A message from the dean

Bob McCullough

Updated May 15, 2020

Preparing for an on-campus fall opening:

We are committed to having students on campus at Case Western Reserve University this fall, and already have begun consulting with experts to ensure the health and safety of everyone arriving on our campus.

As part of our preparations, President Barbara R. Snyder is meeting several times a week with our deans and leaders for health services and student affairs. We also are working closely with medical school faculty in relevant specialties, as well as colleagues from our hospital partners, which includes Cleveland Clinic.

We are considering all aspects of the Case Western Reserve experience: the classroom, our residence halls, dining, health care and community activities. We will follow social distancing directives and other preventive measures, and are working to secure adequate supplies of tests and other resources for our health services professionals. The health of everyone in our community and the quality of the educational experience are our top priorities.
 
•   We are assessing our classrooms—as well as larger spaces that can be used as classrooms—to determine how best to accommodate social distancing for students and faculty. Our facilities team also is preparing an aggressive approach to disinfection across the campus, including all areas students regularly frequent.
 
•   We are evaluating residential and dining operations now to be prepared to meet social distancing needs as well as whatever additional guidance we receive over the summer. Because several hundred of our students were unable to return home in March, we have gained invaluable experience in addressing their needs while also following state and federal protocols for public health.
 
•   A defining piece of the Case Western Reserve experience is the camaraderie and culture that exists in our residential community. As we work through our plans to fulfill our academic mission in the coming months, the value of a shared and rigorous educational experience remains central to our thinking. We will continue to update incoming students regarding any developments and new information.

As we all know, these circumstances are evolving. Case Western Reserve has been able to adapt quickly to new information and guidelines throughout the spring, thanks in no small part to an extraordinarily devoted community and our outstanding health care partners. We will continue to engage with them as we prepare for a fall semester full of learning, discovery and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of our people.


Updated March 18, 2020

Standardized test requirements:

We understand students’ concerns about completing Case Western Reserve’s standardized testing requirements for admission. In response, the university has approved a test-optional policy for students applying for the fall 2021 semester.

In light of the unprecedented circumstances the COVID-19 pandemic has created, Case Western Reserve believes students’ best interests are served by an approach that assures them of our flexibility as they progress through the college search process.

To be clear:

  • We are test-optional for students entering in the fall of 2021. We will determine policies for future classes in winter 2020/21.
  • Students who want to submit their scores may self-report by completing the form on their applicant portals.
  • Enrolling students who choose to report scores will confirm their testing with official score reports. Our score recipient codes are: SAT 1105, ACT 3244.

Updated March 12, 2020

In light of recent developments concerning the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), the Case Western Reserve University Office of Undergraduate Admission is cancelling campus tours and information sessions through the end of April. Supporting the health and wellness of our community is a top priority, and we are following current Case Western Reserve University protocols as well as recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, with particular emphasis on limiting social contact with others. We hope that by doing our part, we can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Should we have the opportunity to re-open our doors sooner than anticipated we will update this page.

The college search process is an important milestone in your life and we are here to help you learn about Case Western Reserve and discover the important opportunities that will make up your educational journey. We are excited to work with you!

Online information sessions and virtual open house events, plus our virtual tour, all offer interactive and informative ways to learn more. Our admission staff is available to answer your questions. Reach us at admission@case.edu and 216.368.4450.


Updated March 10, 2020

Case Western Reserve University is taking several steps regarding our campus visits in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. The university is moving to remote course delivery for at least the next three weeks. Our campus remains open, and guests remain welcome. You are welcome to come to campus for an information session, campus tour and/or self-guided tour.

Our Open Houses and Admitted Student Programs will shift to an online format that will run throughout the spring. We are working to create visit options that will reduce the size of groups for information sessions and tours. Updates to our offerings will be shared on our website.

It is our goal to create a number of options for you to learn about Case Western Reserve University this spring; we will continue to update you about these options via email and our website.

As always, you can contact us at admission@case.edu and 216.368.4450.


 

Updated March 6, 2020

We continue to consider the difficult circumstances in which some students around the world find themselves because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and send our heartfelt support to those directly affected. 

We recognize that this outbreak has caused tremendous grief, pain and worry, and send all hope that scientists can develop an effective vaccine.

As of this moment, we are proceeding as planned with our campus visit offerings: open houses, admitted student events, and daily information sessions and tours

If future developments demand that we change any of these plans, we will notify you by email and also post updates on our visits and events page. We have online information sessions coming up later this month, and will add more sessions to this list if we must reduce on-campus visits.

I want to assure you that Case Western Reserve will not penalize any student who, because of COVID-19-related measures, is unable to attend school in person, and/or have access to other educational and co-curricular opportunities. We will work with your school counselor to resolve any questions that arise about grades or exams. We appreciate how challenging this time is for so many students and families, and want to do all that we can to alleviate at least one of your potential causes for concern.  

We also want you to know that our office is collaborating with our campus colleagues to make first-year classes available online, should this become a necessary option for some or all students.

Our admission team is available to answer any questions you may have. Please contact us at admission@case.edu or 216.368.4450. 


Updated Feb. 27, 2020

We continue to consider the difficult circumstances in which some students around the world find themselves because of the coronavirus, and we send our heartfelt support to all who have been impacted.

As we continue through the admission process for first-year and transfer applicants, we want to make it clear that we will not penalize any student who is not able to attend their current school in person, and/or have access to other educational and co-curricular opportunities because of the coronavirus. We will work with school counselors to resolve any questions that arise about grades or exams. We are staffed to work closely with students to help them realize their plans to attend college in the U.S.

We are working with our academic and technology colleagues on campus to make it possible for first-year classes to be taken online—meaning students who are unable to travel to the U.S. to begin their first semester at CWRU will be able to participate in a full semester of courses. 

Our admission team is available to answer any questions. Please contact us at admission@case.edu or 216.368.4450. 


The novel coronavirus outbreak has been a profound tragedy for China and for other victims around the world. We recognize the necessity of infection-control measures; at the same time, we appreciate that they create great concerns for college applicants.
 
To be clear, our admission decisions will not be impacted by the outbreak, any resulting school closures or resulting lack of opportunities.
 
Case Western Reserve’s admissions leaders are evaluating travel possibilities for the next few months; in the meantime, we have scheduled online information sessions to help students learn more about the university. 
 
Please do not hesitate to email us if you have any questions at admission@case.edu.