<p>I am a high school senior from Southern California. I am very interested in Reed and all it has to offer, however, I don't want to end up there finding myself surrounded by people I can't relate to or connect with. Since it is known as such a quirky college, I was just hoping I could gain some insight as to whether I would be able to find like-minded peers at Reed. Will I find friends easily or will I become lost amongst weirdos? I don't want to sound shallow, but the weirdness has been a real concern of mine ever since I have considered Reed, especially since it is so small. </p>
<p>We don’t know you, so we can’t tell you how easily you’ll make friends or find ‘like-minded peers,’ but you do sound shallow, which probably won’t help.</p>
<p>Since you’re close, how about an overnight visit? Most seem to come away with a definite feeling up or down.</p>
<p>You should be 100% committed to academics and love hard work, like you’d find at Swarthmore or UChicago. The weirdness of Portland and Reed is secondary.</p>
<p>I phrased this question terribly. What I’m trying to figure out is whether people can have a hard time fitting in at Reed, more so than at other comparable institutions. I am absolutely committed to the academics. </p>
<p>Hi! I’m Swati, and I work in the admission office as a counselor. To get a sense of what other students went through when they got to Reed, in terms of finding like-minded peers, you could e-mail our admission interns at <a href=“mailto:writeareedie@reed.edu”>writeareedie@reed.edu</a>. You’ll reach a group of ~15 admission student workers who are all current students, ranging from sophomores to seniors. </p>
<p>Personally, when I got to Reed, there were a ton of ways that I was able to find my people. You’ll meet new people in your dorm, in your classes and just generally at events at Orientation & during the school year as well. I think the fact that a lot of Reed-like attributes get glossed over as “weird” sort of overshadows the fact that people can be quirky/weird in different ways, and it’s not just one big homogenous “weird” factor that everyone has. I like to think of it as everyone having their own passions/interests and being super into them, and finding a community at Reed that will accept them and their interests, even if others don’t necessarily share those exact same interests. That’s my personal interpretation, as an alumna.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for the info! I don’t mean to overgeneralize the population of the school. I think it is great that the school is full of passionate and unique students! I was simply concerned about fitting in, as there are definitely rumors about the esoteric vibe. Reed seems to be a magnificent school and I can’t wait to apply. </p>
<p>You’re welcome! I didn’t mean to suggest that you were overgeneralizing, but rather that it has been in the past an overgeneralization. Definitely get in touch with our student workers :)</p>
<p>Great advice, @reedadmission My D and I stopped by your table as part of the “colleges that change lives” went through our town and the Reed counselor was swamped with interested students…all of whom ran the gamut in their “types.” </p>
<p>I just dropped off my kid for his freshman year this week, and I observed all different kinds of students. I think the only type of student who would not fit in socially at Reed is the clean-cut preppy type. The students can’t really be categorized, but I’d say most everyone is artsy, edgy, earthy, nerdy, or some combination of the above. I found it quite refreshing to see such a vibrant and diverse group of students—if not culturally/ethnically, at least in personal style. You’ll have to decide for yourself if it’s too weird for you, and I agree with the advice to visit, preferably overnight. </p>
<p>Once you get preppy kids away from the group, Reed brings out their artsy, edgy & eco geekiness…
You may need to visit the sub free dorm to find them, some qtrs.</p>
<p>Reed has a vibe, no question. I’d recommend a visit as well. It is quirky but it attracts and retains highly academic students. And you don’t sound shallow. My son is applying as well; he is not particularly quirky but he loves the curriculum, the reputation and the close interaction with teachers. Unless you are a highy preppy fraternity or sorority oriented student my guess is you’ll find camaraderie.</p>