<p>I applied to Reed because
a) its belief in intellectual pursuit for its own sake
b) It is reputed to be one of the most academically rigorous schools in the US
c) it's quite liberal
d) I'm more comfortable on the west coast</p>
<p>However Reed is said by many to have a student body of socially awkward, poorly adjusted, unbalanced misfits who sometimes play the 'eccentric role' for its own sake. A lot of people warn me about the importance of 'fit' at Reed more so than at other colleges. I am not a social misfit or a nerd. I don't think I would be categorized as 'alternative' at all. I would say that I am genuinely intellectually driven, and definitely liberal on the political spectrum (but not radically so) Though I hate to be affected by such superficial observations, I have to admit that when I visited the campus most of the students gave off a very 'alternative' vibe in the way they dress and present themselves what with the strange outfits, the multi-colored (unwashed) hair. I don't judge them by how they look, I just want to illustrate that these observations made me wonder if I would be right for Reed. On the other hand, I am enamored with Reed's academic reputation, I loved the campus, and Portland. I consulted a family friend who was a Reed alum graduated in the early nineties, below is an excerpt from a letter about his thoughts on Reed. "Reed is a weird place. For me, and a lot of people like me, it was a very one sided experience: it was academically challenging, almost exciting, to the point that I relished the idea of going to class yet it was a social wasteland which left me without a big portion of the college experience that many others enjoyed. I never ended up making the life long friends that you hope to make in college, in fact, today I dont hang out with anyone that went to Reed at the same time as I did. Worse still, in my junior and senior years I became even more disenchanted with the social life, moved off campus and ended up spending almost all of my time either in at home in Vancouver or with my girlfriend. "</p>
<p>All of this said, I was also accepted into VASSAR COLLEGE, but my research has led me to believe that it is not as academically rigorous and/or intellectual. I want intensity and depth in my academics but I also want a vibrant intellectual and social community.</p>
<p>Do you have to be a social misfit, nerd or square-peg to succeed, have a good time, and make valuable friends at Reed College?</p>
<p>Also, How would you compare Vassar College to Reed College?</p>
<p>don't know much about Vassar, but if you find Reed is NOT your cup of tea, keep your grades up high and think about applying to transfer to U of Chicago. You will get the academically rigorous/ highly intellectual vibe there, with a slightly less "weird" student body.</p>
<p>Reed is one of a handful of schools that I really wished I took more seriously as a high school student. Scratch that: I read about it, loved everything about it, and was ready to apply before my mom dismissed it because it was too far away and I didn't bother to fight her. I regret not fighting her.</p>
<p>I think I sound a lot like you: I'm liberal, but not extremely liberal, and I do not think I fit directly into any of the nerd/geek/weirdo paradigms. (My college friends tell me I come off as "professional"; my high school friends tell me I come off as the "Quiet and really smart one.")</p>
<p>Why do I still harbor such a crush on Reed? Because I think it's a great place to be yourself and be excited by things without being judged or assessed for it. Because I think the campus culture encourages a kind of freedom and exploration of self and of academia, while sticking out its tongue at those who only see college as a link between high school and high-paying career. Because it resists being ranked by USNEWS, even though it would probably rank very highly if it did participate.</p>
<p>My experience with people who are weird for the sake of being weird is that the "weirdness" tends to tone down once they realize that they don't have to actively differentiate themselves from others to be who they are. That realization often comes in college rather than high school. </p>
<p>I also think-- but I'm not sure-- that the Reed your family friend experienced almost twenty years ago is different from the Reed today. Reed's acceptance rate has plummeted over the past few years and its freshmen retention rate has risen dramatically... once upon a time, Reed was not as highly sought as it is now, and the students who, once upon a time, probably turned down Reed for other schools are now flocking to Reed a lot more. This rise in Reed's desirability leads to happier, better "fit" students who want to be where they are and help to create a better academic and social experience for others. In other words, it leads to people like yourself choosing the relatively obscure, un- USNEWS-ranked Reed over the well-known, top-ranked Vassar.</p>
<p>You can visit Reed for an overnite stay; I'd advise doing that when school is back in session in the fall. You'll see first-hand what the school is like and get a better idea of whether you'd fit in.</p>
<p>I am a rising Junior at Reed, and I dare say that I myself am quite socially awkward. But that doesn't mean that everyone here is. To be honest the people vary quite greatly, and yes you can fit in and make friends if you aren't crazy or weird. I know plenty of people who aren't. The only thing is that you will have to handle other people's eccentricities (especially nudity (although I have to say that that is only sometimes) and general geekiness.
Also the air of intellectualism is very strong, if you come hang out in the cafe late at night and listen to all of the wonderful random deep conversations that happen, and start one yourself.</p>