Reed of Upenn????

Churyumov · 05-10-2008, 07:05 PM

I'm having real problems deciding whether going to Reed or to Upenn! I will be starting classes this fall and I just got off the waiting list at Upenn yet I am currently enrolled at Reed. Losing the enrollment payment is not a real problem yet I love both colleges and I don't know where I should go. I am going to be a double physics and theology major and I'm an international student from Costa Rica. I love Upenn because its in the east coast and the environment and social life really attracts me not to mention its an ivy league and very good in physics. Yet, Reed is a college which gives undergraduates a special focus, it centers in truth seeking which is very much what I'm looking for and is also excellent in physics, it has a really eco friendly environment and they have told me Portland is beautiful. I'm having real trouble making my decision, any advices?

Bourne · 05-10-2008, 07:12 PM

What's a Reed? Well, I'm kidding and you should probably research the more subjective issues and make a decision based on that?

Btw, I think 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 9999999999999999999999% of the known world would tell you to go to Upenn if there are no financial concerns.

broetchen · 05-10-2008, 07:34 PM

Wow, I can't imagine two schools more different than Reed and Penn.

Weskid · 05-10-2008, 07:36 PM

Wow. These are VERY different schools. Reed is very small, very intellectual (not to say that Penn isn't, but Reed is more intense about it) with a pretty defined hippy/hipster/alternative culture. It's really near Portland, but feel suburban.

UPenn is IN the city. It is a lot bigger, with a lot more variety of people and, overall, a far more sporty/preppy feel (not that it is particularly so in comparision to all schools, but it is in comparison to Reed). IMO, you should definitely make this decision based on what kind of environment you’d feel more comfortable it. If you’re really not sure, UPenn might be the better choice, because they’ll be a larger varity of kinds of people…OTOH, for some people Reed is absently perfect, and many of those people would not be as happy at UPenn.

08seniors08 · 05-10-2008, 07:37 PM

UPenn, unless Reed is world renowned in your major and specializes in physics and theology... which it doesn't.
Congrats on getting off the waiting list!

OniLawliet · 05-10-2008, 07:47 PM

Churyumov, you're going to find that a lot of people on CC are going to tell you to got to UPenn just because it is ivy-league and renowned. And no, I'm not speaking of the above posters, but the vast majority of CCers are ivy-league centric.

Physics and theology are quite strong at Reed, an intense liberal arts college with a dedicated focus to undergraduates. UPenn is bigger, more renowned, but by extension not as undergrad focused. You will find that UPenn will also have excellent programs in physics and theology. And though UPenn is literally in a city, Reed is only a 10-15 minute bus ride from Portland, so you get to enjoy city life when you want to, but not be in the midst of it.

Reed is also very very rigorous, perhaps more so than UPenn. Reed is known for having stressed students who work extremely hard, but that is the environment. Reed truly is an academic and intellectual powerhouse of a school. UPenn is too, but only by its nature of being ivy league. What I'm saying is that an ivy league school is an ivy league school is an ivy league school. UPenn just enjoys a strong business program and nice location. However, there is frankly no college quite like Reed in terms of academic and social atmosphere, and perhaps no institution quite like it too (with the exception of UChicago.)

You can't go wrong with either. Both are great. But I have a soft spot for Reed College

45 Percenter · 05-10-2008, 08:11 PM

Penn's physics department is ranked in the top 20 nationally, and its religion department is ranked in the top 10 nationally, so it's highly ranked in both of your intended majors. Further, many of Penn's other liberal arts departments are ranked in either the top 10 or the top 20 in the nation.

As others have said, Penn and Reed are completely different types of schools and environments. Of course, you'll find a much greater variety of courses, students, activities, etc. at Penn. Also, most undergrads in Penn's College of Arts and Sciences seem pleased with their courses and the undergraduate focus of their professors, especially once they get beyond the basic intro courses. Additionally, under Penn's "One University" policy, all undergrads are strongly encouraged to take courses in more than one of the undergraduate schools (College, Wharton, Engineering, Nursing) and in most of Penn's graduate and professional schools (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Law School, Annenberg School for Communication, School of Design, School of Social Policy and Practice, Graduate School of Education, etc.), without the need for any special dispensation. This allows undergrads to explore far beyond the traditional undergraduate liberal arts curriculum.

So unless you have a preference for the environment of a small liberal arts college, Penn has a lot more to offer in terms of variety, breadth, and depth.

kelseyg · 05-10-2008, 08:35 PM

"They have told you Portland is beautiful" - have you not been able to visit?

interesteddad · 05-10-2008, 08:51 PM

If you go to Penn, you have the option of taking courses at Swarthmore, which is a direct 20 minute train ride connecting stations on the two campuses.

Weskid · 05-10-2008, 09:26 PM

Actually, here's another thought--you say you want to major in "theology." Do you mean "Religion"? Because the two are not the same, and as far as I know, Reed does not have a theology major, and I would guess Penn does not either.

I know it is now too late to change if you really mean "theology." But if you hapen to also be looking for a school with an active Religious population as well, Reed, which sells shirts that have the unofficial school creast with the motto "Communism, Athieism, Free love," might not be the best place. Not to say that there aren't religious communities there, I'm sure thier are, but Penn will probably offer you more/larger options in that regard, both because of its size and the wider variety of kinds of people it attracts.

OTOH, if I'm totally off base with this and it doesn't make a differance to you, feel free to ignore

Another thought: I've heard its harder to double major at Reed than most schools because of its demanding distriubtion requirments and such (you might even have to pass their intense junior year examination in both majors if you double, I'm not sure). As far as I know, things would be easier in that regard at Penn.

Churyumov · 05-10-2008, 09:37 PM

No, I have never visited Portland but I did do a summer camp at Upenn so in that way I know much more about Penn

Churyumov · 05-10-2008, 09:41 PM

Well I wasn't aware there was a difference between theology and religion, I am actually not a religious person, I'm an agnostic but i have been very interested in religious studies all my life, I guess if there is a difference then I meant religion, sorry for the mistake. I actually like Reed in that sense since I am well pretty close to being considered a socialist atheist...

vossron · 05-10-2008, 10:11 PM

Since you're interested in physics, that often means research, and that requires a PhD. Some time back interesteddad compiled a list of the top 100 schools in the country by percentage of all undergrads (not just physics majors) who later earn a PhD in physics/astronomy; UPenn was not on the list (which is why I stopped at 10/13). Here are the top ten (13 with ties):

PhDs and Doctoral Degrees:
ten years (1994 to 2003) from NSF database

Number of Undergraduates:
ten years (1989 to 1998) from IPEDS database

Formula: Total PhDs divided by Total Grads, multiplied by 1000

Note: Does not include colleges with less than 1000 graduates over the ten year period

1 California Institute of Technology 96
2 Harvey Mudd College 64
3 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 29
4 New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology 20
5 Reed College 13
6 Carleton College 13
7 Princeton University 13
8 University of Chicago 13
9 Rice University 13
10 Case Western Reserve University 9
11 Harvard University 9
12 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 9
13 Swarthmore College 9

Plus, Reed is the only school in the country with a nuclear reactor run by undergrads.

Reed also has a strong religion program: Reed College Department of Religion

vossron · 05-10-2008, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Another thought: I've heard its harder to double major at Reed than most schools because of its demanding distriubtion requirments and such (you might even have to pass their intense junior year examination in both majors if you double, I'm not sure). As far as I know, things would be easier in that regard at Penn.

A double major at Reed is reported to be exceedingly difficult in eight semesters, mostly because of two required theses (as well as two junior quals).

lgellar · 05-10-2008, 10:28 PM

This doesn't answer your question, but what I would like to know is how you managed to apply to both UPenn and Reed. In other words, how in the world were you deciding which colleges to apply to that led you to these two completely different schools?