Case Western Reserve University, USA

Ranked #38 in America by the US News and World Report, CWRU’s eight schools offer over 200 undergrad, graduate and doctoral programmes to 10,325 students mentored by 3,155 faculty

SITED ON A 155-ACRE campus in northeast Ohio, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a top-ranked independent research institution routinely ranked among the Top 100 of America’s 2,500 (public and private) universities. The US News and World Report ranks CWRU among the top 50 (#38) in the US and the best in the state of Ohio in its 2014 rankings, while the World University Rankings 2013 of Times Higher Education, London ranks it #103 worldwide. A member of the Association of American Universities, CWRU’s eight schools — engineering, nursing, medicine, law, applied social sciences, dentistry, management, graduate studies, and arts and sciences — offer over 200 undergrad, postgrad and doctoral programmes, with its engineering and medical schools particularly well regarded.

“Since 2007, we have witnessed extraordinary progress. Our undergraduate applications have doubled, and fundraising has climbed by more than 85 percent. And our faculty has advanced interdisciplinary (research) efforts in areas as diverse as advanced materials and ethics, creative arts and energy innovation. From groundbreaking discoveries to athletic excellence, from innovative teaching to ingenious learning opportunities, Case Western Reserve is a place where we ‘think beyond the possible’ every single day,” says Barbara R. Snyder, president of CWRU which hosts 10,325 students mentored by 3,155 faculty.

Founded in 1826 as the Western Reserve University, following a merger with the Case Institute of Technology in 1967, it was rechristened CWRU. Currently, the university boasts an endowment of $1.7 billion (Rs.10,342 crore).

Cleveland. Sited on the southern shore of Lake Erie, Cleveland (pop. 390,928) is a healthcare and biotechnology hub. There’s plenty on offer to students of this buzzing city, from art exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art to the sounds of the symphony, the excitement of Broadway (Playhouse Square is the second largest performing arts centre in the US), a slam dunk with the Cleveland Cavaliers or hundreds of miles of biking trails, and ski resorts.

A short walk from the campus is University Circle, the most concentrated square mile of art and cultural, education and health institutions in the US. Cleveland’s bustling Little Italy is contiguous and offers a plethora of food, shopping and nightlife options. To health and fitness enthusiasts, Cleveland offers 275 miles of biking trails and 300 golf courses. Lake Erie and the Emerald Necklace are nature preserves in Cleveland’s big backyard with salubrious outdoor options.

Typical of the Great Lakes region, Cleveland has a continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid while winters are cold and snowy. Summer temperatures range from 25°C-35°C and in winter they dip to –20°C.

Campus facilities. Sprawled over 155 acres in Cleveland’s University Circle, CWRU’s meticulously landscaped campus boasts state-of-the-art academic buildings, libraries, laboratories, residences, leisure and sports facilities. The Kent H. Smith Quadrangle (aka Main Quad) houses the engineering and natural sciences buildings; Flora Stone Mather Quadrangle hosts the schools of management, law, applied social sciences, and several departments of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Thwing Students Centre. The Kelvin Smith Library and seven specialist libraries together offer access to 2.85 million volumes and several electronic resources.

As is de rigueur in America’s top-ranked universities, sports facilities are extensive. The Adelbert Gym has three multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball, and badminton, and the Carlton courts (six tennis courts). Among other facilities are the Frieberger Field (intramural sports); Horsburgh Gymnasium (volleyball, basketball, and wrestling); Natatorium (swimming pools); The Stadium (2,400 seats); Van Horn Field (flag-football, softball, and soccer) and Veale Center (four multipurpose courts, a six-lane indoor track, and a multipurpose aerobics room); and weight rooms. Moreover, over 160 student organisations are active on campus, including academic, international, governance, philanthropy/service, and political groups.

Admission. The minimum eligibility requirement for admission into CWRU’s undergrad programmes are successful completion of Plus Two and English language proficiency. Foreign students are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores, in addition to SAT or ACT with writing test scores. All test scores need to be submitted to CWRU via the respective testing agency. The common application (www.commonapp.org) form together with official academic records and transcripts, two teacher and/or counselor recommendations, and an essay must be submitted before January 15. Application documents can be submitted electronically or mailed to Case Western Reserve University, c/o DataBank, 1040 Wabash Ave, Chesterton, IN 46304, USA. For further information call +1 216-368-4450; e-mail admission@case.edu; website: www.case.edu.

For admission into CWRU’s postgraduate programmes, apply directly to the respective graduate school.

Accommodation. CWRU is a residential university and mandates a minimum two-year residency requirement for undergraduate students. First-year undergrads live in one of four residential halls while second-year undergrads are housed in the South Residential Village. The Village at 115 is CWRU’s apartment-style residential complex for senior students. Each apartment is self-contained with students having their own rooms, while sharing a kitchen, living room and bathrooms. All residential halls are co-ed.

Degree programmes. CWRU’s eights schools, one college and more than 100 centres offer 200 programmes in a wide range of disciplines (see box).

SUMMIYA YASMEEN