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Reed College, Portland, Oregon, USA

Does anyone have any idea how it's like at Reed?
Heard that USNews doesn't really like it, hence given it a low ranking but what do people actually think of reed?

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Reply 1

Earlham

I've heard that it's quite hippy and quite strong at academics.

I continue to maintain that rankings are crap and would send you to look at Loren Pope's books Colleges that Change Lives or Looking Beyond the Ivy League. I know Reed's in the first one, I wouldn't be surprised if it were also in the second one.

There's a bit more here: http://www.ctcl.com/reed_college.html.

I know the titles are cheesy, but I had a wonderful experience at one of Pope's other favorite schools and think he's done a great service encouraging people to look at the US' wonderful liberal arts colleges. I went to Earlham College and would suggest that you look there, too. We've got an amazing biology program (noticing your UCAS form preferences) and loooove giving money to international students. Best of luck and let me know if there's anything that I can help with!

Reply 2

soonalvin

Alright! Thanks ay. These LACs don't really have great international recognition compared to let's say the Ivies or Stanford, Caltech, MIT etc. But I think the education you can get at LACs is something that cannot be emulated at the larger research universities.

Reed seems to have a rather robust program (Hum 110) and having a TRIGA reactor all to themselves. Not to mention you can get a Columbia SEAS Degree with them too. I wonder how I am going to afford all these fees.

cambridge is possibly cheaper than these private US unis.

Reply 3

soonalvin

warblersrule

Reed used to be in the top 10 LACs, but they stopped sending info to US News. US News got ticked, and Reed drastically dropped in the rankings. The publicity has made Reed very popular, though.

Reed has a reputation for academic quirkiness that's often found at places like U Chicago, Swarthmore, etc. The student body is fairly liberal, but Reed has UNBELIEVABLE graduate school placement rates, and in most fields it has the highest % of students earning PhDs among all colleges (LACs and universities), which is very impressive. Its biology grad school placement rate is beaten only by Caltech.

Oooh. That's good to know. Thanks.

Reply 4

SlyPie

I heard that Reed is (or was now) one of the top liberal arts colleges in America. It is very, very small though. It is also very liberal.

It was one of the 2 liberal arts colleges that I had heard of prior to applying for uni. (The other was Swarthmore.)

Reply 5

soonalvin

So is very very small good or bad?
I suppose you'll get more attention from the teaching staff this way, yes?

Reply 6

Earlham

absolutely.

if you're worried about costs, apply anyway and don't make any decisions until after they send a financial aid package your way...then decide what's going to be affordable/cheaper.

Reply 7

ebonyphoenix

Hey! I'm a US high school student, and I'm just here to verify what others have said. Reed is a top notch school and very highly respected! Getting a degree from Reed is similiar to getting a degree from Stanford, MIT, or the Ivies. Keep in mind though, everyone who goes to Reed is EXTREMELY intellectual and spends many, many hours doing coursework. These people are hard-core academics. Reed attracts many odd students, and some students who are definately lacking in the social skills area. Personally, I would never want to go to Reed just because I couldn't handle the stress and the liberal student body. I am not some Bush supporting conservative, but the people who go to Reed are WAY too liberal for my taste- they go take liberalism to the extreme. If you want to be among some academically motivated students who are a little more normal, I'd say look into the ivies and swarthmore/williams/stanford/ect, but if you decide to go to Reed, you will get a great education.

I also second reading Colleges that Change Lives! Great, great book! Do not assume that rankings=great education. Be sure to do some more research on the schools provided in this book though, because the book gives glowing reviews of every school without talking about the negative aspects. I'd use this in conjunction with another college guide book like Princeton Review's Best Colleges.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with! I'm going through the US college application process right now.

-Lauren

Reply 8

SlyPie

soonalvin

So is very very small good or bad?
I suppose you'll get more attention from the teaching staff this way, yes?

Well yes, which is something I miss out on in my university, but I couldn't go to a university that was smaller than my high school (2200 or so).

Reply 9

soonalvin

SlyPie

Well yes, which is something I miss out on in my university, but I couldn't go to a university that was smaller than my high school (2200 or so).

why not?

Reply 10

Earlham

I did. 3200 to 1200...it really didn't seem any different. When did you ever see all of your high school in one place, anyway?

Reply 11

fonzievision

Reed is very good.
The reason it's ranked low on the USnews list is because it does not provide them the info for them to compile their rankings, hence they have to go with the information that they can in fact get a hold of (which isn't that much)

I almost applied there. I applied to a few other very good LACs. You might want to check out Amherst, Swarthmore, Williams, Carleton College, Middlebury, Pomona...

Reply 12

soonalvin

I am actually looking at Harvey Mudd, Amherst (cool motto: terras irradient) and Swarthmore. besides Reed.

Any views on Mudd?

Reply 13

SlyPie

Earlham

I did. 3200 to 1200...it really didn't seem any different. When did you ever see all of your high school in one place, anyway?

Well at assemblies for one.

I just like the larger atmosphere despite the fact that students need to be WAY more self-motivated in a university 30,000+ large because nobody else gives a damn about you. That is the downside.

Reply 14

soonalvin

On a side note, what ranges of SAT I/II scores are we looking at?

Reply 15

SlyPie

I'm guessing 1400s/1600 on the old SAT. On the new SAT that's probably 2100 or higher, maybe 2200 or higher, considering writing is usually a LAC applicant's strong point.

Reply 16

soonalvin

should i be applying then? I've got:
SATI: 780M, 730CR, 600W(very low i guess)

SATII:800BioM, 800Chem, 800MathIIC.

Reply 17

SlyPie

soonalvin

should i be applying then? I've got:
SATI: 780M, 730CR, 600W(very low i guess)

SATII:800BioM, 800Chem, 800MathIIC.

Definitely. Wow you got 3 800's on your SAT IIs? Bravo on that. Do your parents beat you to study eh?

If you can, try re-taking only writing, but since you're an international student (I think anyway) they will cut you some slack as well.

But your SAT scores are great and your CR is definitely high enough.

I think you have a pretty good chance of getting in.

Just wow them with your personal statement and some ECs and you should be fine.

If you are applying to Pomona, I think it's a shoe-in for you. (In other words, I think you will definitely get into Pomona.)

Reply 18

soonalvin

Nah. My parent's did beat me to study. Heh. Studying for the A levels is enough practice for SAT II i think.

I might be retaking my SAT I since the writing score is a lil low.

Reply 19

SlyPie

soonalvin

Nah. My parent's did beat me to study. Heh. Studying for the A levels is enough practice for SAT II i think.

I might be retaking my SAT I since the writing score is a lil low.

Crap! When I took the SAT writing was still part of the SAT II so I thought that you could take it separately. I forgot...

Anyway, your scores are very good...