<p>Re: post #18, “qualitative” and “quantitative” were probably not very good words to express what I meant. If it wasn’t clear, I was trying to say that any meaningful differences between Reed and Vassar are differences in character, curriculum, and other non-quantifiable aspects – not subject to measurement or comparison.<br>
Reading the article @CrewDad posted shows Reed’s integrity so clearly in the willingness to sacrifice a higher number to avoid “the distortions and deceptions that the ranking process engenders” and remain committed to “the philosophy that higher education should produce intrinsic rewards”. </p>
<p>Man…so many of you are defensive about Reed. I already said it was a fine college; I’m not saying it’s horrible, but if you are pitting one college against the other, in this case Reed vs. Vassar, it is clear to me that if both offer the academic program you want, that Vassar is the better choice. Reed would have to have a very specific thing that you want that Vassar does not have for it to be chosen over Vassar. If rankings don’t do it for you (pretty much any ranking anywhere including the ‘smartest students list’ where Vassar wins by a little bit there), and acceptance rates don’t do it for you, then maybe 25-75 SAT scores will? Reed=1918-2190; Vassar=2010-2300. Also, I was trying to steer the OP in the correct direction. My advice for Vassar for him wasn’t based solely on rankings (as I’ve already said). He said it seemed to fit him better and that financially it would be better. Clear winner is Vassar for this guy.</p>
<p>And…by the way, a couple of you insinuated that I referred to an admission rate as the reason Vassar is a better school. That’s not what I said. I said it was “harder to get into” than Reed. There are many ways to determine that, and other than admission rate, looking at average SAT scores and GPA is another, and Vassar has a higher 25-75 range for SAT scores and higher average GPA. Anyway, Reed is a very good school…just not the better option for the OP. I think I’ve said enough to help him, and I have no need to argue this point with any of you. He can see that some of you think Reed is as good or better. I say otherwise. He can now make his pick.</p>
<p>Okay, please do not make up statistics. For the class of 2018:</p>
<p>Vassar: 2020-2200; 3.7 GPA average (<a href=“http://admissions.vassar.edu/about/statistics/”>http://admissions.vassar.edu/about/statistics/</a>)
Reed: 1940-2200; 3.9 GPA average (<a href=“Admission Statistics - Institutional Research - Reed College”>http://www.reed.edu/ir/admission.html</a>)</p>
<p>Reed has a wider range, yes, but the difference is not enough to conclude that “Vassar >>>>>>>>>> Reed”. </p>
<p>At this point you are nitpicking details, and have a qualification (a ‘but’) for everything that says that Reed might not be as good. I got the SAT scores from another source, and I will agree that the scores you provided are from a more up-to-date source. The 3.7 GPA you mention for Vassar though isn’t on that link you provided, and I think you are assuming their “unweighted” GPA of A- equates to a 3.7 which is not an assumption I would make. Also, for Reed, it isn’t clear if that is weighted or unweighted, so I don’t see apples to apples here. In any event and in just about every measure there is, it still appears to me that Vassar is a step above Reed. You clearly are either a student at Reed or a graduate and have some hard feelings about it. I did not go to Vassar or Reed.</p>
<p>Vassar still remains the best choice for the OP.</p>
<p>‘in just about every measure there is, it still appears to me that Vassar is a step above Reed’</p>
<p><a href=“Doctorates Awarded :: Institutional Effectiveness, Research & Assessment :: Swarthmore College”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/institutional-research/doctorates-awarded</a></p>
<p>What other measures were you talking about?</p>
<p>(Just so you know, I have visited Vassar and absolutely loved it, but I understood early on that there were differences between these schools in terms of what the student body wanted to do after graduating, which is part of the fit equation)</p>
<p>[sigh] - dude, you’ve outlasted me. Reed College is the best college on the face of the EARTH! It’s probably even better than any college anywhere…even on other planets!</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>Do you have to apply as an international to colleges on other planets? ;)</p>
<p>
I’m very familiar with the average GPA of those admitted to Vassar. The 3.7 is correct.</p>
<p>
Unweighted. The Common Data Set org requires that GPAs are reported using the 4.0 scale. I can assure you that Reed is above being deceitful in their reporting. Reed, as with all top colleges, converts reported high school GPAs to the 4.0 scale.
I suppose an argument could be made that Vassar has a higher percentage of students from NE elite prep schools, which are notorious for grade deflation. Hence, prep school admits affect the mean GPA</p>
<p>I hate to jump into such a heated discussion, but regarding Reed not being Need-Blind, I recently read how they apply this and I found it to be pretty reasonable given a limited supply of financial aid. They slot all applicants into one of 5 buckets, with let’s say 5 as the most competitive. They only consider the bottom bucket (or maybe two buckets I can’t remember) with the need-aware lens. So if you are in one of the top three (or four) buckets, they are need-blind and meet full need. If your are in the bottom, 20% of the pool (or maybe bottom 40%), then you may not get accepted if you need loads of aid. But if accepted, they meet full need.</p>
<p>^^^
Good point. Smith, Mount Holyoke et al. are similar, and Vassar was until 7 years ago. Prospective students’ financial situations only become and issue for the last ~5-10% (marginal admits) of the applications. </p>
<p>
<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/articles/2010/03/23/colleges-where-need-for-aid-can-hurt-admission-odds”>http://www.usnews.com/education/articles/2010/03/23/colleges-where-need-for-aid-can-hurt-admission-odds</a></p>