Last year, more than 21,600 students applied for admission to Case Western Reserve University’s Class of 2018—an increase of 18 percent over the previous year’s record-breaking number.
This year, the university hopes to build on that momentum as the Office of Undergraduate Admissions staff worked through the summer and fall making visits, holding open houses, and speaking with and interviewing prospective students.
The fruits of their labor? Applications. Lots of them.
Throughout the past six weeks, new admission counselor Hannah Ruddock and her colleagues have been poring over the early action and early decision applications at a rate of about 40 to 45 applications per day.
“Reading season has been a lot more hectic than I imagined,” Ruddock said. “It’s been a process learning how to effectively read applications and keep on pace.”
Ruddock, hired this past summer, is experiencing reading season—and most other aspects of university admissions—for the first time.
Most recently, Ruddock worked on the other side of the admissions table: guiding high schoolers toward their dream schools as an assistant in the college counseling office at North Shore Country Day School, just outside Chicago.
After four years in the high school setting, she decided to pursue career options at the university level closer to her hometown of Chagrin Falls, and Case Western Reserve proved to be a great fit.
“I really enjoyed working in high school admissions, but the opportunity at CWRU gave me the chance to grow in the profession,” Ruddock said.
Since joining the team in July, Ruddock has met with prospective students for interview sessions and traveled around Indiana, North Carolina and the western part of Ohio, visiting high schools to meet with students and guidance counselors.
“I started at the ideal time because it gave me the opportunity to learn from my colleagues by observing counselor interviews, and it gave me time to prepare for fall travel,” she said.
Now that reading for early action/early decision applications is complete,
Ruddock and her colleagues are compiling notification packets for admitted students, who will be notified of their status on Monday. Students who apply early action or early decision apply by Nov. 1 and are notified of the decision by Dec. 15. This is the first year CWRU has accepted early decision applications, which are binding; a student who is accepted as an early decision applicant must attend. Early action decisions, in contrast, are non-binding; students still can apply and secure a place early, but they do not have to commit until the normal decision day, May 1.
The work for the admissions team doesn’t end there—in fact, it will ramp up, as regular-decision applications will continue to come in throughout the winter months.
“There is a lot of excitement at the university, especially within the Office of Undergraduate Admissions due to the continued growth in undergraduate applications,” Ruddock said. “The increase in applications also means that we have tough decisions to make as we work to sculpt and shape the incoming class.”
Find out more about Ruddock in this week’s five questions.
1. What is your preferred mode of transportation and why?
Probably walking. While living in Chicago, I enjoyed being able to walk from place to place. I also love taking my dogs for a walk in the Cleveland Metroparks.
2. What’s next on your reading list?
When I’m done reading applications, I plan to read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin.
3.What has been the most rewarding moment for you while at Case Western Reserve University?
My interaction with prospective students. It hasn’t been a particular moment, but rather the continued communication. It’s interesting to speak to prospective students during on-campus interviews and open houses and then following up with them at high school visits or out-of-state information sessions.
4.If you had a day to do whatever you wanted, how would you spend it?
I would spend the day relaxing with my family—preferably somewhere warm.
5. What is your favorite thing about Case Western Reserve?
I really enjoy working in the university setting. There is always something exciting happening on campus. Also, the collaboration and camaraderie in the Office of Undergraduate Admission has been great.