Haverford v. Reed

Pinozul
Sat, 09 Apr 2016 12:38:41 +0000

I’m not sure but it sounds like maybe you have been to Haverford. If that is the case and you liked it and financially the two schools will cost you about the same, I’d go to Haverford. We went to both schools last year and we had a distinct preference for Haverford. Not that you wouldn’t get a fine education at Reed. Here’s my reasoning: If the schools cost about the same and you’re comfortable that they will both meet your academic requirements, then the decision is driven by some other criteria.

Weather: As awesome as Portland is, in my mind that doesn’t make up for the crap weather. [Context: Grew up in PA and lived in Seattle for two years. I personally couldn’t deal with the constant drizzle and gray skies. YMMV.]

Campus/Facilities: IMO, Haverford is a considerably prettier campus. We also felt the buildings at Reed were a bit shabby compared to other schools. Now keep in mind, none of this prevents you from getting a fine education. They are just small things that might drive a decision one way or another.

Athletics: Reed has no varsity sports and we sensed an almost anti-sport vibe when we visited. They do have intramural sports, if I recall correctly. And while we are by no means some sports-crazed family, my daughter loved running in cross-country and track in high school (primarily for the social aspect) and wants to continue to do it in college. She is an entirely average athlete but in most Division III schools, if you want to participate on a team, you can. There are generally no try-outs. So for students who just love doing a sport, it is a great way to meet other kids and have a non-academic diversion. Since Reed had no running teams, it was crossed off our list. Obviously, this aspect is entirely dependent on your personal requirements.