<p>This is all going to seem fairly odd but I figured this would be the best place to ask this. I am from the Midwest and am currently in a boarding school type of program in Montana for various reasons that arent important. The only reason this is important is because I am in a small rural high school here where I cannot take the rigorous classes I would like to to have a good chance of getting into the college I dream of: Reed College in Portland, Oregon.<br>
Now, I know Reed is a very selective school and I probably will have no chance but here are my laughable statistics: I am a junior and am very intelligent, but have a 2.8 cumulative GPA from a very challenging private school due to losing my focus in school. I now am completely focused and will most likely get almost all As the rest of my time in high school. I took fairly normal classes, except for advanced English courses. Like I said, it is tough for me now at this high school to take challenging courses but I think I will be able to at least take Physics and Calculus my senior year. I have not taken the ACT or SAT yet but did well on the PSAT and test very well. I played basketball my freshman and sophomore year, and most likely will my senior year. I will also have around 200 hours of community service by next year. I am a very good writer and I think I would do very well on the admissions essay that I hear is so important to Reed.
I love to read and learn and I consider myself an intellectual. I am aware of the rigors of attending Reed, but it is my dream to do so. I am just wondering if this is an absolute pipe dream, or if there are steps I can take to further my chances of getting into this prestigious school? Also, if it is impossible, what are some suggestions for other schools like Reed? I really like the Northwest and have looked at The Evergreen State College as well, but is just doesnt seem like as much of an intellectual place. Thank you all.</p>
<p>If you can tolerate the Southwest, St John's College might be a good fit for you.</p>
<p>Schools that are often associated with Reed in the Northeast: Swarthmore (though it's even more of a reach), Hampshire, (to some extent) Wesleyan.</p>
<p>What is it about Reed that you really love?</p>
<p>What I love about Reed is the intellectual atmosphere, the beautiful campus, its reputation for being a counter-cultural place, the intensity and rigor of the academics, and I absolutely love its location in southeast Portland, my favorite city in the country.
I have looked at St. Johns actually, and do like it a lot although I would prefer the Northwest and it turns me off a little that everyone does the same four year program there.</p>
<p>Maybe UChicago?</p>
<p>I forgot to mention that I also like flexibility, if you will, in curriculum and a kind of alternative way of educating. U of Chicago seems even harder to get into, and also doesnt seem to fit this.<br>
Thank you for your help!</p>
<p>I live in Portland. It's not that cool. I promise.</p>
<p>You're quite welcome. These are exactly the sorts of schools I'm interested in, and I'm always ready to share opinions :]</p>
<p>How about Sarah Lawrence? Or Eugene Lang (The New School)?</p>
<p>Eugene Lang looks really cool. I also forgot to mention that Im really into camping and rock climbing and nature, I guess. So NYC isnt all that appealing, but I like cities too so Im sure I could get past that. Thats a reason why I like Portland so much. Big city near wilderness areas and an active community.</p>
<p>The mountains/coast/gorge/desert are the best parts about Oregon...too bad the most beautiful season in Oregon is when school is not in session. Still not so much a fan of SE Portland. Reed is a good school though.</p>
<p>And yes anyone has a chance at reed. it's not the kind of school that will tell you to go **** yourself just because your GPA will hurt their averages.</p>
<p>I've known several kids who applied to Reed, and honestly, the admissions there is very weird. I have known an excellent student -- and she is also a good well-rounded, interesting person -- be rejected. I've known a couple with far less accomplished grades/scores/rigorous classes get accepted. I don't know, obviously, how it will go for you, but you should certainly apply, especially with your upward grade trend. My observations are that sometimes it's hard to get into Reed, and sometimes it's not. And, I agree, Portland is great.</p>
<p>I got into Reed ED this year, and my grades weren't super good (3.8, with all Bs and Cs in math classes) but I think that Reed admissions really looks at who will best fit their school, so in that regard, make sure your application reflects that.</p>
<p>Are you sure that if you are having trouble in difficult classes now, you'll be able to handle the even more difficult classes there?</p>
<p>thank you all for your help. i'm doing fine in my classes now, i was struggling earlier because i just didn't really care and wasn't focused on school. i had a 2.7 without doing any work... i'm working hard now and can definitely handle tough classes. would you all recommend applying ED next year?</p>
<p>If Reed is your dream school, sure, apply ED. It can't hurt, and as people have said, Reed has quirkier admissions than most, so if you can show how great a fit you are, you might have a chance. Just make sure you have other schools on your list as well, and try to get excited about them :D</p>
<p>Some other suggestions:</p>
<p>--Lewis+Clark. It's not quite as intense as Reed, but it is quirky and also right outside of Portland. </p>
<p>--I second Hampshire (While I agree that Swarthmore and Wes are Reed like in many ways, they both tend to be slightly less forgiving in admissions, so unless you really fall in love with one, it might not be worth it to apply).</p>
<p>--If you're willing to go big, University of Vermount has a kind of hippy-ish rep, and I belive is good for outdoors stuff.</p>
<p>--And some more (some of these will also be reach-y, but who knows): Oberlin, Pitzer, Bard, Goucher, Skidmore, Beloit, Bennington</p>
<p>There is a reason Reed is still included in 'Colleges That Change Lives' and other less prestigious schools are not. Reed attracts students who both excelled in high school as well as students who required junior college.</p>
<p>I agree with Weskid on many of his suggestions.</p>
<p>I would add Warren Wilson, Marbloro, College of the Atlantic, and if you are a male, Deep Springs (great environment and about as intellectual as it gets).</p>