Reed is tough. The students are intelligent, intellectual, wild, liberal, and independent. The work is highly demanding, but very rewarding.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Students who come to Reed work hard, but love it. They love learning for the sake of learning. Reed is wild and quirky at times, but in the middle of a semester, everyone is working, even on the weekends. We do it by choice, because we love it. Don't come to Reed if you're a grade chaser; come to Reed if you love to learn.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
When they tell you Reed is hard, they mean it.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Dorm life is great. I loved living in the dorms, and many people live on campus all four years. The community is wonderful and a lot of fun-- which can be distracting from work, so you have to be careful at times.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
The on-campus food is pretty good, but not 5-star.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Learning is fun! There will be weeks when that's all you'll do. Ok, but aside from that: going into Portland is awesome, it's a really cool city. The coast is about a 2-hr drive away. For fun I usually just hang out with friends; frequently there will be dances in the Student Union on Fridays or Saturdays. Reed isn't known to be a party school, but you can find them if you look for them. A form of partner dance called Blues Dancing is popular at Reed, and in the general Portland area, and many people do that once or twice a week. As in any college, if you're looking for something specific, you'll probably be able to find it.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
The education is great; you'll learn a lot, the classes are small, and the teachers are dedicated.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
At the end of the year, the students celebrate with a tradition known as Renn Fayre which is difficult if not impossible to explain. It's quirky, wild, and unique to Reed. The Canyon (the lake and river in the middle of campus) is beautiful all year round, though it can get muddy in the winter. The trees all over campus are beautiful, and in the spring, the cherry blossoms in Eliot Circle are wonderful.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Student who love learning and are willing to work hard for little external reward. The reward of doing well in a class at Reed comes from knowing you did well and learned a lot, because unless you ask, you won't know your grade.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There's lots to get involved with; Reedies tend to be well-rounded, and you can find everything from Bridge Club to Ultimate Frisbee. My favorite is ARG: the Association of Reed Gamers. They have all imaginable board games, and get together to play them every other Friday or so. There's also a club that bought an Aerial Rig and sets it up twice a week for Reedies to practice climbing the silk; it's difficult and a lot of fun.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
That doesn't exist at Reed.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
The CSOs (Community Safety Officers) are comforting but never repressive. They're easily approachable and always friendly. I have always felt safe at Reed.
Reed is tough. The students are intelligent, intellectual, wild, liberal, and independent. The work is highly demanding, but very rewarding.
Students who come to Reed work hard, but love it. They love learning for the sake of learning. Reed is wild and quirky at times, but in the middle of a semester, everyone is working, even on the weekends. We do it by choice, because we love it. Don't come to Reed if you're a grade chaser; come to Reed if you love to learn.
When they tell you Reed is hard, they mean it.
Dorm life is great. I loved living in the dorms, and many people live on campus all four years. The community is wonderful and a lot of fun-- which can be distracting from work, so you have to be careful at times.
The on-campus food is pretty good, but not 5-star.
Learning is fun! There will be weeks when that's all you'll do. Ok, but aside from that: going into Portland is awesome, it's a really cool city. The coast is about a 2-hr drive away. For fun I usually just hang out with friends; frequently there will be dances in the Student Union on Fridays or Saturdays. Reed isn't known to be a party school, but you can find them if you look for them. A form of partner dance called Blues Dancing is popular at Reed, and in the general Portland area, and many people do that once or twice a week. As in any college, if you're looking for something specific, you'll probably be able to find it.
The education is great; you'll learn a lot, the classes are small, and the teachers are dedicated.
At the end of the year, the students celebrate with a tradition known as Renn Fayre which is difficult if not impossible to explain. It's quirky, wild, and unique to Reed. The Canyon (the lake and river in the middle of campus) is beautiful all year round, though it can get muddy in the winter. The trees all over campus are beautiful, and in the spring, the cherry blossoms in Eliot Circle are wonderful.
Student who love learning and are willing to work hard for little external reward. The reward of doing well in a class at Reed comes from knowing you did well and learned a lot, because unless you ask, you won't know your grade.
There's lots to get involved with; Reedies tend to be well-rounded, and you can find everything from Bridge Club to Ultimate Frisbee. My favorite is ARG: the Association of Reed Gamers. They have all imaginable board games, and get together to play them every other Friday or so. There's also a club that bought an Aerial Rig and sets it up twice a week for Reedies to practice climbing the silk; it's difficult and a lot of fun.
That doesn't exist at Reed.
The CSOs (Community Safety Officers) are comforting but never repressive. They're easily approachable and always friendly. I have always felt safe at Reed.