College Discussion - View Single Post

carolyn · 05-12-2008, 02:26 PM

The answer to your question depends on how big a risk-taker you are.

You've been to Penn. You know what it looks like, what Philadelphia is like. Penn is a "name brand" Ivy school here in the U.S. so you won't have folks pausing when you tell them where you go to school and saying, "where's that?" There are a larger number of international students at Penn than at Reed, which might be a good thing. You'll have more of the "traditional" college experience people visualize of U.S. schools at Penn -- football games, frats and sororities, etc. You'll be on the east coast and closer to the places many international students picture visiting in the U.S. -- NY, D.C., Boston. Academically, you'll find Penn students just a tad more career focused than Reedies, but you will also find plenty of academic challenge.

Reed is the riskier option. It's not the "traditional U.S. college experience." No football games, no sororities/frats, but lots of intense intellectual conversations. You haven't visited so you're making your choice on pictures and second-hand impressions, but Reed's campus is as beautiful as it looks in the pictures (and by the way, you'll hardly be in the hinterlands of suburbia - lots of shopping, cafes, coffee houses within a short walk of campus). But, if you want to see more of the U.S. on a weekend, you'll be heading to Seattle, San Francisco, or LA, and probably not NY, Boston or Philadelphia which are six hour plane flights away. The west coast has its own sensibility -- more laid back, definitely more ecologically concerned. Portland's very livable, and has lots of charms of its own (including a great art scene, independent music, etc.), but it's not Philadelphia or NY. Finally, while Reed is known by some, drop its name into conversations and you're less likely to find someone has heard of it. You will have an intense intellectual and academic experience at Reed --- for some, it's too much. So, there is some risk there as well if you're not sure you want to work that hard.

So, think about what level of risk feels comfortable, and go with your gut instinct. They are both great schools, but as everyone's said, you'll have very different experiences at them. But, since they are both great, there is no wrong answer here, just different choices. Trust your instinct.

05-12-2008, 02:26 PM	#20
carolyn Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Threads: 168 Posts: 6,677	The answer to your question depends on how big a risk-taker you are. You've been to Penn. You know what it looks like, what Philadelphia is like. Penn is a "name brand" Ivy school here in the U.S. so you won't have folks pausing when you tell them where you go to school and saying, "where's that?" There are a larger number of international students at Penn than at Reed, which might be a good thing. You'll have more of the "traditional" college experience people visualize of U.S. schools at Penn -- football games, frats and sororities, etc. You'll be on the east coast and closer to the places many international students picture visiting in the U.S. -- NY, D.C., Boston. Academically, you'll find Penn students just a tad more career focused than Reedies, but you will also find plenty of academic challenge. Reed is the riskier option. It's not the "traditional U.S. college experience." No football games, no sororities/frats, but lots of intense intellectual conversations. You haven't visited so you're making your choice on pictures and second-hand impressions, but Reed's campus is as beautiful as it looks in the pictures (and by the way, you'll hardly be in the hinterlands of suburbia - lots of shopping, cafes, coffee houses within a short walk of campus). But, if you want to see more of the U.S. on a weekend, you'll be heading to Seattle, San Francisco, or LA, and probably not NY, Boston or Philadelphia which are six hour plane flights away. The west coast has its own sensibility -- more laid back, definitely more ecologically concerned. Portland's very livable, and has lots of charms of its own (including a great art scene, independent music, etc.), but it's not Philadelphia or NY. Finally, while Reed is known by some, drop its name into conversations and you're less likely to find someone has heard of it. You will have an intense intellectual and academic experience at Reed --- for some, it's too much. So, there is some risk there as well if you're not sure you want to work that hard. So, think about what level of risk feels comfortable, and go with your gut instinct. They are both great schools, but as everyone's said, you'll have very different experiences at them. But, since they are both great, there is no wrong answer here, just different choices. Trust your instinct.