<p>One of the schools I am currently considering is Reed. I've heard about its academically stimulating environment, but in the eyes of grad schools or future employers, how prestigious is Reed?</p>
<p>Another question I have: What is the social scene of Reed like? I'm aware of its really small student population.</p>
<p>Consider me really interested in this as well. Reed is one of my top choices.</p>
<p>Reed is very prestigious in the eyes of grad schools. Don’t be fooled by their relatively low USNWR ranking, they don’t play the game and send in all the info requested for the survey. They have one of the top placement of students in PhD programs (other top LACs include Carleton, Harvey Mudd, Swarthmore). Regarding employment, certainly many Reed grads go on to employment instead of grad school. While Reed does teach you to think deeply and analytically, I wouldn’t say it is the best among LACs for workplace preparation and career placement. </p>
<p>The best way I would describe Reed students is quirky. They were usually not in the popular crowd in high school and were very into their academics. Reed is a very rigorous school and academics is the primary focus. Best of luck with your search!</p>
<p>My daughter had Reed as one of her short list schools last year. She is currently in New Haven. What I would say, given that I know Reed pretty well, and have lectured there several times is that while it a very solid school–unique is a very diplomatic and direct way to describe its atmosphere. So, at least from my perspective, it has an upper margin faculty, very high marks for admission to a variety of graduate and professional schools, and a really good faculty student ratio. On the flip (at least for some) its not a typical college experience, can seem overly liberal (and I’m liberal) and has sort of on insulated feel to the campus and community. My daughters particulars were as follow: URM, (native), 2120 SAT (high on the technical side-math–I think 770), interest in STEM, finalist in her states x-country, and so-so-extracurricular. At the end of the day, while Reed was seriously considered, she wanted to have a more traditional experience (whatever that may mean for you) and could not pass-up Yale.</p>
<p>For some data to supplement the opinions here, take a look at undergrad origins of PhD recipients across many fields: <a href=“Doctoral Degree Productivity - Institutional Research - Reed College”>http://www.reed.edu/ir/phd.html</a>.</p>
<p>Reed is among the top handful of colleges in the percentage of graduates who earn doctoral degrees in all disciplines (4th), science and math (3rd), social sciences (3rd), and humanities (6th). You can, of course, attend any number of excellent feeder colleges and universities, or you can attend any one of hundreds of other excellent colleges and universities in the country, distinguish yourself ,and gain the qualification.</p>
<p>Outstanding, considered among the few schools that are ideal for intellectually oriented students who don’t view college as an extension of summer camp. What I mean is that it is among the schools that can nurture students who are already intellectuals who have focus on ability. Think Vassar, Swarthmore, Chicago some of the Ca schools. A real college. </p>
<p>Not very prestigious outside of certain very narrow academic contexts. So?</p>
<p>Reed is not very well known by the general population.</p>
<p>However I agree with @Ghostt ; Reed College is a very well-known academic institution among graduate schools, but not as much among employers.</p>
That probably depends on the industry.
Given its small size, you are not going to get the name recognition from the man in the street, unless perhaps he has heard of, or uses Apple products. 
But regionally, it is pretty well known.
Over the years, the reactions I’ve received have ranged from “wow!” to “where’s that?”
Reed has the highest reported SAT scores in the Northwestern United States. This makes the school – if absolutely nothing else – a college of note. That this takes about 5 minutes to look up should be an embarrassment to anyone who combines these two thoughts: 1) I’m familiar with colleges. 2) No, Ive never heard of Reed.
Thank you to all who applied, I visited the campus, it was absolutely gorgeous. I feel like (correct me if i’m wrong) the prestige of a college will only carry you so far. I am planning to go on to some form of graduate school, so thanks for that info Ctesiphon .
Absolutely. A common analogy is that prestige may get your foot in the door, but you still have to walk in there and make a good impression. Reed tends to place very well in terms of graduate schools
While I think highly of Reed (see my previous post), to be fair there is a dearth of higher end colleges in the Pacific Northwest. Which I have never been able to figure out, because I love the area, and think at least one of my kids would like to have gone to school there. She visited the ones that were there… Don’t get me wrong, I agree Reed is a fine school, and draws students with good test scores. But there isn’t a huge amount of high end competition in the Northwest, either. 
Also, I have often thought that Reed places well in grad schools precisely because it draws the kinds of students who tend to WANT to go to grad school, and also possibly because at least some of the students there aren’t terribly well prepared (or interested?) in going to work right out of undergraduate. Some do, of course. But I feel like there is a culture at Reed that is pushing more in the grad school direction than the employment direction.
‘Reed’s average SAT scores are among the top dozen or so of all liberal arts colleges in the nation.’
https://www.reed.edu/registrar/pdfs/grades.pdf
28% of Reed’s students come from California, 18% from the NE, and 16% from the NW. A lot of the competition is therefore localized to California and the NE. As is the case for most schools, Reed’s average test scores of admitted students is higher than that of its enrolled students, which too is nothing to scoff at.
@intparent: That was good added context. Partly I was thinking of it in terms of sheer area – the Northwest is HUGE, particularly if Idaho and Montana are included.
@International95: Reed uses the “or so” fairly enough. By SAT score, Reed comes out 15th of the 249 schools in its competitive national category (with one school ahead of it listed as SAT/ACT optional.) Tranposed to NESCAC-land, Reed would be between Hamilton/Middlebury and Colby/Bates.
Like others on this thread, I think highly of Reed and its educational mission.
(Source: USNWR Best Colleges, 2015 Edition)
“Paticularly if Montana and [Wyoming] are included.” (I believe Idaho is always included.)
I don’t think true Reedies are too worried about asking that “prestigious” question.
Yes, you don’t come to Reed for prestige. That is dumb. You would probably get more recognition for attending the University of Alabama.