Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid received an offer to spend the Fall semester at CWRU in Madrid, before the Spring Semester at CWRU in Cleveland. The offer comes with merit scholarship for 8 semesters. All tuition and room & board pay to CWRU like usual, with the travel expenses to and from Madrid being the extra. Anyone has any experience in this?

I think the smallest, gentlest program might be the best. If he likes Oberlin, maybe that’s good for premeds?

But CWRU is premed central, and it would be a lot of fun to go to Madrid. So, if he wants that, I’d be fine with that, too.

I’ll bet UMass, Pitt and the others are just as hard for premeds but without the CWRU glow.

Anonymous wrote:To study what? If your kid intends to pursue a rigorous STEM major, I would certainly not advise doing first semester Freshman year somewhere else, least of all in a foreign country.

Anonymous wrote:Do not recommend. Have heard there’s a lot of angry kids and parents in the most recent group.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a relative who did first semester in Spain with a different school not knowing Spanish and they had a good experience— used it as a base for visiting all over Europe too (low cost airlines mean for $50 you can fly lots of places for the weekend and find a fun hostel)

I actually think it might be good timing for pre-med (if you want a semester abroad) because by junior year it may be difficult to go away and still meet all your requirements?

Actually the opposite for a pre-med bio major. The most important years are freshman and sophomore because those are the years you take the pre-med classes.
You actually get more liberty the final two years.

I would never do this (Madrid) as a pre-med major. People are talking about travel and fun and all that comes along with doing a semester abroad.
Pre-meds that are successful at matriculating to medical school (because statistically the vast majority are not) really have to put their nose to the grindstone out-of-the-gate freshman year. Sure, there are non-traditional students who decided junior year to go to medical school after studying French or modern dance but that is not most kids. If you want to go to medical school, you have to really, really focus on grades from the beginning of college. There is not much grace and your fellow students will be focusing on one thing: grades and medical school. Not finding the best night club and museum in Madrid and catching the next train to Barcelona.

This kids' peers (and eventual competition for getting into medical school from his undergrad class) at CWRU will be putting their noses down to the grindstone. I went to Case. It is a serious pre-med culture.

Anonymous wrote:Kid's major is biology with a premed track. Does not speak Spanish.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a freshman? Seems like odd timing. When I was in college, most people studied abroad junior year. Maybe it has to do with how the curriculum is structured in your child’s major?

I loved studying abroad and the city of Madrid and wouldn’t rule it out without strong consideration, especially since the tuition is the same.

Looks like CWRU is copying other universities and has added a Spring start at CWRU that requires the student to attend a CWRU sponsored overseas/different location for fall freshman year. (A la Northeastern, they are the biggest at doing this).

Back off, they are not - you feel the need to do this at each tangent? Really? How sad.

OP, it sounds like a great opportunity. I suspect those without such opportunities might be the ones trying to discourage or concoct "issues".

They are doing exactly that

FYI I’m not the neu basher.

The programs are good but op is right to be concerned about fitting in. That can be an issue for any spring start.

Most freshman have their friend groups by fall break or at least Dec. those kids are not looking to add to it in Jan, so a jan start lid will have to work harder socially

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a freshman? Seems like odd timing. When I was in college, most people studied abroad junior year. Maybe it has to do with how the curriculum is structured in your child’s major?

I loved studying abroad and the city of Madrid and wouldn’t rule it out without strong consideration, especially since the tuition is the same.

Looks like CWRU is copying other universities and has added a Spring start at CWRU that requires the student to attend a CWRU sponsored overseas/different location for fall freshman year. (A la Northeastern, they are the biggest at doing this).

Back off, they are not - you feel the need to do this at each tangent? Really? How sad.

OP, it sounds like a great opportunity. I suspect those without such opportunities might be the ones trying to discourage or concoct "issues".

Anonymous wrote:Surprised CWRU is wait-listing so many people. DC graduated HS in 2022. CWRU kept emailing DC to apply, even extending the application deadline. DC had not visited or otherwise shown interest. I realize any college can email anyone so more people apply, but it was not particularly competitive to get in at that time.

Anonymous wrote:Is Case good for both engineering and pre-med?

Anonymous wrote:Surprised CWRU is wait-listing so many people. DC graduated HS in 2022. CWRU kept emailing DC to apply, even extending the application deadline. DC had not visited or otherwise shown interest. I realize any college can email anyone so more people apply, but it was not particularly competitive to get in at that time.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The merit scholarship brings the tuition of CWRU down to $39k a year. Pitt honors also has merits, but only $5k. So the two schools are close in terms of tuition. UIUC has yet to announce their merit scholarships. But at this stage it is more important for us to find the best fit in terms of academic rigors and peer group. Visited all campuses. Really like CWRU. Pitt is good too. Frankly UMass and Oberlin and VT have the best campuses. Without Madrid, will pick CWRU. But with Madrid it is harder to decide. Worry about falling behind and not fitting in.