<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I don’t know how active this forum is and all that, but… I am a current student (one whole semester under my belt) and was on this site quite a lot in high school. So, if you have any questions about Reed, ask away. It’s break. I’m bored. Thus, responses will be swift.</p>
<p>How are science majors viewed at Reed? And as a science major, how early can you pursue research? Freshman year by any chance?</p>
<p>I don’t know about early research, but biology, chemistry, math and physics are leading future PhD categories for Reedies: [REED</a> COLLEGE PHD PRODUCTIVITY](<a href=“http://web.reed.edu/ir/phd.html]REED”>Doctoral Degree Productivity - Institutional Research - Reed College)</p>
<p>Science is indeed one of Reed’s major strengths.</p>
<p>Science majors are viewed with transparent envy by Art History majors and the like, for obvious reasons. :)</p>
<p>One drawback of going to a liberal arts college, as opposed to a tech university, is that undergrad research is less available; I doubt you’ll get an opportunity as a Freshman. However, you can certainly talk to the professors or do a summer REU.</p>
<p>At the very least, you’ll be able to do all the research your heart desires for your senior thesis. And as the previous poster mentioned, you’ll definitely be prepared for grad school (PhD percentage near CalTech and MIT).</p>
<p>Is there a significant distinction between a tech U and a research U? The consensus seems to be that grad students crowd out undergrads at a research U; undergrads do all the research at LACs.</p>
<p>Science! Research! A prospie after my own heart.</p>
<p>Science majors are taken care of at Reed (despite numerous ‘college guides’ claiming otherwise). You’ll have a good time.</p>
<p>About research… I think a lot of the previous posters are misguided.</p>
<p>Yes, Reed produces PhD’s like no other. This, I believe, has more to do with the student body coming in than anything else. Everyone at Reed likes academics, and a lot see a PhD as the next step in their careers. One thing that does NOT contribute to the PhD rate is availability of undergraduate research. In fact, this is one of the reasons I considered transferring.</p>
<p>I did quite a bit of research as a high school student (in Research U’s in my area), and found that finding research opportunities as an undergraduate at Reed was more difficult than when I was a high school student back home!</p>
<p>Doing research at Reed is difficult for two main reasons:
<ol>
<li>You have a lot of class. I think I’m in class double the time that my friends at research universities are. My classes also give me more work (comparatively) and eat up more of my free time. This just leaves less time for research. I looked into doing some work at a local research U (after I couldn’t find anything at Reed) but really, unless I can work weekends, there’s not time to do anything meaningful, especially when you factor in the time it’ll take you to get to the research U, etc.</li>
</ol>
<p>Anyway, I should balance this post by telling you why, as a science major who’s used to doing research I’m staying at this school that makes things so difficult - </p>
<p>The classes at Reed are so, so much better than what you’d get at a research U. It makes sense - at an LAC teachers are hired and tenured for teaching, and a research U, they’re hired and tenured for their research and publications. And if you’re looking to do some solid research in your career, I think that this sound grounding in the fundamentals is much more valuable than working in a lab and tacking on as 4’th author of some papers. Certainly a Reed education will PREPARE you intellectually to attack research, but it won’t make during-school research projects easy for you to take on.</p>
<p>Anyway, yeah.</p>
<p>“Anyway, yeah.”</p>
<p>I am being 100% serious when I say that that was the best possible ending to that post ever. A Reedie after my own heart…</p>
<p>i have heard that reed students can be sort of “pretentious” … do you think this is true?</p>
<p>what other schools did you apply to and why did you choose reed?</p>
<p>“Are Reed students sort of pretentious?”</p>
<p>My Reedie says: “Some of them. There are always pretentious people, so there are some pretentious Reedies.” </p>
<p>(He also goes on to say, “My only problem is cute girls who are pretentious. What do you do in that situation? That’s awkward.”)</p>
<p>How is traveling back and forth during vacations for kids on the East Coast? Difficult and expensive, I’m assuming…</p>
<p>The reason I am so worried about research is that my writing sample talks about how much I would love to do research in college even from my freshman year. Am I screwed up?</p>
<p>A lot (I would say maybe a majority) of the freshman come in thinking that they’re God’s gift to academia. I sort of did. Reed kicks this nonsense out of you by first semester. (That, or you drop out.)</p>
<hr>
<p>Travel from the east is, well, travel from the east. A few people fly in to Seattle and take a bus or train to Reed, because it’s cheaper. Others take the train back or bus back (although the bus is not recommended). Planes are quite unpleasant now that airlines have concluded that economy-class passengers are disloyal schmucks who only care about the lowest fare and therefore, are not worth spending money on.</p>
<p>I still fly, though.</p>
<hr>
<p>Writing about research for admissions is a good thing. Reed loves to hear that you want to write a senior thesis (and every freshman I’ve talked to already has a few thesis ideas). Plus, intending to do research shows that you’d likely enjoy Reed’s academic environment. It might not practically pan out, but hey, we don’t care much for the ‘practical’ at Reed, anywho.</p>
<hr>
<p>Now, where else did I apply and why did I choose Reed? Want the truth?</p>
<p>I applied to my state U, the big names where my research mentors told me I should go, and UChicago (which I guess might fall under the second category). UChicago was the only school I had any interest in attending, though. Then, about two weeks after the deadline, I decided that I would apply to Reed College because I liked these murmurs about intellectualism and such.</p>
<p>Then, I was swiftly rejected by all of my colleges, except for UChicago and Reed, for which I was waitlisted. (Even my state U rejected me, until my research guys called and made a fuss - how embarrassing.) I had a very, very low GPA.</p>
<p>Anywho, to answer your question, the only reason I went to Reed is because it’s the only college that let me in. True story. Turns out to be the right place for me, though. Funny how that works out.</p>
<hr>
<p>I am a question answering machine.</p>
<p>i have heard that Reed focuses on writing…does it? if yes then what type?</p>
<p>Do you see Reedies as being hostile to those who have different views than them, or that they are open to differing opinions?</p>
<p>I’m not a liberal or a socialist, haha. I want to go to Reed for the academics–not because I think I’ll find lots of people who are “like” me. XP I’m sure everyone finds their niche, but…you know.</p>
<p>You mentioned that you work–can I ask how much you work? I’m probably going to work through college and I’m wondering how it is that students balance Reed’s intense academics with working.</p>
<p>Do you see Reedies as being hostile to those who have different views than them, or that they are open to differing opinions?</p>
<p>I know a few conservative Reedies, and a some who enthusiastically support capitalism. We love them despite these flaws.</p>
<p>If you’re the debating type, you’ll find yourself outnumbered, but I’ve never seen anything I’d call hostile.</p>
<p>You mentioned that you work–can I ask how much you work? I’m probably going to work through college and I’m wondering how it is that students balance Reed’s intense academics with working.</p>
<p>For me, six-eight hours a week is about what I’m comfortable with. Some people with better study skills (or lighter course loads) do significantly more. If you ever figure out how they balance it with academics, let me know.</p>
<p>* i have heard that Reed focuses on writing…does it? if yes then what type?*</p>
<p>The classes that I’ve taken outside of math and science have almost exclusively consisted of readings, class discussions, and essays (or short writing assignments). The type of writing varies with the subject.</p>
<p>One of the worst things about Reed, I think, is the hardcore ‘conservative liberalism’ that dominates the campus. It’s all liberal, all the time. We tease a dormie about being super conservative, when really, anywhere else in the country, he would be considered a moderate. I don’t think anyone will be mean to you (unless you start a fight or something), but you won’t find much political diversity on campus, which is a bad thing. (Then again, as Tetra points out, being conservative is a flaw.)</p>
<p>Now, were you asking specifically about politics? Or do you feel like you’re not going to find ‘your people’ like so many Reedies claim to have done. Because if you’re worried about not being quirky, etc, I can advise. (I certainly didn’t go to Reed to find ‘my people.’)</p>
<p>tennisdude,</p>
<p>what are five things you like and you don’t like about Reed? also, do you think it exposes students to a nice balance of all political perspectives (essential for many social sciences to being able to learn from people of all political leanings)?</p>
<p>Tennisdude, (and Tetra’s opinion would be nice too, I guess)</p>
<p>Besides the liberal domination of the Reed student body, is there any other gripe you have about Reed College?</p>
<p>Reed is a school I’ve been looking at very closely. I’m attracted to it’s academic philosophy (conference based classes, lack of focus on grades, intellectual atmosphere) and the location of Portland. I’ve always been one in school to enjoy my AP Literature class and various humanities classes, always engaging in discussion and criticism. Reed seems like a place where such people thrive and are happy. However, Reed’s intense academic workload concerns me…I love Reed, but I don’t want to spend 4 years locked away in my dorm room, studying and studying and studying…Granted, this is what Reed is all about; a devotion to academic success. However, in my eyes, I can see my college weeks being spent as Sun-Thurs with intense studying, and Fri-Sat being days I can just chill for a while, actually go into Portland, go skiing at Mt Hood (i love skiing), etc…Can this be afforded at Reed?</p>
<p>Now, this question is aimed at tennisdude in particular. You mentioned that you had a low GPA in HS but still managed to get into Reed. What, do you feel, made you stand out to Reed? I sent off my app to Reed a few weeks ago. I’ve visited twice, had interviews, done tours, etc. I wrote some spectacular essays, have some impressive ECs, but my GPA is not up to par (a 3.4) and my test scores aren’t too hot either (ACT 27). Do you think I stand a chance? How, in your mind, did you get into Reed?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>IMO
*“Are Reed students sort of pretentious?”</p>
<p>My Reedie says: "Some of them.*</p>
<p>THis goes along with social immaturity and most of them will grow out of it in time.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I don’t think it looks that way from a broader perspective. On an international scale we are more conservative as a people, so we just adjust the compass to fit our needs. Reedies range from moderate conservatives to far leftists from a European’s point of view. Most Americans see this as ranging from moderate leftists to ultra-leftists. I think the political spectrum at Reed is wider than most people believe. At least from a political and economic perspective… Reedies are socially liberal, period.</p>
<p>I don’t think a true social conservative would be comfortable at Reed.</p>
<p>IMO.</p>