What do you think about Reed College?
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Anonymous
| Friend's daughter with terrific academic credentials chose Reed over better schools because of it's uber progressive reputation. She was very disenchanted and didn't even finish the first year. Drugs were out of control. |
Anonymous
See, everyone's experience is different, but my experience was that drugs were around for those who were curious, but no one was pressuring you to do them. I had plenty of friends who chose to live in the sub-free dorm and they didn't have any issues socially. If you are the kind of person who is freaked out by other people experimenting with tripping acid and having a weird trip and you don't want to be around it at all ever, then ok. But it's kind of a live and let live culture as far as drugs and alcohol go at Reed, and if it's not your thing, it's not like you won't be able to find people you relate to. Freshman year was very different from the rest of the years because the sensational stories about how there is such a HUGE drug culture tends to draw a small number of people who are not serious about school and think that college is a place to party it up and decide to be really visible on campus. Those people flunk out by the end of freshman year. |
Anonymous
| Didn't Steve Jobs go there? |
Anonymous
|
Not defending Reed because I wasn't there, but freshman year is where drug and alcohol abuse spikes everywhere. Alcohol poisoning, for example, is higher for freshman.
Reed has a relatively high acceptance rate and relatively low graduation rate and i think the two are related. They take more students than can hack their academics and those students leave. And I suspect 21:23 is on to something about how the drug rep becomes self-fulfilling. but you aren't going to get through four years of Reed if you are a druggie. |
Anonymous
| I know five people who went to Reed. Four have PhD's and one is a farmer. Of the five, two or maybe three could have held their own at a top Ivy League school. The other two would have crashed and burned at an Ivy, but they don't know that; i.e., they are pretty sure they are geniuses . |
Anonymous
| The most famous person to have attended Reed was Steve Jobs who dropped out after a few weeks and then spent the next 18 months hanging around campus, doing drugs and dropping in on classes. That's Reed in a nutshell. |
Anonymous
|
Hi, I am a prospie transfer, and have loved everything I have heard/read about Reed... Yes it will be a rigorous environment, but enjoy small classes, writing essays, and the de-ephasis on grades... I hate them! I truly care about learning... not getting the grade...
for alum/current Reedies, what was/is your favorite and least favorite thing about the school? |
Anonymous
| What an interesting school. We will be on the west coast this summer and will do a walk-by for the brick and mortar feel. |
Anonymous
| Steve Jobs is an alum |
Anonymous
| My cousin went there in the early 2000s. She's not an intellectual by any stretch of the imagination - average grades - but "quirky" fits her to a T. Shes really interested in directing experimental theater, for example. She absolutely loved it there. |
Anonymous
I never understood why people in this forum have such a difficult time understanding that it's about FIT? My very smart nephew received a positive letter/email (can't remember which) from U Penn but will opt for another college because it overall will work BEST for his needs. Good your cousin had a good experience that will stay with her. |
Anonymous
| Beautiful school in a nice area. No inter-college sports. Rigorous academics. Very liberal. Produces a lot of Ph.D.s. |
Anonymous
| So liberal and kooky now that it’s become a bit of a joke. |
Anonymous
| It was my DS's first choice until the reality of the price tag sunk in. $80K a year is a lot. |
Anonymous
| I know a kid who recently graduated. She had Asperger’s but loved it there. |