Tell me everything you know about Reed College.

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've heard mixed things about Reed College.
I'd love to attend any college with a superb and passionate faculty at the undergraduate level. Small liberal arts schools sound good. A core curriculum is appealing. I'd like to spend four years of my life with an intellectually curious, academically driven bunch of individuals.
So I'm thinking that Reed College, Swarthmore, and Pomona generally fit this profile (they're on my list of colleges). I've heard many good things about both Swarthmore and Pomona, but am unsure about Reed. One girl in particular from my area came back from Reed and said she absolutely hated it there. She transferred.</p>

<p>Help me decide about Reed. I will also interview with them to try to get an idea of what it's like there. Can any of you think of possible reasons why someone would be so unhappy there?</p>

<p>P.S. If it helps to suggest other colleges for me other than/in addition to Reed, here are some abbreviated general stats for you:
SAT I - M 780, W 800, CR 800
SAT II - USHist 750, have yet to take Lit & MathIIC
GPA - 4.29 overall, 4.0 unweighted
AP classes: European history, Language & Composition, U.S. history, English literature, biology, Calculus BC, Government
Associate editor of school newspaper, president of Math Club</p>

2

<p>My S was accepted at Reed and almost chose it, but ultimately chose another school. One must love academics to be happy at Reed, it is indeed intense. They emphasize a discussion model of teaching and all seniors must write a thesis, which is placed in the library. The campus is inviting and students form close working relationships with the faculty. The social life is good and the city or Portland is large enough to offer most anything one is seeking. Grades are given but deemphasized. Students are not told their grades unless they ask. If one's grades fall below a C average, one is contacted. The average GPA of Reed graduates is about 2.9, yet Reed ranks among the top in the nation in placing people in Ph.D. programs. While on a visit there we called another college in the area to ask directions from Reed. The person at the other college gave us directions and then said, "but you know, Reed is a much better school."</p>

3

<p>If the idea of the core, "superb and passionate faculty at the undergraduate level , intellectually curious academically driven bunch of individuals "appeals to you, then you should also look at University of Chicago, where idad's son did decide to go, and where my son was accepted and may transfer to from his current college. Reed is also great, but not quite as highly though of by many in the academic world.</p>

4

<p>I'll preface this by saying I've never visited Reed, so this is second hand impressions and some statistical data. I'll try to focus on the comparisons to the two other schools you mentioned.</p>

<p>Academics: Reed and Swarthmore are consistently among the top 5 per capita producers of PhDs in the country. So, both have an extremely academic focus with an unusual degree of faculty/student interaction and overall engagement. Reed's PhDs seem to tilt slightly towards the sciences. Swarthmore's perhaps a bit more evenly across all departments with notable strength in the social sciences. Pomona is no slouch academically at all, but perhaps just a tick more pre-professional compared to Swat and Reed which, along with three tech schools (CalTech, Harvey Mudd, and MIT) are PhD producers extraordinaire.</p>

<p>Admissions: Reed is obviously easier to get into than Swarthmore/Pomona. Based on the limited stats you provide, you are certainly a credible applicant for any of the three; probably a sure-bet at Reed assuming that you are a good fit for the school.</p>

<p>Resources: Pomona and Swarthmore are #2 and #3 among liberal arts colleges in per student endowment. Swarthmore spends $29,000 per year per student in endowment returns on top of tuition revenues. Total spending of $69,000 per student per year, not including financial aid. I haven't looked at a Pomona financial report, but I'm sure it's similar. Reed is not in the same ballpark. Its endowment is about a fourth of Swarthmore's or Pomona's. All things being equal, these large endowments translate into every aspect of undergraduate life: from faculty/student ratios, libraries, money for summer thesis study abroad, free computer printing, big screen TVs in the dorms, ad infinitum. My guess is that you could easily see the impact of the financial resources just walking around campus at each of the three schools.</p>

<p>Campus Culture: All three are schools have pretty mininimal frat boy/animal house party scenes and, relatively speaking, lower binge drinking rates than the national averages. Pomona is probably the most preppy, but by no means a "prep" school. Reed is probaby the most "hipster intellectual". It has the reputation of being a little "out there", but I don't know how valid that is. Swarthmore's somewhere in the middle. Swarthmore has the most ethnic diversity. All three should be above average things like acceptance of gays, minorities, etc. None of the three are notably big sports schools.</p>

<p>Based on my admittedly limited knowlege, I would attend Swarthmore or Pomona over Reed if I could get in. However, I am very impressed with Reed's academic focus and think it would be a solid match school on a list with a Pomona or a Swarthmore as a "reach". Pomona versus Swarthmore is totally intertwined with a preference for East Coast versus SoCal.</p>

5

<p>Your numbers are fine for Reed. You should spend the night and attend some classes, talking to as many students as possible. Your essays would weigh heavily. Reed is different; it's about fit.</p>

6

<p>intense
my d graduated from Reed in May
visit-
you will love it or not</p>

<p><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/reedlj/758430.html#cutid1%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://community.livejournal.com/reedlj/758430.html#cutid1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
[quote]
Laurel a recent Reed grad- has posted some prototypical questions about Reed on LJ
Q: What is the Classics/biology/linquistics/English department like?
A: This is a totally legitimate ReedLJ prospie question, and one that I bet you even get good answers to. However, bear in mind that just because someone likes or dislikes their department, that doesn't mean it will necessarily be what you're looking for, so remember to get opinions from as many students as possible, come visit, meet with professors, etc.</p>

<p>Q: Do I really have to take Hum 110?
A: Yes.</p>

<p>Q: Should I apply early decision?
A: I don't know, should you? This is an extremely personal decision that you have to make for yourself. Even if we offer you advice, you still have to make up your mind.</p>

<p>Q: Should I make a video / mail a shoe / do anything else gimmicky in my application? Won't that totally make me stand out?
A: No. Imagine your fiendishly clever plan... and now imagine that you work for the admissions office and you genuinely want to make sure that people get into Reed who will work well here and some idiot mails you another goddamn link to their version of the Reed webpage with their picture photoshopped into every single image. Is it really that clever? Is it clever if 400 people have done it before you?</p>

<p>Q: I love Reed so much and OMG I want to be there like right now!!!!!!!
A: Sounds like a great title for your Why Reed essay, champ.</p>

<p>Q: I'm scared of science/math/classics/some other requirement.
A: Then you will get to have the special joy of doing something hard and feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. </p>

<p>Q: I'm sporty.
A: There are lots of PE classes, plus rugby, ultimate, etc. Be prepared to endure a lot of jokes, though, about how "all Reedies are athletically challenged" and to face this with grace rather than yelling about how you are being unfairly stereotyped....

[/quote]
</p>

7

<p>My D went to visit, stayed in the dorms and went to class for 1/2 day. When I picked her up at lunch time she said "I'm going to Reed". Since that time Macalester has replaced Reed at the #1 spot. Some things I remember from the visit - very "crunchy" students (very hippy types), very smart and intense in their studies. Some go there specifically because there are few sports. An article in the student paper was about the soccer team's trip to Stanford. It stated the players were in the stands during halftime reading their nuclear engineering work while smoking their bongs - making fun of the perception others have about the drug use at the school (there does seem to be some truth to that).</p>

8

<p>Reed has a compact but colligiate campus, and is in Portland (city center is a mile away). Its students tend towards being quirky--think Carleton and Grinnell more than Macalester. Like others have pointed out, the academics can be intense, but no more so than the better liberal arts colleges, although Reed is very traditional with its core. Students are more cooperative than competitive, and the social scene is very laidback.</p>

<p>Personally, I liked Reed more than Macalester--the latter seemed more middle of the road with respect to politics and preppiness. </p>

<p>Just an opinion.
:)</p>

9

<p>If you like the core curriculum you might look at St. John's College (all core). Like Reed (and probably swarthmore and pomona), it has a highly intellectual student body.</p>

10

<p>The only thing I know about Reed is that Steve Jobs briefly attended Reed and left to found Apple Computers.</p>

11

<p>Check theu website.....</p>

12

<p>Thanks all.</p>

<p>I've checked the website and I have heard that they are rather quirky at Reed. It's one of the reasons I'm a little unsure--just how quirky? I'm not sure I could spend 4 years with bizarre people I can't connect to very well.
I will look into U of Chicago, though I've heard it's more science-based than anything (true/untrue?).</p>

<p>If anyone else happens upon this thread--are there any other colleges I should consider?</p>

13

<p>vyvo, just wondering, have you heard from Reed students that they are bizarre? Our sophomore daughter there reports that students seem normal to her, and she seems normal to us! Anyone interested should visit Reed before deciding. Reed is indeed unique (many schools are!); you'll know if it's for you within a couple of hours.</p>

14

<p>vossron: I would love to visit Reed, actually, if my parents would only let me (not too supportive about the whole college thing). I've applied to try to get a paid-expenses trip there; they might let me go to Oregon then.</p>

<p>It's difficult to try to discern what a school is like without being able to visit it. After all, opinions vary widely across the board.
Sometimes I think I'd like the students at Reed. Sometimes I'm not sure. Above all, I know they're all individual people--therefore, it's difficult to characterize the whole student body.</p>

15

<p>vyvo,
UChicago prides itself in being very, very strong in all areas. Granted, their science programs are excellent, but no more so than the humanities and social sciences.</p>

16

<p>My Son spent a day at Reed and then took it off his list - he is not afraid of challenging academic environments, but he found everyone to be too intense and tense. He found sophomores stressed out about their senior thesis. It seems that Reed is a very polarizing college - you either love it or hate it.</p>

17

<p>Just a question ALF--what schools did your son end up liking?</p>

18

<p>My son, too, did not like Reed and ended up at Lewis and Clark. However, my nephew is a senior at Reed and loves it. I have visited many schools with my 3 kids. Reed is the only one I would say is pretty much a "must visit" for anyone thinking about attending. It is just a different kind of place and as many have said on this thread - either you love it or you hate it and it is hard to define that for yourself without a visit.</p>

19

<p>I am IN LOVE with Reed... im visiting next month, and assuming nothing changes (which it could, im not ruling that out) im applying ED... ive wanted to go there since i heard about it in like 6th grade
sorry that was the most not useful thing on the face of the planet, just wanted to share my REED LOVE</p>