<p>Reed has a rigorous curriculum on par with the University of Chicago. For example, every freshman takes the same Hum 110 course that meets Monday, Wed, & Fri for a 50 minute lecture with the entire freshman class in attendance. The lectures are team taught by roughly 20 faculty. Immediately after the lectures are discussion classes of about 14 students with a faculty guide. Students are expected to be prepared and ready to argue their point. Papers are frequent, with comments returned but no grade. Grades are recorded, but the students aren’t told what they are. Students meet with their faculty discussion guide, who give 1:1 feedback. Students may ask to see grades, but they are not voluntarily offered. If a student is performing C- or below work, they are notified they need to improve. The average GPA of a graduating Reed student is 2.8 out of 4. No grade inflation at Reed. Though GPA’s are low, Reed places a higher percentage of students into Ph.D. programs in the life sciences than any other college or university in the country, and is third for all disciplines. </p>
<p>Here is an overview of Hum 110 requirements (Check out the Fall 2004 syllabus for this one course):
<a href=“http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/Hum110/[/url]”>http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/Hum110/</a></p>
<p>Reed uses the discussion, small class model throughout the curriculum, and each student is required to do a demanding, year-long, senior thesis, it is not optional. It is much more demanding than many of the Ivy’s.</p>
<p>Reed refuses to participate in the USNWR rankings, so it is a school very confident in itself and what it offers students. They are typically punished by being listed in the 40’s. I believe in the last year they did participate they were in the LAC top 5. (Show’s how “objective” USNWR rankings are.)</p>