<p>idad, i think you are right on about Reed building community and said it all when you said: “… here are some more rankings. all are nonsense…”</p>
<p>We just left our daughter at Reed for her 1st year and were at a reception for parents to meet with the profs and administrators. A young Prof came over, introduced himself as a professor of English. He was clearly excited about being at Reed, so much so, that I thought he may have graduated from there himself. When I inquired as to where he was educated, he seemed almost embarassed to tell us “Harvard”. He continued that he felt his money (or rather, his benefactor’s money, as he put it) had been wasted at Harvard. He felt that he received a 2nd rate education with very little attention from the profs - that most were concerned not with truly teaching, but rather, with using H as a springboard to further their careers. He did state that the money spent there would be best spent at the graduate level. He added that he wishes that he had found a smaller place that fosters true learning like Reed as an undergrad. </p>
<p>I hope that all the underated LAC’s continue to challenge and/or shun the various magazine rankings. Maybe then students (and parents) will begin to realize how ridiculous the comparisons are.</p>