<p>How do the two compare academically and socially? Is there an obvious choice?</p>
<p>Swarthmore jumps out as obvious choice. (Or maybe its just another manifestation of usnews' psychic manipulation)</p>
<p>Very similar. Reed is a bit edgier and more intellectual; they produce more academics, which can be a plus or minus depending on your perspective. A good choice if you're lucky enough to have it.</p>
<p>If I'm not mistaken, Swat produces virtually the same number of academics as Reed. But they're both near the very top in this respect (as a percentage of their graduates).</p>
<p>spoonj, no offense, but it sounds to me like you stole that comparison from a brochure. Has anyone on this forum actually visited both campuses, known people who went to both, etc...?</p>
<p>I visited both campuses. I loved Swarthmore (applying ED 1) so obviously I'm going to be biased. I had an overnight at Reed and to be honest, it was depressing. I found that nearly everyone smoked and everyone was very separate. The buildings were more run-down, and they had brochures about how to find time to take a shower in the morning outside admissions. Don't get me wrong, I loved the intellectualism and drive amongst the students. It just all seemed very depressing. If you add the huge amounts of rain they get it tipped the scale for me. I would by all means apply to reed if I were you but I would definitely visit before I signed anything. (btw I absolutely loved the humanities 101 class that I sat in on.)</p>
<p>Thanks. very interesting. Would you say Reed students are more driven than Swarthmore students? How did their intelligence seem to compare? Good luck w/ Swat, btw. I was accepted there once before and now I'm looking to transfer there or somewhere else.</p>
<p>Its true that sometimes you find no time to take shower. As for being seperate, people usually make out with their boy/girlfriends at the library maybe 1 am in the night so maybe everything felt so depressing to you in the dorms.</p>
<p>ecape:
I'm not entirely sure. Both were unbelievably smart and driven. I don't really think its fair to try to compare because they were both so similar in terms of intelligence and motivation. What really swayed me in terms of academics was neither of those because it was clear that they were both very similar. Rather, the physics program at Swarthmore(I want to dual major in Physics and Math maybe minor in chem) seemed far superior to that of Reeds.</p>
<p>cassius:
Yea, that's why I would recommend that everyone visit because visits can vary so much. It all depends on what happens while visiting you know? Maybe if it had been on a different day things would have been different. I just felt very disjoint from the community (obviously).</p>
<p>schoenhs: so you feel resources and level of courses is the biggest difference between Swat and Reed, not students?</p>
<p>No, I feel that the resources at both are very good. (hell, Reed has its own nuclear reactor.) The level of courses I can only really comment on Physics. The physics curriculum seemed better at Swarthmore than Reed. Also, I like the idea of the Honors program at Swarthmore. The students are very different. While the students at both schools are very left wing and very intellectual those at reed struck me as moreso in both respects. </p>
<p>If I were you I'd take a couple days and visit both, do overnights. They both have a very different feel to them. Reed has this beautiful ravine, while Swarthmore has a forrest. Reed has a humanities 101 course in which you have to read huge amounts. Swarthmore has an honors program where, after your second year your classes become 5-7 hour discussions rather than normal class. A huge part of the reed curriculum is the honors thesis (something that originally attracted me to the school) which takes up 1/4 of your senior year. Although there is this possibility at Swarthmore the emphasis is different.</p>
<p>[edit- I think my use of 'stronger' when comparing the physics departments was a bit misleading. I meant to say that Swarthmore's is more what I am looking for in a Physics program. It is much more structured (and seems to be more difficult from the people I've spoken with. It's the hardest major at Swarthmore)]</p>
<p>Its not that Swarthmore's physics program is much structured. But the emphasis is different. Reed's science program is highly theoritical, almost mathematical. Majority of thesis are in highly mathematical topics like quantum mechanics, relativity and even 'shape of time' whatever that means. while in Swarthmore they also have courses like geology, engineering astronomy etc which is essentially application of science. This emphasis in theory rather than practical application is designed for graduate studies rather than employment. But its neither superior nor inferior than swarthmore's, I think.</p>
<p>I'd like to comment on a couple of points above, as a Reed alum. First, the thesis requirement at Reed is universal, not an honors thesis. Everyone has a thesis project. Second, one of my son's concerns when he was looking at schools, and which led him not to apply to Swarthmore, was the fact that it had an honors program. He felt that in a small school, it wasn't desirable to promote that kind of hierarchical classification.</p>
<p>ecape,</p>
<p>If I sounded like a brochure, then it must be a pretty accurate one, since my characterization of the two schools was confirmed by schoenhs in post #11. Or maybe schoenhs just made a lucky guess, too.</p>
<p>Well I guess I don't know what "more liberal" and "more intellectual" means, since both those terms are relative. Since you gained these impressions from visiting the school, there must be some anectdotal specifics you could give us that led you to that impression? For example, I heard a lot of people at Reed wear black or dress hippy-ish, but to me that's a shallow thing and doesn't necessarily mean they're more liberal -maybe Reedies have overtly intellectual conversations more often... seem more "affected"?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Second, one of my son's concerns when he was looking at schools, and which led him not to apply to Swarthmore, was the fact that it had an honors program. He felt that in a small school, it wasn't desirable to promote that kind of hierarchical classification.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That was actually the argument used against the creation of the Honors Program in the 1920s. It was an especially strong argument because the tradition of Quaker schools was strict eglitarianism.</p>
<p>However, what actually ended up happening is that the Honors Program shaped the entire style of education at Swarthmore...for Honors and In-Course students alike.</p>
<p>Today, there is really no hierarchical classification. Some of the best students do the Honors track; some of the best students don't. The differences depend largely on the individual department. For example, basically the entire Physics department is seminar-based with all majors taking the same courses, regardless of whether or not they opt for the outside examinations that really differentiate the honors program.</p>
<p>Interesting comment about the smoking. That was one of the main reasons my S did not choose Reed. He did like the academics, however.</p>
<p>I like the warm glow of radiation... and swamps... and rain. Reed for me.</p>
<p>By the way, that was not sarcasm.</p>
<p>I visited Swathmore and Reed. Reed is about rain, its depressing, lots of smoking- wonder why. I dont think it was intellectual as it was a bit miserable and I felt like the kids worked too hard at being different.
Swathmore- much finer school- just seemed like the kids were not screwed up and quirky... smart but not whacko. I stayed at Reed 3 nights. I was ready for Prozac.</p>