Case Western Reserve University

Date: Jun 30 2008
Major: Mechanical Engineering (This Major's Salary over time)
First things first, Case is a university and is concentrated on the educational aspect more than anything else. Sometimes this is detrimental to other facets of college life. The good news is that Case gives you a great education and resources to work with. The bad news is that is does so while sacrificing aesthetics.

I do want to dispell the myth about Case students. Generally regarded as computer nerds and hermits who never leave their rooms and who have never heard of a party with LAN before it. The general populace at Case is much like that of any other university, especially the top tier schools. The students know how to have fun and are very social, but just like any school, there are the occasional social hermits. Also, since the school is largely a tech, engineering and medical school, most students are more "nerdy" than state schools. This is a bad thing however, and is often a source of laughter when students begin discussing the newest polymers of biomechanical inventions.

That being said, the students do not as a whole support the athletic teams. Football and soccer games are not a cause for celebration and are generally not well attended. This is not because of the teams' records (Soccer was #3 in nation, Football finished undefeated regular season and made 2nd round of playoffs, and many other successes by sports teams) but rather by the tradition of failing sports teams. Only recently have Case teams began to excel, and most students are used to the lackluster performances. Once more students begin to attend, word will spread and games will once again become a social event.

The worst thing about Case is the campus. If I said it was ugly, I would be doing ugly a great disservice. Construction litters the campus and downtown Cleveland. Most building are bland and out of place, and those that are unique and inspiring are hidden from view. The campus, being urban, lacks open fields and green space which is goes a long way to creating a campus. The few open patches of green space that exist are littered with abstract art that students can't stand.

The dorms are res. life is above average for most universities. The freshmen rooms are small in comparison to other schools, but the sophomore and upper-class housing is superb. In addition the policies of res. life are fairly liberal and loose, allowing for an enjoyable experience.

If I were to rank Case as a learning institution, I would give it an A.

If I were to rank it on aesthetics, I would give it a D.

Unfortunately, both these translate into a university and that hurts Case.

Don't get me wrong, Case is a wonderful school and I absolutely love my time there, but just at any other school there are things that need to be changed.