People Considering going to Oberlin & Reed College

rhg3rd
Fri, 25 Apr 2014 18:34:50 +0000

^ “i would guess that Oberlin’s freshman to sophomore year retention rate is much higher than Reed’s”

This is WRONG!!! Oberlin’s retention rate was 93%, and Reed’s retention rate was 94% for the most recent cohort groups. c.f. Common Data Set § B22:

http://oberlin.edu/instres/irhome/www/cds/2013/
http://www.reed.edu/ir/cds/cds1314/cdssecb201314.pdf

“I get the sense that both Reed and Oberlin attract the types of students who like to experiment and create themselves, which may translate to less than linear paths through college.”

This is shear speculation. Reed tends to be very structured for a LAC, has requirements more akin to a university like the U of Chicago, expects a very high level of proficiency in the major field, and requires a senior thesis . Oberlin is closer to New England LAC’s allowing more exploration.

Reed’s administration purportedly is attempting to change the college’s drug culture through policy changes. It’s unclear whether this amounts to any real change. Oberlin’s never been known to be a place for squares. Students at both schools “smoke.”