<p>Reed College is one of my top college choices. I particularly like it's location and strong programs in english and the like.</p>
<p>Though I would really love to go to Reed, my application may notbe so great...I have about a 3.3 GPA, but my average of all my grades per semester is about an 87%, with particular strength in spanish, literature, and history. Classes like math and science are what bring my grades down. Below is my unimpressive and concise list of ECs and the like:</p>
<p>-Taken art for (expected) all 4 years of high school
-National Art Honor Society (11 12 planned)
-Teen Art Club (outside of school) (11 12 planned)
-Took a Japanese language class at community college (10)
-President of class (9)
-National Junior Honor Society (9, but was in it from grades 7-9)
-Art of Summer workshop. I worked to produce an exhibition of my own art in a summer art show. Outside of school. (9 10)
-Study abroad in Japan for the summer (11)
-Held a job (11)</p>
<p>As you can see, I'm hoping Reed notices my high interest in languages and international studies (due to the Japanese language study and summer abroad) and the commitment to fine arts. </p>
<p>I can write a truly excellent essay, and will most likely recieve pretty good reccommendations from teachers. I'm scheduled to take the SAT in March, and I'm aiming for a score in the 2100-2200 range (a score I will most likely attain.)</p>
<p>I really love Reed's philosophy on education and learning. I think it's really profound, and only manages to draw me even closer to it.</p>
<p>I saw you asked this same question on the Middlebury sight so thought I would reply. My guess is that you have a better chance at Reed than you do at Midd based on your GPA, unless your language grades are really high and that impresses Middlebury. At Middlebury you will probably fall into a group of other candidates where it is a bit of a reach, but I think Reed is more of a match. Take every opportunity to see both schools and put some effort in persoanlizing your application so they know who you are when they read your file. While I like both of these schools, I eventually chose to apply ED to Colorado College. Reed seemed a little too small and out there, and I though Midd seemed homogenous and while the campus was beautiful, it seemed too sterile. Everyone has their likes and dislikes.</p>
<p>Arcadia-I don't think you're answering the poster's question. I can cut and paste statistics too. You don't need to get defensive, it's purely the way I felt on campus. Maybe it was the sterile backdrop that made everything look alike. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting the school down, I just like things a little more mixed up than they appeared at Midd. That's why there's different schools for different people.</p>
<p>I plan on visiting Middlebury in late March, and Reed in either late February or early April. It's funny because lately, I've become more and more attracted to Reed's philosophy on education, its eccentricities, and location...Hmm, though Middlebury has always been my top choice, Reed may take over! lol</p>
<p>I have a suggestion. You have two good reaches in hand. Now, your job is to find some match and safer bet schools for your GPA. Even with high test scores, you're still going to need those match and safer schools. So, don't focus too much JUST on reachier schools like Reed and Middlebury. For example, when you visit Reed, swing over to Lewis & Clark and maybe visit Willamette or University of Puget Sound as well. Hopefully, all will work out and you'll get into a highly selective school like Reed or Middlebury, but, there are PLENTY of other great options out there, so don't focus in too quickly - keep your options open, cast a wide net, and make sure you have schools where your GPA is not going to be such a stretch. And, of course, do everything you can to get that GPA up over the next two semesters, even in math and science. Good luck.</p>
<p>I hear that from people alot, and the truth is, I've already chosen some other schools for matches and safeties. I just get so entangled with these two that I occassionaly forgot about the others.</p>
<p>According to some research I've done and some discussions I've had with my headmaster and college counselor, the following colleges could be matches and/or safeties for me:</p>
<p>Skidmore College
Sarah Lawrence College
Bard College
Whitman College
Lewis and Clark College</p>
<p>And I'd be happy going to anyone of those schools. Other schools I'm interested in, but I'm not quite able to label as a reach match or saftey include:</p>
<p>Colgate College
Grinnell College (my father is a graduate of Grinnell, loved it)
Occidental College
Hamilton College
Connecticut College</p>
<p>Your list looks very similiar to my list a year ago. Of all the ones on the list, I loved Hamilton and Whitman was great as well...just a little isolated. If you like the educational philosophy. At the end of the day, I concentrated out West cause I love the Rockies...luckily Colorado College was right there...right where I wanted to be. I got a different feeling from the LAC's in the west than I did in the east and at the end of the day, you need to be happy. Good luck.</p>
<p>I had looked into Colorado College a while, and loved its location, particularly for its close proximity to ski areas, but something about the school itself did not seem quite right for me.</p>
<p>lol, both Middlebury and Reed have ski lodges for their students, and ski areas within a reasonable distance...</p>
<p>But skiing is just skiing...I love both of them.</p>
<p>funny that you mention something about colorado college not feeling right, i feel the exact way. i think the block plan would be interesting, a change of pace, but something about the college just seems off. plus, i plan on majoring in english, and I haven't really heard anything about their english program, compared to reed, whitman, or kenyon, which are all on my list.</p>
<p>I visited all of the colleges you mention with the exception of Kenyon (I'm from the midwest and want access to mountains). I think of CC as a little more scrappy than the rest and that's what attracted me to it. Reed was a little tooooo liberal and Whitman seemed like a bit of an oasis in the desert, thought I'd get bored in Walla Walla after a semester. I stayed in WW for 4 days with my parents to seriuosly consider the it. I knew it felt a little small when I kept running into the same people day after day, and I don't mean only on campus, but the movies, grocery store, Starbucks and restaurants, etc.. I loved the campus and the Outdoor program, but couldn't see myself being happy for all four years. At the end of the day, there is a school for everyone.</p>
<p>im looking at a lot of the schools you are onilawliet, weird.</p>
<p>could someone explain why the block plan at colorado college is "strange"? im not familiar with it.</p>
<p>also, does anyone know if reed looks to recruit artists or anything? im thinking about majoring/minoring in art and il be sending in quite a strong art portfolio with my application and was hoping it would help a bit.</p>
<p>The block plan is simple to understand. You only take one class at a time. Class meets from 9 am- 12 everyday for three and a half weeks. After the last class on wednesday, you get a four day break until the next class starts. So you are never in more than one class at a time. I went and took a class last summer to try it before I applied and I really liked it. You have all afternoon fro sports, activities and studying. Basically, everyone in the school goes to class at the same time every day. It's cool, but unusual and probably not for everyone.</p>
<p>You said you were looking at similar schools as I, Ryan Mac. What are your "stats" like for applying to various schools?</p>
<p>Yeah, I kind of got the vibe from Whitman that it was too small and quaint.</p>
<p>As for Reed and it's intense sense of liberalism, I personally kind of like that. It's funny, when the rep for Reed came, she totally gave off that aura of Reed being a quirky, different, and rather liberal place. Idk, I'm just really into Reed.</p>
<p>Again though, Middlebury still lingers...I can't decide on which I like more, even though they are both different in terms of ideas. Both feel like they're incredibly out of my reach though. Oh well. Vamos a ver que pasare.</p>
<p>well i screwed up freshman and sophmore year pretty much. i got around an uw 85 or 86 in a few honors freshman year and all honors sophmore year. but this year (junior) i have about an uw 89 or 90 in all honors and AP. if i apply to reed itll be fore the 5-year BFA/BA program. im going to be submitting a strong art portfolio with all my apps so HOPEFULLY that will somewhat make up for my grades. right now the liberal arts colleges that i like the most are Reed and Oberlin, but i have a feeling my grades will be too low. </p>
<p>im kind of relying on my art portfolio as kind of a "hook" at all the schools i apply to :( :( :(</p>
<p>Wow, yeah, I'm basically I'm in the same situation as you. Well, kinda. I had a 90 average freshman year, 87 sophomore year, and at the moment, about an 85 junior year...Still, I'm hoping that things like my intense interest in art, international studies, and the languages act as my "hook."</p>
<p>ah yes. its just annoying to see those freshman/sophmore grades and activities and realize they dont really reflect anything like i am/do now. i got really interested in art over the summer taking some classes and iv continued it. so anyways, heres hoping for the best.</p>
<p>i saw ur list on the first page and im interested in skidmore, whitman, and grinnell also. but yes, this is very strange - we have a lot in common lol.</p>
<p>hehe, I'm looking at some of the same schools too :D</p>
<p>No EC's, just moved/changed schools. I'm a junior w/ 3.28 GPA</p>
<p>but my long not final college list: Reed, Oberlin, Grinnell, Vassar, Amherst, Hampshire, Middlebury, Willamette, Whitman, Lake Forest, Lewis & Clark, Hamilton... :P</p>
<p>Ha ha, kittycat, I'm in a similar situation as you. My GPA is not as high as others at all, about a 3.3 or 3.4. And I don't have too many ECs, but a few. What I do have is intense personal interest! lol</p>
<p>Still, for me: Reed College and Middlebury College...They're both so amazing.</p>