How Weird is Reed?

[Anonymous]

She needs to visit before accepting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a Reedie, as is my spouse. Granted, we graduated long enough ago that we now have two kids in college ourselves, so we don’t really know what students there are like these days. But in our time at Reed, although there were plenty of “quirky” or unusual students, we had lots of peers who were just regular young adults. Progressive and pretty crunchy (it’s the PNW, after all) but not “weird”. We and our respective friend groups were pretty normal— though very hard workers in and out of the classroom— and those we’ve kept in touch with have gone on to have interesting and fulfilling careers. I wish my kids would have considered it, but it wouldn’t have been the right fit for either of them.

Really too bad you can’t visit.

Another Reedie and agree with all of this. It is very intellectual and an excellent school if your dc plans to get a PHD. I’d say it’s probably not the right place if your dc is looking to go into business post grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How weird is Reed?  Is this a: "If you're asking, it's too expensive" situation?

High stat DD (1570, 3.95UW) seeking the most intellectual, seminar style, humanities leaning, LAC experience possible.

Quirky, but relatively mainstream (capped at three piercings per ear, natural hair color and no tattoos (yet), Survivor tv fan, and attire consisting of Adidas, cargo pants, and name brand hoodie).  PNW native, but grew up NE private.

Accepted at Reed, but visiting is probably not going to work out.  Visited, but didn't love Oberlin and Oxy, and opted not to apply.

Is Reed just too much?  Too over the top?  Of her Accepted options, it seems like it potentially has the highest ceiling, but also maybe the lowest floor and biggest bust potential.  

Is there room for normal at Reed?

She's coming from NE private? Yes will be weird. But if more of the PNW type, may not be so weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How weird is Reed?  Is this a: "If you're asking, it's too expensive" situation?

High stat DD (1570, 3.95UW) seeking the most intellectual, seminar style, humanities leaning, LAC experience possible.

Quirky, but relatively mainstream (capped at three piercings per ear, natural hair color and no tattoos (yet), Survivor tv fan, and attire consisting of Adidas, cargo pants, and name brand hoodie).  PNW native, but grew up NE private.

Accepted at Reed, but visiting is probably not going to work out.  Visited, but didn't love Oberlin and Oxy, and opted not to apply.

Is Reed just too much?  Too over the top?  Of her Accepted options, it seems like it potentially has the highest ceiling, but also maybe the lowest floor and biggest bust potential.  

Is there room for normal at Reed?

She's coming from NE private? Yes will be weird. But if more of the PNW type, may not be so weird.

If SHE is more of the PNW type...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reed was the first school I heard of to start announcing pronouns, I think. Like, Hi, I'm Jennifer and my pronouns are she/her.

They're very outdoorsy and indulging in their quirkiness. Like, go camping, but bring homemade kombucha and sit around reading obscure poetry by the fire.

. lol so true

[Anonymous]

Less weird than, say, Hampshire. Weirder than Swarthmore. What are her other options?

[Anonymous]

I think you're weird, detailing her piercings and stuff.

I would do everything to visit, honestly. My son ruled out his first choice based on his subsequent visit.

[Anonymous]

Woof, people here are old. Having piercings, tattoos, and the “indie” look is mainstream right now. This generation is much more accepting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Less weird than, say, Hampshire. Weirder than Swarthmore. What are her other options?

I currently live in Seattle but grew up back east and appreciate the accuracy of this spectrum of weirdness.

I wish a visit were possible for you, OP. It’s such a specific place, and your DD sounds like she’s from an intense school setting and has high stats, so I think the vibe of fellow students could be hit or miss depending on her personality.

[Anonymous]

The stakes are high. Make a visit happen.

[Anonymous]

Seems very weird not to visit a $90,000/year school before attending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woof, people here are old. Having piercings, tattoos, and the “indie” look is mainstream right now. This generation is much more accepting.

+1 What is going on here? I'm no longer in DC but are the high schools there really so conservative that people think piercings, tattoos and purple hair are so off the mark?

I attended a Southern university ages ago, with predominately in-state students, and we had our share of goth kids from the Northeast who stood out with their white makeup, black clothes, dyed hair. black tights, boots, etc. No shade here, but I personally found them far more interesting than the kids I went to high school with because they weren't like me or everyone else I had known.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woof, people here are old. Having piercings, tattoos, and the “indie” look is mainstream right now. This generation is much more accepting.

"Woof"?

[Anonymous]

I'm an academic in the humanities and my perception of Reed rhymes with many others ear: it's a place that prides itself on being intellectual and serious, and the kids that go there are often not interested in going into banking or sororities. Quite a few I've met were very left political, but not in a DEI way -- which is just liberal managerialism -- but interested-in-Marx and the critique of capitalism kind of way. I am told they have very strong hard sciences, but can't say. I have a high opinion of the school but it seems the word "fit" actually means something here.

[Anonymous]

What didn’t she like about Oberlin and Oxy?