Case Western 2015 Forum

[shintopig]

Was just admitted today! How long did it take everyone for scholarship/financial aid info?

Congratulations legalsinger! It's awesome to have another international studies/relations student on this board. *EDIT*: They apparently are still giving scholarships.* (I've heard they can give you a scholarship if you do well enough the first year.) The financial aid stuff was sent to everyone in February; e-mail their offices to get it forwarded to you.

Haha yeah, at the ASW I had a similar convo with my fellow Case TLSers about how TLS is so incredibly biglaw or bust. It's so annoying. My dad works in biglaw and I've grown up knowing that is not what I want to do. It's the reason I dragged my feet on going to law school so much in the first place. I basically grew up without a father and when he was there he was drinking and stressed out from work. Then I dated a guy who was like my dad's twin and it further reaffirmed my distaste for biglaw. I'm PI or bust and compared to the other schools I was applying to I felt like Case will get me the furthest in that field, so that's why I'll be starting there in the fall!

+1

I alway criticize TLS for being seemingly entirely T14 or bust when in reality over half of the people who demand it either can't make it themselves to the top-14, are waiting indefinately or don't have any real/reliable knowledge as to why they think what they do. The legal world is much larger than the few thousand BIGLAW associate-attorney positions open nationally every Spring; we know this. God forbid I should aim to enjoy my law career. See you in August (or June 8th) in beautiful cloudy Cleveland puremorning . . .

[puremorning]

Was just admitted today! How long did it take everyone for scholarship/financial aid info?

Congratulations legalsinger! It's awesome to have another international studies/relations student on this board. I asked the Asst. Dean that and she said that all the scholarship info (if any) would be included in the admission's offer e-mail. Apparently they don't offer anything additional at this point, as in nothing sent in a week or later. Sort of a bummer. (I've heard they can give you a scholarship if you do well enough the first year.) The financial aid stuff was sent to everyone in February; e-mail their offices to get it forwarded to you.

Haha yeah, at the ASW I had a similar convo with my fellow Case TLSers about how TLS is so incredibly biglaw or bust. It's so annoying. My dad works in biglaw and I've grown up knowing that is not what I want to do. It's the reason I dragged my feet on going to law school so much in the first place. I basically grew up without a father and when he was there he was drinking and stressed out from work. Then I dated a guy who was like my dad's twin and it further reaffirmed my distaste for biglaw. I'm PI or bust and compared to the other schools I was applying to I felt like Case will get me the furthest in that field, so that's why I'll be starting there in the fall!

+1

I alway criticize TLS for being seemingly entirely T14 or bust when in reality over half of the people who demand it either can't make it themselves to the top-14, are waiting indefinately or don't have any real/reliable knowledge as to why they think what they do. The legal world is much larger than the few thousand BIGLAW associate-attorney positions open nationally every Spring; we know this. God forbid I should aim to enjoy my law career. See you in August (or June 8th) in beautiful cloudy Cleveland puremorning . . .

I will be there June 8! I saw there was another happy hour and signed right up. Gotta get my free food/drinks when I can!

[kyle010723]

I noticed CWRU Law dropped, usnews ranking wise, from 55 to 69 in just four years. Does that bother anyone? Did they provide any justification during ASW? I know when I talked to Dean Mitchell at a meet and greet, he mentioned he sees CWRU breaking into top 30ish in the next few years, but historical trend is showing otherwise.

[snowpeach06]

I noticed CWRU Law dropped, usnews ranking wise, from 55 to 69 in just four years. Does that bother anyone? Did they provide any justification during ASW? I know when I talked to Dean Mitchell at a meet and greet, he mentioned he sees CWRU breaking into top 30ish in the next few years, but historical trend is showing otherwise.

The rankings don't actually keep time with the changes in the school. So those rankings are judging based on the past, not current.

[kyle010723]

The rankings don't actually keep time with the changes in the school. So those rankings are judging based on the past, not current.

That is true, I totally overlooked that fact, that being said, it is still downward trending

Being from the Midwest, I know Case is a well respected name in academia, but any particular reason why Case also has a strong presence in NY?

[Case1L]

Case has been on a downward trend (55-67) over the past few years because of problems with the law school dean and faculty morale. Case has been without a dean since 2008. The new dean, Lawrence Mitchell, took over just last year around June or so. The past dean at Case, absolutely hated the U.S. News rankings and openly criticized the rankings. He also alienated alumni, donors and faculty. As a result, faculty morale declined along with productivity in terms of publications and other profile/reputation raising measures. The last dean didn't focus on raising the LSAT/GPA scores of the admitted class.

The new dean is more focused. Dean Mitchell knows that the focus must be on raising the school's profile and 1L stats. Although he hates the rankings, he knows that they are vital to building the school's reputation. Case was in the top 50 law schools within the last 6-7 years, but has stagnated in the 50s for a while before dropping in the 60s. I think the school's reputation and ranking will increase. As with all things, improving in the rankings is a building process that won't happen overnight. Dean Mitchell believes that Case will be somewhere in the 30s or so within ten years if his plan succeeds. He has made significant improvements to the school, so I have confidence in him. Faculty morale seems to be improving from a student's perspective.

So we are looking forward to the Mitchell Era, and trying to learn from past mistakes. Case has great professors and the Career Center is helpful. OCI isn't limited to the top ten percent like other schools. If you want to transfer, I hear the professors are pretty helpful and understanding. Take advantage of Case's generous scholarships. Let Dean Mitchell do the rest in terms of rankings.

[ashen]

Anyone else still waiting on a decision?
Last school I'm waiting on... and also one of the two schools (the other being UIUC where im waitlisted) that would sway me from a retake...

[maudio129]

Anyone else still waiting on a decision?
Last school I'm waiting on... and also one of the two schools (the other being UIUC where im waitlisted) that would sway me from a retake...

I'm also still waiting on a decision...
Even though Case is my top choice, It's kind of irritating because I applied in early December and have not heard anything yet. On their website it states that most decisions will be made between January 1st and May 1st. Hopefully we will know within the next couple of days.

[Ersatz Haderach]

I noticed CWRU Law dropped, usnews ranking wise, from 55 to 69 in just four years. Does that bother anyone? Did they provide any justification during ASW? I know when I talked to Dean Mitchell at a meet and greet, he mentioned he sees CWRU breaking into top 30ish in the next few years, but historical trend is showing otherwise.

Anyone who thinks Case Western is going to be in the Top 30 in the 'next few years' is wrong. The rankings are self-reinforcing, and while I am a big fan of Dean Mitchell, there's only so much one man can do without some big wins to turn things around. At most, he's laid the foundation for a reversal of fortune, and I see no reason other than geography that Case should fall any further, but I wouldn't expect any rise in the rankings to be nearly as dramatic as he seems to have suggested to you.

As someone who enrolled when it was at 56 and has seen it fall to 69 - it hasn't affected me at all. Beyond the Top 20, the importance of the rankings drops off precipitously.

[shintopig]

I noticed CWRU Law dropped, usnews ranking wise, from 55 to 69 in just four years. Does that bother anyone? Did they provide any justification during ASW? I know when I talked to Dean Mitchell at a meet and greet, he mentioned he sees CWRU breaking into top 30ish in the next few years, but historical trend is showing otherwise.

I talked with some alumni at a CWRU event in New York. They said that the rank (as already mentioned) dropped due to a poor dean. Apparently a lot of faculty left and the ranking dropped as a result. I'm not worried because the current dean, Dean Mitchell has been working and traveling non-stop since he started last Julyish. He's a smart & motivated guy; I've talked quite a bit with him personally and I know he sees bigger & better things for the school.

Honestly CWRU is known to be a great school in all of its programs both undergraduate and graduate level. I'm not worried about dropping to the 60's rankings, as employers and academics alike know the school is good anyway. I'm sure it will climb up in the next few years though. I believe (a 0L speaking here; so take it with a grain of salt) that CWRU is a better school than rank 67 or whatever it is. It could be much higher, but unless it cracks the Top-25 it doesn't really matter anyway. Even Dean Mitchell on his blog discussed how schools beyond rank-35ish (up to 100) offer about the same scale of academic excellence and rankings matter exponentially less.

Of course if you're Arizona State, then you're probably championing you're ranking right now (Oof; up 29 spots in 3 years).

[snowpeach06]

I noticed CWRU Law dropped, usnews ranking wise, from 55 to 69 in just four years. Does that bother anyone? Did they provide any justification during ASW? I know when I talked to Dean Mitchell at a meet and greet, he mentioned he sees CWRU breaking into top 30ish in the next few years, but historical trend is showing otherwise.

Anyone who thinks Case Western is going to be in the Top 30 in the 'next few years' is wrong. The rankings are self-reinforcing, and while I am a big fan of Dean Mitchell, there's only so much one man can do without some big wins to turn things around. At most, he's laid the foundation for a reversal of fortune, and I see no reason other than geography that Case should fall any further, but I wouldn't expect any rise in the rankings to be nearly as dramatic as he seems to have suggested to you.

As someone who enrolled when it was at 56 and has seen it fall to 69 - it hasn't affected me at all. Beyond the Top 20, the importance of the rankings drops off precipitously.

Probably not Top 30, but Top 50 easily - imo.

[kyle010723]

Thanks for all the inputs, I was impressed by Dean Mitchell and his dedication to restore the school back to its former glory. I just hope I don't hate Cleveland when I visit, coming from the Midwest, I've heard horrifying story such as the mistake by the lake and the river that caught fire...

[neeko]

Thanks for all the inputs, I was impressed by Dean Mitchell and his dedication to restore the school back to its former glory. I just hope I don't hate Cleveland when I visit, coming from the Midwest, I've heard horrifying story such as the mistake by the lake and the river that caught fire...

I'm from Cleveland but am in Dallas right now and everyone at my work calls it the mistake by the lake, but they have never been there. It's really just people being obnoxious.

[Ersatz Haderach]

Thanks for all the inputs, I was impressed by Dean Mitchell and his dedication to restore the school back to its former glory. I just hope I don't hate Cleveland when I visit, coming from the Midwest, I've heard horrifying story such as the mistake by the lake and the river that caught fire...

Ancient stereotypes. Although, admittedly, this city wastes its waterfront like nowhere else.

Probably not Top 30, but Top 50 easily - imo.

Yeah, I'd agree with that.

[puremorning]

Thanks for all the inputs, I was impressed by Dean Mitchell and his dedication to restore the school back to its former glory. I just hope I don't hate Cleveland when I visit, coming from the Midwest, I've heard horrifying story such as the mistake by the lake and the river that caught fire...

I'm from Cleveland but am in Dallas right now and everyone at my work calls it the mistake by the lake, but they have never been there. It's really just people being obnoxious.

Agreed. Most people who have such low opinions of the city have never actually been here. I did my undergrad out east and a lot of people made fun of me for loving my hometown so much. Also, the river caught fire back in '69, and while I still wouldn't go take a dip in it, they have a summer festival every year devoted to environmental efforts! Everyone I know who's visited loved it. I've lived in NYC and Boston, and while the vivacity of those cities does tempt me at times, there is so much more that I love about Cleveland. Ok I'll get off my soapbox now. Someone at ASW asked me if Case was paying me to talk up Cleveland. That WOULD be a nice gig, but no.

[snowpeach06]

I think I can give a fair assessment of Cleveland because I'm not from Cleveland. I'm originally from the east coast and I HATED Cleveland when I got here (I also did my undergrad at Case). I thought the pace was slower, people were too polite, and I was bored. However, Cleveland grows on you. While there usually isn't an overabundance of things to do, there is always something. Since I'm in law school and actually have to study, I find that I'm often glad that there aren't 8 million things to do on any given weekend. I can concentrate when I want to, or find something cool when I want to. The weather sucks, but, it sucks everywhere that has winter. Things here are cheap, which is great - the cost of living is half of what it would be in any other city. I have also become quite accustomed to people holding the door or elevator open for me - it's nice not to have things slam in your face. Plus, there is a surprisingly large legal market in Cleveland. Many buildings downtown are dedicated almost exclusively to law offices.

If you want a big city, Cleveland isn't your place. But, it can be quire lovely, and particularly when you consider the differences in the cost of living, it's well worth "sucking up" Cleveland for three years. I pay $500 to rent a really nice apartment in Cleveland, and I'm paying $1300 to rent a really shitty apartment in DC this summer. I'd say I easily saved about $30k by choosing Case over NY/DC schools.

Ohh, and if you are a foodie, Cleveland is seriously amazing. I think all the fancy restaurants here have to be my favorite thing about the city.

edit: I think I've written something similar here before, but, its worth repeating. I personally feel like my friends who are from Cleveland view it much differently than I do, so, I'd rather hear an outsiders perspective.

[shintopig]

Thanks for all the inputs, I was impressed by Dean Mitchell and his dedication to restore the school back to its former glory. I just hope I don't hate Cleveland when I visit, coming from the Midwest, I've heard horrifying story such as the mistake by the lake and the river that caught fire...

As a MidAtlantic resident; I have yet to find a genuinely positive opinion of the Midwest (including Ohio), except from people who lived there. My friends from CWRU loved the school & Cleveland. I trust knowledge over ignorance, so I'm not listening to what other people say.

I know about places with bad reputations being from NJ; we have more jokes & stereotypes than anywhere else in the U.S. But only people who live here know that it's a really nice place to be. People think the whole place is some dumping ground or something, but they're usually pretty closed-minded. This state is beautiful. That's why in the same way, I trust Cleveland/Ohio natives to give the real story about their hometown.

Though I have heard my share of horror stories about Cleveland.

[Ohiobumpkin]

Funny thing is that the term "mistake by the lake" referred to the old Brown's stadium, which was a mistake by the lake, even to Clevelanders. But somebody took the term and applied it to the whole city unfortunately. I can only say this as somebody who has lived in Toledo, Cleveland, Greater Dayton area, and Cincinnati, but my favorite place I have ever lived has been Cleveland. It has a lot to offer with regards to restaurants, music venues, arts and cultural activities, educational institutions, demographic/cultural diversity, and sports teams. I think that Cleveland is also not a bad place for skilled professionals (blue or white collar), but it is a bad place to go in search of low-skill blue collar jobs, because those just simply aren't there in any abundance anymore. Furthermore, the crime is not bad unless you go to the wrong part of town (which is basically parts of metro and large chunks of East Cleveland neighborhood). I think that you shouldn't expect a Chicago, Boston, let alone NYC type experience obviously. Anyone who holds all cities to that standard is a little ridiculous. Also, if you go to Cleveland, check out Inn on Coventry. Best breakfast food EVER!

[puremorning]

Funny thing is that the term "mistake by the lake" referred to the old Brown's stadium, which was a mistake by the lake, even to Clevelanders. But somebody took the term and applied it to the whole city unfortunately. I can only say this as somebody who has lived in Toledo, Cleveland, Greater Dayton area, and Cincinnati, but my favorite place I have ever lived has been Cleveland. It has a lot to offer with regards to restaurants, music venues, arts and cultural activities, educational institutions, demographic/cultural diversity, and sports teams. I think that Cleveland is also not a bad place for skilled professionals (blue or white collar), but it is a bad place to go in search of low-skill blue collar jobs, because those just simply aren't there in any abundance anymore. Furthermore, the crime is not bad unless you go to the wrong part of town (which is basically parts of metro and large chunks of East Cleveland neighborhood). I think that you shouldn't expect a Chicago, Boston, let alone NYC type experience obviously. Anyone who holds all cities to that standard is a little ridiculous. Also, if you go to Cleveland, check out Inn on Coventry. Best breakfast food EVER!

Haha yes, Cleveland food is the best. And I've only been to our current Browns stadium once and I still think it's a mistake by the lake. With the windchill it was -20 the day I went, and I think without the windchill it was only 13. It is a good idea to get opinions from those who aren't from here. The guy I had my alumni interview with was originally from Boston and moved here only for school and ended up loving it so much he and his wife stayed. That really made an impact on me.

[ashen]

Status: Decision Rendered Email
Current Status Date: 5/4/2012
Decision Status: Decision Rendered
Decision Status Date: 5/4/2012

No deposit amounts shown.

I think I'm out...
Hope I have better luck next cycle... retaking.

edit: Just kidding, deposit amounts shown after refresh... I'm in????

edit 2: confirmed admit via email!

[mekopeach]

Just got admitted and no sign of scholarship. Does that come later, or that is it?!

[ashen]

Just got admitted and no sign of scholarship. Does that come later, or that is it?!

I'm in the same boat. I can't afford to attend at sticker and if I don't get a scholly, I might end up at Chicago-Kent or retaking (if I don't get off WL at UIUC that is).

[jallendaws]

My experience was that I received a scholarship offer the day after being accepted. Not sure how it's worked for others. You could always send admissions an email inquiring about offers.

Also, in weighing costs into the decision between Case Western and Chicago-Kent, consider COL.

[ashen]

My experience was that I received a scholarship offer the day after being accepted. Not sure how it's worked for others. You could always send admissions an email inquiring about offers.

Also, in weighing costs into the decision between Case Western and Chicago-Kent, consider COL.

I have a small scholly at Chicago-Kent and my parents live next to a Metra stop 20 minutes from Union Station, which is a short walk down the street from the school so I don't have to worry about COL.
I know that with a retake, a second cycle will yield much better results and a lot more money. I took the test cold and didn't apply until February

[hllh]

Made deposit Friday!!! Super happy about my scholarship! Increased twice!