Not sure how to approach the Case Western supplemental essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging Case Western supplemental essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help answering the Case Western supplemental essays, create your free account or schedule a free advising assessment by calling (844) 343-6272.
Case Western Essay Guide Quick Facts:
- The Case Western acceptance rate is 30.0% — U.S. News ranks Case Western Reserve University as a highly selective school.
- The Pre-Professional Scholars Program, or Case Western PPSP, acceptance rate is 1% (Forbes).
- If you are planning to apply to Case Western PPSP (Pre-Professional Scholars Program), you will need to write two essays. If you are not applying to the Case Western PPSP, you DO NOT need to write Case Western supplemental essays.
Does Case Western Have Essays?
Yes, there are Case Western supplemental essays—but only students applying to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program (PPSP) must answer them. If you are not applying to Case Western PPSP, you do not need to answer the Case Western PPSP essays.
Regardless of whether you apply to Case Western or to Case Western PPSP, all applicants must submit a personal statement. You will need to submit your personal statement through either the Common App or the Coalition App.
Need some help writing your Common App essay? Get great tips from our Common App essay guide.
How Many Essays Does Case Western Require?
There are two required Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays for applicants to Case Western PPSP. The Case Western PPSP essays help the admissions team understand why you are a strong candidate for Case Western PPSP. The first of the Case Western PPSP essays asks why you are interested in your area of study; the second asks you to share something that makes you proud.
Before discussing the Case Western supplemental essays, here is some additional information on Case Western Reserve University and the Pre-Professional Scholars Program.
What is the Acceptance Rate for Case Western Reserve University?
The Case Western acceptance rate is 30%. This year’s Case Western acceptance rate is reflective of the increasing selectivity of the school. The school saw its most selective admissions year in 2019. According to Case Western’s admissions statistics, the middle 50% of admitted students have SAT scores of 1350-1490 or ACT scores of 31-34. Additionally, 95% of admitted students were in the Top 25% of their high school class.
Acceptance Rate for Case Western PPSP
The Case Western Pre-Professionals Scholar Program is even more competitive. The Case Western PPSP acceptance rate last cycle was only 1%—that’s thirty times below the general Case Western acceptance rate.
Because there are only 25-30 available spots in the Case Western PPSP, the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate is much lower than the Case Western acceptance rate.
The Case Western acceptance rate shouldn’t scare you. If the Case Western supplemental essays and the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate seem daunting, don’t worry. Remember the benefits of gaining admission to Case Western PPSP. Upon completion of the requirements, both the Medical and Dental Case Western PPSP guarantee entry into Case Western’s professional schools. They also provide you with a structure to guide your professional studies.
Overall, don’t let the Case Western acceptance rate—or even the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate—discourage you from applying. While the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate may be low, remember your admissions results depend on a variety of factors. If you write strong Case Western supplemental essays, you’ll have a chance of overcoming the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate.
For more information on the Case Western acceptance rate—and acceptance rates in general—read our blog article. And remember, beating the Case Western acceptance rate is all about preparation. Register for our webinar below for tips on how to build your personalized Case Western application timeline.
What is the Case Western Pre-Professional Scholars Program?
The Case Western Pre-Professional Scholars Program grants selected students a conditional commitment of admission to Case Western Reserve University’s Professional Schools of Medicine or Dentistry. The Case Western PPSP is an excellent opportunity for students who are confident in their future career path. If you are planning to apply to the Case Western PPSP, you’ll want to focus on your Case Western PPSP essays. They must demonstrate not only why you are interested in your field of study, but also why you are well-suited to it.
So, before beginning your Case Western supplemental essays, check out the Office of Undergraduate Studies Case Western PPSP page. The page has a wide variety of information on each program’s courses, timeline, and requirements.
Admission to the Case Western PPSP is highly competitive. Subsequently, the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate is significantly lower than the Case Western acceptance rate. Case Western accepts 15 to 20 students to the Case Western PPSP in Medicine and approximately 10 students to the Case Western PPSP in Dentistry.
Because every student applying to the Case Western PPSP will have outstanding academic credentials, it is important you take your time with the Case Western supplemental essays. For your best chance against the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate, you should do all you can to show the admissions team what makes you well-suited for an intensive pre-professional program like PPSP. This includes writing strong Case Western Reserve supplemental essays.
Does Case Western Care About Essays?
Yes, the admissions team cares about your Case Western supplemental essays. Given the extremely low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate, you’ll want to use every chance you can to show the admissions team who you are and why you are an outstanding candidate. Due to the fact that the Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays are only required for PPSP applicants, they are crucial to making your Case Western PPSP application stand out in admissions.
Therefore, if Case Western is one of your top choice schools, you’ll want to take your time writing your Case Western supplemental essays. Basically, by submitting the best Case Western PPSP essays possible, you can maximize your chances of getting into Case Western PPSP despite the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate. Even if PPSP does not offer you a spot, Case Western’s undergraduate program may still consider you for admission.
Let’s dive into some tips and guidelines to help you as you begin writing your Case Western supplemental essays.
How Do I Write the Case Western Essays?
The Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays are your chance to show admissions who you are and what matters to you. The Case Western PPSP essays have complex prompts and relatively high word limits. This means you’ll have plenty of space to answer the prompts specifically and completely.
Having extra room to share your thoughts can be freeing to some students. However, completing the Case Western supplemental essays—and making sure every word counts—can be a challenge. Here are some steps to help you as you begin writing your Case Western supplemental essays.
Before you start
Brainstorm and make a plan. Break down the prompt to individual questions and categories, then try some freewriting before you begin your actual draft. Write down moments, thoughts, feelings, ideas— any important details or information that you might use in your essay. The more initial thoughts you get down on paper, the more material you’ll have to generate your draft.
Write, edit, and rewrite. Then, once you’ve completed your brainstorm, you can begin drafting your Case Western supplemental essays. As you start writing, remember this is only a first draft. While you’ll need to review and edit your Case Western supplemental essays to make them the best they can be, this is not that time. Start with getting your words on paper, then edit for clarity and specificity.
Edit and reflect
Go line by line. The Case Western supplemental essays have word limits (and the admissions team reads thousands of essays). Therefore, every sentence must add something to your essay. As you read over your drafts, go line by line and check that each sentence shares something. Each sentences should either answer the prompt or showcases an important part of your identity.
Take a step back. Once you think you have a strong draft, step back and review each of your Case Western PPSP essays. What is the overall impression your Case Western supplemental essays give your reader? Is there a beginning, middle, and end to each essay’s narrative? Your Case Western supplemental essays should start with a strong hook that will engage your reader. Additionally, your essays for Case Western PSPP should flow through the middle, and finish with a compelling conclusion.
Ask for help
Get a second opinion. When you think you are ready to submit your Case Western supplemental essays, get another set of eyes to look over them. An outside reader can tell you how your Case Western supplemental essays read. Additionally, they can catch any spelling or grammar mistakes you might have missed.
We have provided the prompts for the 2021-2022 Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays below. You’ll find advice on how to approach each prompt alongside tips for writing Case Western supplemental essays that will overcome the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate.
Case Western Supplemental Essays – Key Steps:
- Brainstorm and make a plan.
- Write, edit, and rewrite.
- Go line by line.
- Take a step back.
- Get a second opinion.
Case Western Supplemental Essays – Question 1 (Required for Case Western PPSP)
By applying to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, you are applying to gain admission to professional school earlier than students who apply in the traditional way. Please indicate why you’re interested in your chosen profession. How do you see yourself being particularly suited to this field? What events and/or experiences have led you to your choice? (250-500 words).
The first of the Case Western PPSP essays asks about your chosen area of study. This is your opportunity to show Case Western why you are passionate about pursuing a career in either medicine or dentistry. Therefore, you need to reflect not only on your past experiences that led you to your chosen career path but also on your long-term goals and why you’ll succeed at Case Western and beyond.
Your essay should fully address all three questions that this prompt asks. One way to approach these questions is to split up your brainstorm into three categories: ‘Why am I interested?”; “Why will I be successful?”; and “When was I inspired?”
Address each question
For the first question, focus on the why rather than the what. For example, if you want to go to medical school to become a surgeon, it is not enough to simply state that. Firstly, ask yourself, in specific terms, why you are interested in surgery. Does the physiology of the body interest you? Do you want to help people and save lives? The more specific you are, the more your interest, knowledge, and passion will shine through.
The second question asks about you: your traits, your skills, your beliefs, and everything about you that makes you a good fit for the medical or dental field. To answer this question, you should apply your traits to traits that lead to success in your desired field. For example, if you want to become a dentist and think you are empathetic, your essay must show how being empathetic will make you a good dentist.
The third question should include specific anecdotes from your life. If you are having trouble thinking of a specific moment, try remembering your firsts. If you want to go to dental school, when did you first decide you wanted to go? When did you first learn about dentistry? What was your first experience with a dentist? What was a moment when you felt capable, like you had the ability to become a dentist?
Constructing the narrative
Once you have your ideas laid out, you can start forming them into a smooth and engaging Case Western PPSP essay. Consider how best to tell your story, starting with organization. Do you want to progress chronologically, beginning with your first moment of inspiration and ending with the person you are today? Or do you want to start with what you hope to accomplish and use anecdotes to showcase how you will succeed? Remember, these are not three mini-prompts, but three parts of a single prompt. This means your response should tell one coherent story that touches on each of the given questions.
No matter how you organize your essay, be sure you take time to brainstorm and explore every possible avenue for your Case Western PPSP essays. As you edit your essay, remember to answer all aspects of the prompt. With these tips in mind, you’ll be sure to write a Case Western PPSP essay that stand out, even given the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate.
Case Western Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:
- Does my essay answer all three questions in the prompt?
- Are my responses a reflection of who I am, what I’ve experienced, and why I will be successful?
- Do I communicate the ideas in my essay clearly, specifically and in my voice?
- Does my essay tell a coherent, unified story?
Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays – Question 2 (Required for Case Western PPSP)
In the college application process, you are constantly prompted for a list of your achievements, awards, and accomplishments. While this information is useful to us, we are interested in hearing more about you. Describe an event, achievement, or experience of which you are particularly proud but that will not show up on a resume, may not garner any recognition, and does not appear anywhere else on your admission application. (750 words or less).
The second of the Case Western PPSP essays asks you to describe something you are proud of. Case Western wants you to share something new—something they won’t find anywhere else in your application. This prompt can be tricky since you might already describe many of your greatest accomplishments elsewhere in your application. Take this constraint as an opportunity to think outside the realm of academic achievement.
Consider the activities you do outside of school, what you do for your family, and what you do for yourself when nobody’s watching. If no awards or achievements come to mind, think about times when you overcame a challenge, learned a new skill, or took action. For example, maybe when you were eleven you won an 8th place medal in synchronized swimming, a sport you no longer participate in. Perhaps it was the first and only medal you’d ever received and influenced your development through high school. Or maybe you were scared to learn how to drive but knew you needed to learn so you could take you and your little brother to school while your parents were working.
Be yourself
Whatever you write about, make sure you feel genuinely proud of the thing you did. See what emotions come up when you think of that event or achievement. If you feel happiness, satisfaction, or joy, it’s probably a great starting point for your essay.
This Case Western PPSP essay prompt gives you plenty of space to tell your story, so it’s important you do just that. Instead of simply stating what happened, be sure to include how you felt and why this is experience matters to you. Overall, use your voice to capture your unique experience. Show admissions not only what it meant to you at the time, but what it means to you now as you prepare to begin your pre-professional studies.
Case Western Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:
- Does my essay describe a unique experience not found anywhere else in my application?
- Have I discussed why I am proud of this experience?
- Does my essay tell a clear story?
For more tips on writing the Case Western supplemental essays, check out this video from Case Western Reserve University’s director of undergraduate admissions.
Case Western Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts
Your Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays are your opportunity to show Admissions why you belong in their Pre-Professional Scholars Program. Given the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate, your academic successes will likely be well matched by other applicants. The Case Western PPSP essays can help you stand out.
While writing the Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays may seem time-consuming—especially given the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate—remember the opportunities the Case Western PPSP provides. If you know you want to attend medical or dental school, use your passion and insight to write the Case Western PPSP essays and save yourself the pressures of medical and dental school applications after graduation.
This 2021-2022 essay guide on Case Western was written by Stefanie Tedards. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources, click here. Want help crafting your Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a no-cost advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.
