Case Western Reserve University

Date: Jan 02 2003
Major: Physics (This Major's Salary over time)
Things are definitely getting better here at Case. I wish that I was just now entering as a freshman. When I entered in 2000 this place was pretty awful. It took a lot to get anything out of it. A fairly drastic change in administration has occured since then. The new administration is finally starting to spend money and resources on improving student life and not just academics. There has been a lot of student input on this too. I have personally been involved on 4 different committees that were charged with renovating student areas for our needs. More importantly, they took our (student) advice and used it.

I find the faculty and administration here very wanting to help, but you need to go to them to get it. I think this has to do with them not knowing about all of the opportunities that are available to faculty as well as students. Like I said, they are very helpful when asked though. My professors, especially in the physics department, seem to do anything they can to help you out when you ask them to. Also, we personally invited the provost of the university come to our dorm to play pool and eat dinner and then he asked us our input on what we liked/disliked about the university. That was one of the best things he could have done because lots of people changed their attitude about Case that night.

The students here are not as competitive or cutthroat as I thought they were going to be. Everyone, especially in the physics department again, seems to work together on everything in the sense that we are all in this together, so let's get through it together. You can always find study groups or people willing to work with you.

There are also things that I do not like about Case. Lots of the upperclassmen have a negative attitude about everything that affects the rest of the students. They started off in a bad situation, much like mine, only worse. They tell underclassmen that

there is nothing to do

and they go ahead and believe them since they are new to the school. I fell for it my freshman year too.

The guy to girl ratio sucks, if you are a guy. It is about 60:40 now. Before they get too excited though, the girls also have to remember what they say here:

The odds are good, but the goods are odd.

Instead of typing more, here is a list of bad things and good things about CWRU.

BAD—~Social attitude of students - besides what was mentioned above, many are not prepared to no longer be "the smart kid" so they are very arrogant at first ~Ratio of guy:girl ~Food - nothing to write home about ~Safety - campus is not in the best area, but they are definitely upping security around it. Just have to use your head and not walk alone at night really

GOOD—~Faculty - knowledgable and willing to help ~New Students - the new students are much mroe active and fun ~Accademic attitude of students - we are all in it together ~Opportunities ~ the Program Board gives out calenders every semester and I think almost every day has some sort of event listed on it available (95% of the time free) through them. and, of course, my favorite place… ~The Spot - University funded bar with live music below the cafeteria, open to all students, great times to be had here

As with any university, you have to make what you can out of your time. CWRU is exciting to be at right now with the changes going on because what you make with your time here could actually materialize into how a new campus building is going to look or how your department will teach its classes for years to come. I hope this has helped you out.