<p>I know I'm so sick of seeing all these this school or that school threads, but I got accepted into Reed today which I didn't think would happen, and now I'm stuck deciding between these two. They both have similar academic atmospheres, both have crappy weather compared to what I'm used to (California), UChicago's a bit bigger and more diverse, but it's also in a city and away from nature, etc. I have no idea what I'd major in, possibly philosophy/math/physics/some combination of these/something else entirely. I'd get a better financial deal at Chicago, but Reed's wouldn't be horrible, I'd have about 16k in loans come graduatation time versus 0 at Chicago. If anyone has any brilliant insight it'd be much appareciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>My S. may end up making a similar decision between Reed’s good F/A pkg with 16K loans and another school’s 0 loans. I’m going to let him decide, if he wants to take on debt or not. But I would counsel that it would be nice to graduate without, especially with (in my son’s case) a degree in English and possible grad school future.</p>
<p>Did you all visit each school? I think visiting Reed is a must before deciding, preferably overnight. If you visited both and still can’t decide, and like both nearly equally, consider Reed for undergrad and the other for grad school (if applicable). Students who like Reed often also like Carleton, Grinnell, Oberlin, Swarthmore, and UChicago; it can be a tough choice! Sometimes it’s easier when the choice is made for you. 
Reed will be warmer than UChicago, but may have more rainy, drizzly days, perhaps with less total overall rain.</p>
<p>I have visited UChicago and am going to visit Reed in a couple weeks. Yeah a part of me wishes I was only accepted to one so it would be an easier choice. Yeah I don’t really like the rain, so I don’t know how that would be. I’m still pondering it, I suppose I’ll come up with a decision sometime soon (at least before May 1st!)</p>
<p>In my book, 16k is a lot of money. I don’t see why you’re having such a dilemma with this significant a tiebreaker present.</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone would seriously argue that either school provides a better education. I think you’d be quite happy at either one. It seems reasonable to go with whichever leaning you end up with.</p>
<p>I had read on the CC page for Reed that there is a fairly prominent hard drug scene. It was posted by a current student as a warning to prospective students. This is just here-say though. Frankly, I don’t know if this is important to you, but Chicago is certainly better known. Since they both have a strong core curriculum style, I think it comes down to a medium sized city school and a rural liberal arts college</p>
<p>“and a rural liberal arts college”</p>
<p>Reed is in the city of Portland, 15-20 minutes from downtown; it feels suburban.</p>
<p>visit Reed and then decide. Go for fit unless the 16K is an issue. My son was accepted at both but never visited Reed. He visited Chicago to assure himself that it was truly diverse and was happy with his decision. U Chicago fin aid was better, Reed’s non existent.</p>
<p>Reed’s financial aid actually exists 
with 51% of 2008-09 freshmen receiving an average of $34,130 ([Reed</a> College 2008-09 Common Data Set SecH](<a href=“http://web.reed.edu/ir/cds/cds0809/cdssech200809.html]Reed”>Reed College 2008-09 Common Data Set SecH - Institutional Research - Reed College)). FA awards from various schools do indeed sometimes seem random, with each school applying its own criteria.</p>
<p>Here’s an old thread comparing Reed and Chicago. I went to Reed; my son went to Chicago. I compared the two places on this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/reed-college/278625-reed-v-university-chicago.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/reed-college/278625-reed-v-university-chicago.html</a></p>
<p>What is it that Reed is comparable to U of Chicago? They seem to be very different schools.</p>
<p>They attract some of the same academically-inclined students, along with, say, Carleton, Grinnell, Oberlin and Swarthmore.</p>
<p>The description of Reed as rural made me laugh, too. It’s not rural. It’s in a mixed-used suburban area of a medium sized city. It’s got public transit, lots of things to do and see, all that – not that people ever leave campus, but you totally could. ;-)</p>
<p>Reed requires all students to do a Sr thesis paper in order to graduate, and take a qualifying test in order to move up to Sr level. That in addition to the “core” curriculum means that Reed is a very academically rigorous college. And, there IS a lot of pot smoking among students at Reed.</p>
<p>Hi guys, I am working the web tonight, catching all I can before retiring.</p>
<p>Never applied to Reed because I do not like frisbees, or those caring sharing types I found so repulsive.</p>
<p>However, Reed is a great school. I was also accepted to UC, a school I respect and admire. Were it not for my acceptance to Williams, I would have been a student at Princeton or Chicago. </p>
<p>To recap:</p>
<p>Reed is an LAC, Chicago a University.</p>
<p>Reed in Portland, Chicago U in Chicago, the CITY.</p>
<p>Architecturally and academically nothing compares to Chicago, the school that Rockefeller built, and nothing remains higher than Rockefeller Chapel.</p>
<p>Though a Williams student, both of your schools are great. Just understand what you individually want, and you will be happy and successful.</p>
<p>I was just in the exact same situation. I visited Chicago and accepted there (because of the reputation for intellectualism, academic rigor, and quirkiness), but then was urged to visit Reed, and in just a few hours on campus realized that I needed to spend the next four years of my life there. For me, it was about the people at Reed, the wonderful, free-spirited and friendly students. And, while the prestige is much higher at Chicago, I got a strong impression that Reed academics are, in fact, right up there with Chicago’s.</p>
<p>One other thing I sensed is that intellectual life spills over into social life much more at Reed. While Chicago kids told drunken water sports stories or talked about off-campus spots, Reedies seemed to have much more substantial conversation. This impression may be due to my short time at Chicago, but the feeling I got regarding out of class conversation was strong.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, you have to go with your gut. There isn’t much use in going to the “right” school if your heart isn’t in it.</p>
<p>-Tyler</p>
<p>Thanks everyone, and tflow306, I received basically the same impression you did from Reed, which is why on May 1st I sent in my deposit and intent to register there in the fall. I’m gonna be a Reedie!</p>
<p>Plus, you can have the best of both worlds: UChicago is a popular grad school with Reedies!</p>
<p>Congrats on the decision. I look forward to going to school with you. By the way, you can find me on the facebook group for the class of 2013; I believe I’m the only Tyler.</p>