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<p>The best available data on PhD completions is here:
<a href=“https://webcaspar.nsf.gov/[/url]”>https://webcaspar.nsf.gov/</a></p>
<p>Unfortunately, the NSF does not break out the numbers for Philosophy PhD completions. The closest it gets is “Other Humanities” (besides English/Lit, Foreign Languages, History, Religion & Theology, Arts & Music).</p>
<p>In the years 2006-2010, 14 Reed College alumni earned PhDs in “other humanities”. 11 Michigan alumni earned PhDs in “Other Humanities” in the same years. These are absolute numbers, not per capita numbers (adjusted for school size). So, a much higher percentage of all Reed students earn PhDs in these fields.</p>
<p>Make of this data what you will. It does not tell you how many alumni begin these programs and don’t finish, or how many even bother to apply. It does not tell you where students earn their doctorates. The Reed web site indicates that the 15 grad schools most frequently attended by Reed alumni for PhD programs include Berkeley, Chicago, Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, and Michigan, in addition to several state universities in California and the Pacific NW. ([REED</a> COLLEGE LIFE AFTER REED](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/ir/success.html]REED”>Life After Reed - Institutional Research - Reed College)).</p>
<p>As for class sizes, here is detailed data for Reed:
[REED</a> COLLEGE AVERAGE CLASS SIZE](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/ir/averageclssz.html]REED”>Average Class Size - Institutional Research - Reed College)
96% of Reed classes had fewer than 30 students in Fall 2010.
I think you’ll find that at Reed, small classes predominate even in the introductory classes, where you start building a foundation. This may be one reason (along with the thesis and oral exam requirements) Reed students seem to be well prepared for grad school.</p>