Chances at Reed

Colleges and Universities A-Z Reed College
1

<p>Please chance me for admission at Reed College under the Early Decision II plan</p>

<p>I'm a male, graduating this year, attending a small, rigorous, college preparatory school.</p>

<p>ACT: 27 (retaking in September, and perhaps October, aiming for a 30)
GPA: 3.4
Rank: school does not rank
Race: caucasian</p>

<p>Class list:</p>

<p>9th grade
Geometry
Computer Science
Forms in Literature
Spanish II
Biology
World History</p>

<p>10th grade
Advanced Algebra
Visual Arts I
Literature and Writing
Spanish III
Physics
European History</p>

<p>11th grade
Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry
Visual Art II
American Literature
Spanish IV
Chemistry
U.S. History</p>

<p>12th grade
Precalculus
Advanced Visual Arts
AP Literature
AP Spanish
Journalism
Creative Writing 1st sem, Philosophy 2nd sem
Masterwork</p>

<p>ECs and other activities:
9th grade
president of class
worked on student life website of school
student recruitment committee
summer: Summer of Art program in downtown Tucson; work was later displayed in art show</p>

<p>10th grade
Became member of National Art Honor Society
Helped set up spring art show at school and displayed work.
student recruitment committee
Independentt study of Japanese language
summer: Summer of Art program in downtown Tucson; work was later displayed in art show</p>

<p>11th grade
National Art Honor Society
Helped set up spring art show at school and displayed work
Further independent study of Japanese language
student recruitment committee
summer: Study abroad program in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan. Stayed at an international university campus, taking Japanese language classes and art/calligraphy classes</p>

<p>12th grade
National Art Honor Society-->Running and will most likely become Vice Pres.
Plans to set up spring art show-->will have larger exhibit for own work
Taking Japanese language course at college level at the community college
Art work will be displayed in Tubach art show (a artsy town in AZ)
Writing for school newspaper
student recruitment committee
MASTERWORK-An optional program for seniors in which they create a project of sorts by integrating a passion of theirs with academic interests. I plan to create a graphic novel, about approx 100 pages in length. It will be an integration of my interests in graphic novels/comic books and my academic interests in writing, philosophy, and art. I will perhaps address themes such as global warming in the novel. It's still being created, but I'm excited to present it at the end of the year ^_^</p>

<p>Ok, yeah, long list...Um, my GPA is pretty low, I know. I excel in history, english, language, and art, while math and science bring me down...I'm not too sure what I plan to major in if accepted to Reed...Maybe philosophy or psychology...I really have no idea. I'm attracted to Reed's atmosphere more than anything else.</p>

<p>I will have excellent recs from english, spanish, and art teachers.</p>

<p>I will write my essay on "What do Pictures Want?", a prompt from a different institution. I will answer the prompt by analyzing pictures I took in Japan, and as a nice supplement, will include said pictures and artwork for the admissions staff to see as a testament to my art interests and to complement my essay.</p>

<p>Do you think I will be accepted EDII? I may be able to send in my quarter grades (which will be very good) with my application...</p>

2

<p>Oh, and I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but I'm from AZ.</p>

3

<p>Haha stealing the Chicago prompt. I'm not sure about your Stats, but good luck. I'm applying to both Chicago and Reed as well.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for your input. Yeah, I figure it will be easier on me if I work on perfecting just one essay. I'd rather produce one very good essay than 2 alright essays.</p>

5

<p>Any further thoughts?</p>

6

<p>Further thoughts? As others have said, low GPA, and the giant list does nothing to convey a serious interest in Reed. I would think that your Why Reed essay will be important. I actually feel sorta odd about the use of a Chicago prompt for your general essay in this case, because to me it doesn't seem to convey enough interest in Reed as such. My understanding is that for a low GPA to be okay, you need to have that strong interest going on for you. Of course, I don't know that much, so it might not matter.</p>

7

<p>You go to Greenfields, right? Don't they offer more than two AP classes? It doesn't look like you took the most rigorous courses offered, especially since there's only two APs and zero honors courses. That could affect you negatively.</p>

<p>I, too, am applying to both Chicago and Reed, but I don't really think you should use Chicago's prompt for the CommonApp essay--it's recognizable, and it looks like you're not putting in as much effort for the Reed app. You should answer one of the five choices they give you. Personally, I think it makes you come across as a stronger writer.</p>

<p>And your GPA is low. Isn't a 3.4 around a B average? That's pretty low.</p>

<p>But I think you could make your chances better by visiting, interviewing, and having a strong essay. :)</p>

8

<p>Exactly what golddustwoman said. Everything you can do to convey interest and make your essays strong. When you say, "I would rather write one really good essay", well, the thing is, making that choice says something about you. If you can write one really good one, why can't you write two, or three? Are you going to go to college and only write one really good essay a semester? A year? Per class? Reed demands a lot of students. Saying you can only be bothered to write one really good essay, combined with your grades and stats sort of conveys that you're not really into working hard. That may not be the reality, but it's one way that your choices might be interpreted.</p>

9

<p>You make an excellent point about the essays...I never looked at it from that perspective...I'll try and write two.</p>

<p>I have already visited Reed, twice actually, and have had an interview that went fairly well. Greenfields, my school, has the following APs</p>

<p>AP Lit
AP Spanish
Calculus
AP Biology
AP French</p>

<p>No honors courses, and only one advanced science course offered per year (either advanced chem or advanced physics.) There's advanced art too, but I'm already in that. I <em>could</em> take more APs, but in all honesty, I don't really like AP bio or calculus. And I'm already way too involved with spanish and japanese to consider french studies. I'd rather convey my passions to schools than just a fancy, fluffy, overly AP filled transcript. I can tell you that given the rigor of my school, very few people have taken more than 3-4 AP courses by the time they graduate, and masterworks can be very rigorous as well. </p>

<p>I really don't buy into all the AP stuff. I'm taking AP Lit and AP Spanish because I enjoy literature and language courses (they are my academic passions.) I'm not taking them to impress colleges. I see them as helping factors in my applications though.</p>

10

<p>"I really don't buy into all the AP stuff."</p>

<p>You will be competing with applicants who take most of the AP courses offered by their high schools. Your ACT and GPA are on the low side, so you need other ways to convince difficult schools like Reed that you can handle the curriculum; passion alone likely won't do it, but masterworks might help.</p>

11

<p>By "buy into AP stuff" I meant that I do not buy into taking countless AP classes and paying, over time, tons of dollars on AP exams just to have a myriad of AP courses and AP scores to show off to a college. It can be ridiculous looking, unless there is a student who really does have passionate interests in biology, psychology, chinese, politics, literature, micro economics, and european history. </p>

<p>Hahaha, to be honest, I'm sure you know far more about the college admissions game than I do, and I don't want to argue over AP course intensity, but I just feel like college admissions can be so...Over-stressed and over-hyped, if you will. Everyone is going insane over whether or not they should retake their SAT to get those last 25 points to reach 800 and everyone is picking AP courses left and right, completely regardless of the subject matter (oh no, the subject? Heaven forbid someone actually LIKES the subject and is not taking it for face value)...</p>

<p>Gah...enough of my rant. I apologize.</p>

<p>Further thoughts?</p>

12

<p>Personally I think AP Classes are about challenging yourself, but whatever. :)</p>

<p>I'd just like to wish you good luck. It's cool to see another Arizonan going for both Reed and UChicago. :)</p>

13

<p>Yeah, but I think I'm already challenging myself enough with my workload, haha.</p>

<p>And I decided not to apply to UChicago...I'd rather focus in on the NE and NW schools, with Reed being my clear first choice. We'll see what happens!</p>

14

<p>I am an international student and I also apply to both UChicago and REED.
But I think UChicago is much harder for intl student to get in because of the financial aid......toooooo hard
people who get FA from Uchi often get admission from schools such as Brown,MIT,Columbia.</p>

<p>So,reed is definitely my first choice.</p>

15

<p>"Personally I think AP Classes are about challenging yourself, but whatever."</p>

<p>'Hate to butt in, but as a lover of Reed and arch-nemesis of AP, I must offer MY personal two cents:</p>

<p>If an AP student doesn't care to challenge themselves or explore material independently, without their instructor's coercion and a particular pair of initials before the title of their course, they're only buying into the commercial nature of our country's college application process. </p>

<p>Take the courses that interest you. </p>

<p>Push yourself to the extent of that interest, or to the extent of your faith in its potential to be interesting. </p>

<p>Period.</p>

16

<p>Oni made a good point. It's annoying how people care more about how the courses look on the application, when it should be all about learning. That's the problem with education in general--it's not about education. It's about vocation. Sigh...</p>

17

<p>Hey everyone</p>

<p>So I'm near sening in my EDII app. Wrote a very unique and strong essay and my "Why Reed" essay was particularly good. We'll see what happens!</p>

18

<p>I had a similar transcript as you (good amount of ECs, course load and a 3.4 GPA) and got into Reed ED I. However, I got a 2300 on my SAT so I would imagine that helped to compensate for other lacking areas. Still, Reed is one of the few colleges, especially good colleges, that looks at you for more than just typical factors... so you certainly have a shot. (applying ED will help too)</p>