is highly variable in every department. Probably an even mix of dedicated and talented people, idiots languishing on tenure, and “big names” who teach based on slideshows that come with the textbook. This is where there is the most room for improvement.
– Students take learning seriously, in so far as that is possible.
Describe the “typical” student at your school? Where are the students from? What are they into?
There are two types of typical student:
– A hard drinking, long-haired rowdie from Cleveland or Pittsburgh, who comes to Case intending to major in something like BME, joins a fraternity, and progressively changes his major to Biology, English, and finally Business Management.
– A 95 lb. nerd from Calcutta who comes to Case and graduates with a dual major in Electrical Engineering and Physics and a 4.0 GPA.
Notice that neither of those typical students were women.
Anything else you’d like to add?
If you just want to come to college and are not sure what you want to do with yourself, don’t go here — go to SUNY Geneseo, like I should have. If you are smart and hard working and definately want to come to Case for its award-winning program in Somethingtical Engineering, then go for it, but be prepared for high tuition and an administration that doesn’t care unless you’re a grad student.
{democracy:20}