Non-Traditional Transferring to Reed

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>I found this site a few days ago, and I am finding it to be a wealth of information so far. I'm hoping you guys could offer some opinions on my chances of being accepted by Reed.</p>

<p>I'm 26. I've been attending a community college here in Oregon for a little over a year now, and I have earned 81 credits. My GPA is 3.9, and one of the two classes I got a B in is a vocational class, so it probably wouldn't transfer. I haven't taken the SAT or ACT. I have taken a few SAT practice tests, though, and am scoring ~760 in CR, ~710 in Writing, and ~600 in Math. This is with no studying, and I'll obviously need to study my math a bit. College algebra was several terms ago, though, and I'll need brush up on it.</p>

<p>I have been accepted to Portland State, and I am waiting to hear back from Willamette University. I was told by the admissions counselor that I wouldn't have an issue getting in, and I am mainly waiting to see what my merit aid package will look like from them, to see if I can afford to go there or not.</p>

<p>A few days ago, someone told me about Reed, and I am finding that I really like their school. Plus, it is in Portland, a city I enjoy and would like to live in (I dislike Salem).</p>

<p>Sorry for the length, here are my questions:</p>

<p>Do I have a shot at Reed? My HS grades are...awful...due to a very poor family situation during those years. I don't have a lot of ECs...I'm an EMT-B that volunteers when I can, and I'll be helping teach basic Spanish for one of my teachers Winter quarter.</p>

<p>I have an EFC of 0, and usually get max federal aid. My planned major is Spanish, but I want to get to medical school so I will be doing those prereqs as well.</p>

<p>Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!</p>

2

<p>If you can afford the application costs, then just give it a try.</p>

<p>As to your profile academically, I think if your essays show a spark, that you could definitely get in. Reed definitely has its own feel and adcoms are going to look to see if you are going to add to its community. </p>

<p>However, earlier this year there were a group of articles talking about how Reed has had to take a bunch of “full pay” students to deal with the economic downturn–so your 0 EFC is actually a disadvantage. There will simply be less spots offered to 0 and low-EFC students if the information in the articles hold true. It was discussed at length on CC, maybe you can do a search to find that thread from earlier this year.</p>

3

<p>there are several top schools that have special programs for non-trads that you could look into. your current work is impressive, so it never hurts to try. cornell and columbia have them, so you can google them for more info if you want :)</p>

<p>i don’t think taking the SAT is necessary. it’s supposed to predict how you’ll do during your first year of college, and the grades you earn obviously already show how you did, so don’t bother.</p>

4

<p>If you want to go to medical school later (keeping in mind your non-traditional background), why don’t you go to Portland State since you’ve already been accepted? If you do get into Reed, you will be saddled with no less than $15,000 in loans with your EFC, and adding that to medical school debt, would, I imagine, not paint a very pretty picture. Besides, a lot of Reedies wanting to go to medical school, fulfill pre-med requirements at Portland State over the summer etc., seeing as how hard fulfilling all the requirements can be at Reed.</p>

<p>Just my two cents, but I honestly feel this is the safest, if not best plan for you. Good luck! I’m sure something will work out.</p>

5

<p>SAT or ACT is required for transfer students: [Reed</a> College Admission Office](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/apply/applying_to_reed/transfer.html#transferstudent]Reed”>http://www.reed.edu/apply/applying_to_reed/transfer.html#transferstudent)</p>

<p>You will be forced to work harder at Reed than at PSU, so it’s likely that you would learn more at Reed, so it’s likely that your MCAT would be higher at Reed, but none of this is certain. Reed’s med school data: [REED</a> COLLEGE MEDICAL SCHOOL ACCEPTANCE](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/ir/medschool.html]REED”>Medical School Acceptance Rate - Institutional Research - Reed College)</p>

<p>I find your chances unpredictable; I’d think of them as 50/50.</p>

6

<p>@ironicallyunsure: Thanks for the reply. I will look at Columbia, and might apply. I’ll have to check out Cornell, I don’t know very much about them.</p>

<p>@paradox7: Well, I had every intention of just going to PSU. Then I applied to Willamette on a whim, and I realized I might have a shot at actually being able to go to a very good school. While I am not all that concerned about going to a top 20 or whatever (and medical schools don’t really care that much in general…), I would like to go to a good one if possible. I like the small class sizes at smaller, private universities. I like the much smaller student body. And the fact that they offer merit aid and private need-based aid in addition to the Pell Grant, etc at Willamette was huge, since I don’t have a great deal of money.</p>

<p>The fact that a lot of Reedies go to PSU to do their pre-reqs is interesting. I guess OChem at Reed could be challenging… =P</p>

<p>Thanks for the posts, everyone!</p>

7

<p>I don’t know anything about Williamette, apart from the fact that a girl who was accepted by Reed last year but received no Financial Aid ended up there (as reported by the New York Times). If it offers you both great merit-aid and smaller class sizes than Portland State, I’d say go for it at the expense of Reed. While a superlative undergraduate education is important, if medical school is your eventual goal, I think it’s important you prioritise money-wise and if you focus on your MCAT and GPA, you should be fine wherever you end up. </p>

<p>Apparently it is hard doing Sciences at Reed because for each Science you need to do an Introductory Class, and only then can you move up to upper level courses. It’s pretty much a cardinal rule. Also their calculus is too abstract math-sy for some people’s liking. I guess then, it makes sense to pursue some of the requirements at easier places than Reed.</p>

8

<p>I’m not sure if there is a personal factor that is limiting you to the Northwest. Based on your profile you should consider a top-tier school: USC, UC-Berkley, and UMich would likely accept you without hesitation. You’d also be a strong applicant at a few elite schools: Amherst, Cornell, and Dartmouth. Because of your EFC you would likely receive a substantial aid package at many of these schools. </p>

<p>Usually applicants who post to College Confidential need to be talked down. You should be talked up.</p>

9

<p>@1882 - Thanks for the response. I really like the Pacific Northwest…I’ve lived all over the east coast, midwest, and south in my life, and the NW is my favorite. I don’t really object to moving, but I’ve been in a relationship for 5 years, and I’d have to convince my boyfriend to move with me. Easier said than done, but I’m thinking about it. Due to this factor, I couldn’t live on campus (nor would I want to, really). </p>

<p>It is only recently that I realized I could actually maybe go to a top school, so I am kind of scrambling to find some and apply before the deadline. I know very little about what schools are considered top tier, and what ones would be a good fit for me. I think I’ll make another post and ask.</p>

<p>Thanks for the reply!</p>

10

<p>“cornell and columbia have them”
Well, columbia does.
If Cornell does it is news to me.</p>

11

<p>If you plan to stick in pdx for undergrad then you should definitely consider going to Reed over psu. PSU should offer you a decent aid package with that gpa and sat scores but consider throwing a few more apps out cause you just never know. Reed is an amazing school (I have two semi-close family members that went there).</p>

12

<p>i don’t think it’s nearly as thorough as columbia’s, but there’s a whole different application procedure for students who are 24 and over. i’m not sure if each college within cornell has it, but i remember seeing stuff about it on their website.</p>