Observations of a Current Freshman

slavabogu
Sun, 29 Jan 2017 02:21:58 +0000

Academics

You really do get what you’re paying for. The classes and professors I’ve had have been phenomenal so far, and have given me a much greater workload than anything I’ve experienced.

Case courses typically have a format of three exams and a final. These exams tend to be around the same time and sometimes stack up with major projects. The key to success is to know what’s coming up (read the syllabus!!!) and pace yourself accordingly. I keep a calendar and a to-do list on my phone.

Case offers freshmen who took AP courses an opportunity to take honors classes. PHYS 123 teaches you mechanics in greater detail and mixes in a lot of chaos theory. Math 227 (vector and multivariable calculus) has more proofs and harder tests. They’re interesting, but be careful taking these and do it with a specific goal in mind. They’re a bit of a lobster trap for people coming to Case with an inflated opinion of themselves.

Case requires each student to take three themed writing classes called SAGES. These can be kind of hit-or-miss, but if you pick carefully they can be the best class of the semester. I got to take an industrial design class together with students from the Cleveland Institute of Art, and it’s definitely been a highlight of my time here.

Cool things:

We have think[box], which is a paradise to anyone who likes to make stuff. It’s a maker space with tons of 3D printers, electrical engineering and woodworking tools, laser cutters, etc.

The Cleveland Institute of Art and the Cleveland Institute of Music are both basically parts of Case Western and are fantastic schools. Students interested in art or music can and should register for classes there.

The Cleveland Museum of Art, which was recently ranked as one of the top art museums in the US, is within five minutes of the freshman dorms, as are the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, the Cleveland Natural History Museum, and the Crawford Auto Museum. There’s plenty more museums further away. Students have free admission to all of these.

Lake Erie is pretty fantastic when it’s warm out, and has nice beaches.

We have various trips throughout the year to places like ski resorts and amusement parks. If you keep an eye out you can go a lot of interesting places.

Downsides:

Walking to class from the freshman dorms takes 20-25 minutes, so a lot of people buy a bike or a longboard. There is a (slightly unreliable) shuttle system. You’ll have to cross streets to get anywhere and city traffic can make this frustrating.

Cleveland is a dangerous city. Case has police everywhere, but you’d still be better off walking in a group, being careful after dark, and staying out of East Cleveland. Don’t leave things laying around.

Case is expensive. You’ll be forced to stay on campus your first two years in overpriced housing and with an overpriced meal plan, so keep that in mind.