How Weird is Reed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Sorry to get off topic, but how are other LACs viewed in humanities academia? My DC wants to go to grad school in the humanities and is considering many LACs. Reed, Smith, Bates, Swarthmore, Haverford, and Kenyon are her highest interests.

[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.

It's actually not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

It's actually not.

You have no idea what you’re talking about. Looking like a j crew ad is a thing of the past.

[Anonymous]

Has it always been so small? The common data set for 23-24 lists undergrad enrollment as:

Men 466
Women 628
Another Gender 310

Total enrollment 1,407

The freshman class in 23-24 was around 350 students.

I would also worry about grade deflation if your kid wants to go to grad school. From Reed:

ACADEMIC RIGOR
The average GPA for all undergraduate students in 2022–23 was 3.27 on a 4.00 scale. This figure has increased by just over a quarter of a grade point in the past 40 years. During that period, only 13 students have graduated from Reed with perfect 4.00 grade averages.

The average GPA for all undergraduate students in 2023–24 was 3.30 on a 4.00 scale.

2022–23 GRADUATING CLASS
10% graduated with a GPA of 3.84 or higher
25% graduated with a GPA of 3.68 or higher
Average GPA: 3.36

2023-24 GRADUATING CLASS
10% graduated with a GPA of 3.86 or higher
25% graduated with a GPA of 3.69 or higher
Average GPA: 3.36

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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"?

DP. My guess is that PP is picking that up from Harrison Ford in Shrinking

[Anonymous]

So she's quirky because of her piercings and clothing choices?
Sure, she sounds very quirky.

[Anonymous]

Graduate programs in humanities are not concerned about GPA in the same way as graduate professional schools. Reed's lack of grade inflation will not present a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Sorry to get off topic, but how are other LACs viewed in humanities academia? My DC wants to go to grad school in the humanities and is considering many LACs. Reed, Smith, Bates, Swarthmore, Haverford, and Kenyon are her highest interests.

I am the academic above, and I think all of those schools would be well-regarded among my colleagues and in my field generally, with Swarthmore undoubtedly the standout among them. But of course we have strong applicants from state schools as well, and the application entails lots of important inputs beyond undergrad institution (including writing samples, letters of rec, personal statement, and so on).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Sorry to get off topic, but how are other LACs viewed in humanities academia? My DC wants to go to grad school in the humanities and is considering many LACs. Reed, Smith, Bates, Swarthmore, Haverford, and Kenyon are her highest interests.

I am the academic above, and I think all of those schools would be well-regarded among my colleagues and in my field generally, with Swarthmore undoubtedly the standout among them.

However, with, for example, just 10 graduating "first majors" in English in a recent year and 5 in history, Swarthmore's humanities departments appear to attract markedly few students in relation to those of other potential college choices.

https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Swarthmore&s=all&id=216287#programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Sorry to get off topic, but how are other LACs viewed in humanities academia? My DC wants to go to grad school in the humanities and is considering many LACs. Reed, Smith, Bates, Swarthmore, Haverford, and Kenyon are her highest interests.

A student who might specifically be seeking a humanities intensive experience could benefit from considering colleges with open curricula. At such schools a student could choose virtually all of her courses in humanities fields such as classics, philosophy, history and literature. Smith, from the list above, represents a college of this type. Other examples include Amherst, Hamilton and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Grinnell.

[Anonymous]

General Feedback: Went to an admissions event, other schools present, they made a point in saying they were the only school of the group who do not give meet aid so Reed off the list. Liked what they had to say but so expensive.

OP: visit

[Anonymous]

Meet=merit

[Anonymous]

With respect to Reed's notable upside, it perennially has placed highly in Princeton Review's "Best Classroom Experience" survey-based ranking:

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/?rankings=best-classroom-experience