Foreign Language concerns..

Colleges and Universities A-Z Reed College
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<p>Hey all,</p>

<p>So, in a college, I'm looking for several things:</p>

<p>1.) NW location (it's beautiful around there, I'm near family, good skiing)
2.) Rigorous academics
3.) Close proximity to a city
4.) Small student body, liberal arts focus
5.) A variety of foreign language offerings and study abroad options</p>

<p>Reed basically fits that mold, minus the foreign language stuff. If Reed had a proper International Affairs major, many language offerings, and study abroad options, I would be totally in love with the school and likely would have applied ED (I applied RD.)</p>

<p>The main problem I have is that I'm actively studying Japanese, a language Reed does not offer. By extension, there is no study abroad program in Japan offered by Reed. I read on the website, however, that students "may work closely with the International Program advisor to design a study abroad program." </p>

<p>I really want to major in Int'l Affairs (or Reed's International and Comparitive Studies) and be able to focus on Japanese and East Asian studies. However, Reed does not offer any kind of Japanese class. </p>

<p>I've since heard of some kind of deal between Reed and Lewis & Clark in which students at Reed can take language classes at Lewis and Clark. This in effect means I could study Japanese while still being in Reed's environment. </p>

<p>Can anyone comment on this exchange program? I keep hearing about it, but haven't seen any kind of website with info on the program, nor any literature on the program. Does it exist? How does it work? Idk if it's worth mentioning, but I applied EA to L&C and got in. Theoretically, L&C is the perfect match for me. However, prestige is a slight issue, and L&C is not ranked extraordinarily high. However, prestige is not a true issue for me. Rather, it is that Reed has a campus atmosphere that is unmatched by any other college, and I really quite love it.</p>

<p>Advice?</p>

2

<p>Middlebury College for skiing and languages.</p>

3

<p>Yeah, I applied to Midd too, but given how intensely competitive admission is, I'm not suspecting an admission.</p>

<p>Further thoughts?</p>

4

<p>Your criteria sounded like Earlham College minus the NW location.</p>

5

<p>Yeah, I looked at Earlham, but something about it didn't quite ring with me. I guess for some context, I applied to the following schools:</p>

<p>Vassar EDI -rejected
L&C EA -accepted!
Reed
Middlebury
Oberlin
Macalester
Whitman
Skidmore
Grinnell</p>

<p>So does anyone have any info on this language program that Reed has with L&C?</p>

6

<p>I agree with Peter05 - Earlham would be a good choice to add to your list, and they are still taking applications. </p>

<p>I think your best bet if you want to be in Portland is probably going to be to attend the school that has the major and language courses you want. L&C is a terrific place, and not all that different in attitude than Reed.</p>

<p>But your best bet if you want to consider this is probably going to be to email someone in each school's language department and see what the issues will be with cross-registration. An important issue for Reed is to find out how this might affect your thesis -- if you are planning to do something related to japanese with your thesis, you may have to figure out who will be on your thesis committee, etc. The hassle factor might not be worth it. (And don't forget transportation - you'll probably need a car to make it all work between the two campuses).</p>

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<p>You should probably email Reed and ask about the language exchange deal. I got that information from the student who interviewed me, so I'm sure it's credible info. :)</p>

<p>Yeah, Midd is really known for international studies + languages.</p>

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<p>This cross-registration privilege might be what the OP has in mind:</p>

<p>Guidebook</a> to Reed</p>

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<p>By a reciprocal agreement with other Oregon Independent Colleges Association (OICA) schools, full-time students may take one course per semester in fall or spring at another campus without additional charge, with the approval of the host school and home campus.>></p>

<p>This is the gotcha, I think: One course per semester in spring OR fall at another campus, with the approval of the host school and home campus.</p>

<p>This raises the question: Is that one course PER year, or one EVERY semester? And, what is involved with getting the approval of both schools? What sort of priority registration will you have at L&C (important, because language courses at LACs are typically small and space may be limited. I suspect priority registration, therefore, would go to students at L&C before outsiders). Also, from what I understand, Reed is pretty picky about transferring credits for courses taken elsewhere - they don't always consider them to be the same academic level.</p>

<p>So, bottomline: If you decide to pursue this, you'll need to ask a lot of questions directly of both L&C and Reed to get a sense of how viable it will be to take the amount of japanese (and other) courses you plan to take. Again, I think I would lean towards enrolling in the school that has exactly what I want, rather than trying to cobble together something every semester.</p>

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<p>From my reading of the OICA statement on the Reed website, I think they mean to say that a student can take one course at another college per semester. And that semester can be a fall one or a spring one (as in, the season is not an issue.) I think it should be fine if I were merely to, say, take Japanese 101 during my freshmen fall semester and Japanese 102 during my freshmen spring semester and so on.</p>

<p>I'm aware that Reed is pretty picky about credit transfers. I've emailed Reed dozens of times about the issue and have always been redirected to my regional admissions officer. That adviser, who is a recent Reed graduate, tells me that</p>

<p>1.) He is not entirely sure about Reed's exchange program with L&C and that a transfer of credit is not likely</p>

<p>2.) In his opinion, he would not recommend me taking any classes outside of Reed simply given the intensity of Reed's academics.</p>

<p>But, to put it frankly, Reed is all about intellectual gain and learning for learning's sake, in my mind anyway. If I were to take classes at L&C, I wouldn't wish to transfer credit. I would merely want to take the class because I'm interested. I wouldn't give Reed any trouble, but just let them know that I'm studying Japanese at L&C. </p>

<p>If I attend Reed, I plan on majoring in International Comparitive Policy Studies. It would be nice if I could supplement my major with my own exterior-of-Reed japanese studies. In terms of transportation between the two schools, I plan on having a car on campus, so transportation won't be a huge issue. L&C is only about 15-20 mins away from Reed anyway.</p>

<p>I would set my heart on L&C, but to me, Reed's atmosphere is unmatched. I want to go to Reed because of what Reed is; an intellectual powerhouse of a college where students are genuinely interested in learning. Reed just seems...Idk, more intensely focused than L&C.</p>

<p>Hmmm...This really is an issue...</p>

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<p>If you are interested in Japanese- & credit is not an issue- my suggestion
Take Japanese from a language school- either while attending Reed or after.
Perhaps take Chinese @ Reed.
Or consider Portland State.
<a href="http://www.pdx.edu/cjs%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pdx.edu/cjs&lt;/a>
Probably a lot cheaper than L & C .
Also since the northwest is on the Pacific Rim, many local offerings of Japanese-</p>