Should I bother applying to these liberal arts reaches?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>“many end up taking some time off” No, that’s not what’s happening. Reed has required qualifying exams in all majors and a year long thesis. Graduating can take more than four years WITHOUT taking time off, especially if you choose a dual major. Reed is a four or five year college.</p>

<p>For example, if you were to want to major in Linguistics and a foreign language, you would have to take the qualifier in both fields and then write a thesis that bridges the two fields. If there’s no connection like physics and art, you’d have to write two theses. You should read post #41 by “unitofobscurity” here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/reed-college/1395131-what-bugging-me-about-reed-3.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/reed-college/1395131-what-bugging-me-about-reed-3.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>With Bates, Bowdoin and Middlebury you are comparing among apples. All are members of the NESCAC and are big on sports. Reed and Middlebury are too different to be compared, but they are both considered “cool” places. According to noodle there are higher percentage students at Reed receiving FA and who on average receive more FA than at Middlebury.</p>

<p>[Reed</a> College in Portland, OR | Admissions, Academics, Campus Life | Noodle Education](<a href=“Learning And Career Resources - Noodle.com”>Learning And Career Resources - Noodle.com)</p>

<p>[Middlebury</a> College in Middlebury, VT | Admissions, Academics, Campus Life | Noodle Education](<a href=“Learning And Career Resources - Noodle.com”>Learning And Career Resources - Noodle.com)</p>

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<p>More time for qualifying exams and a thesis would not explain a 6 year graduation rate considerably lower than the 4 year graduation rates of Bates, Bowdoin and Middlebury (88%, 88% and 84% according to USNWR.)</p>

<p>I think it’s more likely that some Reed students find the challenges the school places in their way, well, challenging, and don’t graduate on time as a result.</p>

<p>Reed can be a fantastic school if it’s the right match but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.</p>

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<p>Midd will superscore your act. At the info session, they said they they only consider the highest subsection scores.</p>

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<p>Yeah, Bates, Bowdoin, and Middlebury all seem really similar, but I think Middlebury seems the most idyllic. And since I probably won’t end up at any of these three places, it’s not that big of a deal if I don’t get in or pick the wrong one.</p>

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<p>If you’re getting Reed financial aid, it’s a four-year college; you won’t choose an option that takes more time. It is indeed fairly common (says my Reed alum D) to take a semester or year off, in addition to its being a stressful place not for everyone. Some take an internship, some work, some decompress. Reed has worked in recent years to reduce the “it’s not what I expected” factor; Humanities 110 is mentioned 19 times in the (current?) view book.</p>

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<p>If you like mountains and scenery, CC’s bound to be a good place.</p>

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<p>That’s what I’m hoping, but their aid was just decent, not good enough for me to readily say that my family can afford it.</p>

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<p>You can generally appeal an FA offer. However, don’t expect a big jump. For example, I saw someone get a $1700 increase at Penn on ED. BTW, the Noodle Education site posted above on Midd and Reed shows average loan amounts in the FA section. Midd runs pretty high in terms of loan amount ($7245 per year), but you can compare colleges’ averages on that site.</p>

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<p>middlebury caps the loan portion of the aid package at $3000 per year.</p>

<p>[Financial</a> Aid | Middlebury](<a href=“Affordability | Middlebury College”>Affordability | Middlebury College)</p>

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<p>I’ve never heard of this Noodle site. It doesn’t seem to have the most up-to-date (or even correct) information.</p>

71

<p>Would anyone mind taking a look at my Pomona supplement essay?</p>

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<p>Forget noodle. Use the Common Data Sets Section H2 lines l & m instead.</p>

<p>Bowdoin: <a href=“http://www.bowdoin.edu/ir/images/cds2010-11.pdf[/url]”>http://www.bowdoin.edu/ir/images/cds2010-11.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Midd: <a href=“http://www.middlebury.edu/media/view/292348/original/middlebury_cds_2011-2012.pdf[/url]”>http://www.middlebury.edu/media/view/292348/original/middlebury_cds_2011-2012.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Bates: <a href=“http://www.bates.edu/research/files/2010/03/cds.1213.bates_.pdf[/url]”>http://www.bates.edu/research/files/2010/03/cds.1213.bates_.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Bowdoin is the best pick for FA. It doesn’t use loans (H2m) at all and requires less self help (H2l) than either of the other two. Middlebury is a bit ahead of Bates.</p>

<p>Reed requires more self-help (i.e. work study) than the others but is about like Bates in loan amounts. Reed has a higher percentage of students on FA than the others.</p>

<p>Reed: <a href=“http://www.reed.edu/ir/cds/cds1213/cdssech201213.pdf[/url]”>http://www.reed.edu/ir/cds/cds1213/cdssech201213.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Maybe just post Pomona essay?</p>

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<p>Reed’s latest 4-year graduation rate is 70%, just saying. It’s been rising every year.</p>

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<p>That’s not great, but it’s not horrible either. I’m sure if I really wanted to graduate on time, I could do it. I don’t have the means to stay a fifth year, LOL.</p>

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<p>Bowdoin is lovely, it’s definitely a reach. but why not? You only apply to college once haha. I hope you get into either Vassar or Wesleyan (which I think you have a good chance), I love those schools! If I had your stats I’d be banking on those two.</p>

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<p>At small schools where there’s no problem getting classes, it’s students’ own decisions that prevent four-calendar-year graduations. If doing it in four years is important to you, you do it.</p>

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<p>Thanks sdoor13, I like those both more than Bowdoin for sure. My Vassar supplement was pretty mediocre, but they only give you 500 characters so whatever.</p>

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<p>Okay so here’s a question…</p>

<p>Pomona requires you to send all your SAT and ACT scores. I took the SAT when I was a junior (and I come from Illinois, where very few people focus on the SAT), and I got a 2080, which is basically like a 31 on the ACT I’m told. Obviously, this is quite low for Pomona. I didn’t self-report this score, but I foolishly did self-report my mediocre SAT Subject tests, so if I was to send those, I have to send the SAT as well. Will Pomona understand that the ACT is much more popular in the Midwest, or will my SAT kill my chances? Alternatively, I can use my revised Common App w/o the SAT Subject tests, but I feel like this is a bit dishonest. What should I do?</p>

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<p>Don’t worry!
You will get into many of the colleges on your list.</p>

<p>To be honest, you should have applied to Swat and Midd.
(They are reach schools but … who knows?)</p>

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<p>The Pomona website is not as clear as it could be. According to an email from Admissions, you must report all SAT scores, even if you don’t want to report any of them. The fact that you took any SAT tests obligates you to report all of them.</p>