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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Wed Feb 21st, 2007 04:21 am |
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My son, my husband and I visited Reed last Thursday. My son then did an overnight at Reed, sat in on two classes, interviewed, and spent most of Friday afternoon at Reed.
Location: Reed is located in Southeast Portland, Oregon. The area immediately surrounding campus is a pleasant residential area of upscale homes. A few blocks to the west is a sort of industrial area, and a few blocks to the north is a more commercial section of town. It is about two miles or so to Hawthorne St, which is Portland's version of Greenwich village or perhaps Haight Ashbury circa 1969 combined with a more modern day "hipster" feel. Reed itself is located on Woodstock St, which we all found humorous given Reed's liberal reputation. There are some shops and restaurants within walking distance of Reed on Woodstock, and easy bus service to other areas of Portland.
For those who haven't visited, Portland is a terrific city. Although it only has just over half a million residents, it has many of the amenities and some of the feel of much larger cities. There are lots of bookstores (including the awesome Powells books), a strong independent music scene (another plus for my son), and many small little neighborhoods with their own unique shopping areas. And, of course, there are also lots of coffee shops and tea houses. We counted three Starbucks on one city block in downtown Portland.
Another nice feature of Portland is that the airport is very easy to get to and from. The negative of Portland (for some), of course, is the weather. It rains. And rains. But I'll take a rainy winter over a snowy one any day.
The campus. Reed's campus is picture-postcard pretty. There is a long sweeping lawn in front of campus, and the campus is divided by a canyon with a good sized stream running through it. Lots and lots of trees. When you're on campus, it is easy to forget that an urban area is just a few minutes away. Reed has some beautiful old brick buildings, complete with stone griffins peering down. All of the academic buildings are on one side of the canyon, with most of the dorms on the other. The dorms we visited were in excellent shape, and most freshmen have divided doubles. Some of the older dorms have working fireplaces in the rooms.
One of the unique things about Reed that almost immediately sets it apart from other campuses, is the presence of the Reed dogs. There are dogs everywhere - in staff offices, wandering down hallways in academic buildings, lounging around on the lawn. Many come to work with faculty members or staff, some are student dogs, some just seem to be visiting on their own. If you don't like dogs, this might be a problem. But if you love dogs like my family does, this immediately makes Reed seem somehow homier and more welcoming than other campuses. My son got a huge kick out of the fact that a dog sat in on his interview and another slept next to his bed when he did his overnight. Amazingly, the dogs all seem well-behaved, friendly, and very happy. The Reed myth is that old Reedies don't die; they're just reborn as Reed dogs.
Reed also has a "Cat dorm" where residents can have cats. None of us could determine if this causes any issues with the dogs.
The students. As many know, my son lives and breathes for his time at Johns Hopkins CTY program. Almost immediately, he felt like he was coming home at Reed because many of the students reminded him of people he's known through CTY. Reed students fit in very well with the "hipster" vibe in Portland - there's a lot of long black coats and black turtle neck types. My husband was expecting to see more :out there: types, but honestly, what we saw wasn't all that different than what we are used to at Beloit, which granted isn't exactly mainstream America. Both my husband and I, however, noticed right away that Reedies seem somehow more mature than students at other campuses we've visited. Maybe it's all the studying they're doing.
My son was very excited by his time at Reed. He loved that he could mention some of his more esoteric reading and people there had not only heard of the authors and books, but had read them themselves and, more importantly, wanted to talk about the ideas in them. He spent most of his overnight wandering around campus, talking to various people he encountered, and just enjoying the vibe. He'd been warned before hand by various sources that Reedies like to "test" prospies and, to be honest, he was kind of looking forward to it. They didn't let him down. He says that several times during the night he was asked to prove his intellectual power, and he loved every minute of it. We'd been told that prospies are also often offered alcohol and other substances, but that didn't happen to him. At least not on this visit. It's clear that Reed is the type of place where predicting what might happen is sometimes difficult.
One of the things my son was most interested in finding out was whether Reed students truly study all the time as they claim. He therefore went to the library every hour between 9 and 1 am to see if he'd have trouble getting in the door. He noted that there were about as many people in the library at any one time as at most colleges, and just as many wandering about looking for excuses not to study. His impression, right or wrong, is that Reed is an intense place academically, but some of the intensity is self-induced.
My husband, who tends to be the conservative of our family, was a little turned off by the sort of anything-goes liberal feel of the Reed campus, and I could see how that might be an issue for both some parents and students. (One father on our tour, who was from the midwest, was aghast to discover that Reed has co-ed bathrooms. Ironically, he'd just mentioned to my husband that his daugher is also considering Beloit. My husband had to then gently break the news to him that Beloit also has co-ed bathrooms in most dorms. The last we saw of the father, he was running towards the hills dragging his daughter behind him...)
Academics. What can you say about a school that requires students to pass a comprehensive exam at the end of junior year and write a thesis by the end of senior year? Or about a school that expects all freshman to spend a quarter of their time reading the great classics of ancient Rome and Greece? (My son thought it was a hoot to compare Reed's required freshman reading list with that of a similar course at Whitman. Whitman's was a quarter of a page. Reed's took up the entire page). To my classics loving son, the reading list sounds like a wonderful chance to revisit old friends. My daughter, on the other hand, would have a breakdown just reading the reading list. By the way, my son also loved the classes he sat in on (they were reading Orvid's Metamorphis in the Hum 110 seminar, one of his favorites), and thought the courses in the catalog sounded wonderful. My husband and I, however, had a hard time just understanding the course descriptions. Reed is definitely not for everyone, and I'm not sure if my son will end up deciding its the right place for him, but if Reed is right for you, you probably won't get a finer education anywhere.
Pro's: Great location, beautiful campus, intellectually passionate student body and faculty, superb, challenging academics.
Con's: Low 4-year graduation rate (73%), intense academic demands, social atmosphere may be too liberal and "out there" for some.
Other comments: Reed is not for everyone but it is definitely a unique and special place for those that it is right for. Just remember to bring the dog bisquits. 
Last edited on Wed Jul 4th, 2007 05:35 am by CarolynLawrence
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patsmom
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Posted: Wed Feb 21st, 2007 02:03 pm |
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Nice review, Carolyn! You really gave us a feel for what it's like there.
Reed sounds like a college my S would have liked a lot. Unfortunately, it's in a part of the country that he won't consider -- too far from home for a south Floridian!
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Wed Feb 21st, 2007 11:33 pm |
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Patsmom,
Actually, your son and mine have many similarities. Maybe they'll end up at the same graduate school, where they'll meet up at some eclectic coffee bar to debate philosophy late into the night. Stranger things have happened. 
Last edited on Wed Feb 21st, 2007 11:33 pm by CarolynLawrence
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PrimetimeMom
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 12:32 am |
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That one's one of the most informative and well written visit reports I've ever read. You should write a book Carolyn. I'd go to your book signing
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CalifCarolyn
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 01:01 am |
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oh I would go to abook signing too
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 01:35 am |
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| Thanks guys. I actually have two college-related book ideas in the works, but the problem is finding time to actually finish them. But, I'll let you know when I get to the point of book-signings. LOL!
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scoop
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 02:09 am |
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Carolyn,
Ditto to the previous comments. If I could review a review like yours on every school my daughter was interested in, I would be one happy mom. You son sounds like a great kid. I feel I've gotten to "know" him a little better through your reviews.
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bumpyroad
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 02:20 am |
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Nice description Carolyn. Reed really is a remarkable place. Unfortunately my daughter immediately rejects it because it's in her home town. Otherwise it might be the best school in the western half of the country for her. I think she wants to stay near big mountains - she's caught the mountain climbing bug.
Any suggestions for other similar academically invigorating, free-thinking schools west of the Mississippi? Pomona might be OK but after visiting Claremont-Mckenna we got the impression the Pomona kids are pretty full of themselves. Whitman is a good school but not as intellectual. Colorado College looks interesting, and the mountains are definitely big enough.
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 04:19 am |
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Carolyn,
Some follow-up questions about Reed:
1) Reed has had a reputation for drug-using students and an indulgent administration. Did you or your S have any sense of how true this is?
2) I was intrigued by the students' testing of your S's intellectual abilities. Do you think this was symptomatic of a pervasive atmosphere of intellectual one-upsmanship or do you think new students would more likely be welcomed into a mutual pursuit of knowledge and truth?
3) I have also read that Reed has a "sink-or-swim" approach to teaching that is certainly demanding and potentially abusive. One author said the ambiance is intellectually "almost butch." Do you have an opinion about how supportive students, the faculty, and the college in general would be at Reed?
bumpyroad,
I am no expert, but some suggestions besides CC:
- Carleton: intense academics, west of the Mississippi, but no mountains in Northfield
- Grinnell: same, maybe a bit less intenese and a bit more free-thinking
- St. John's (Santa Fe, NM): great books curriculum (whether or not its stimulating and free-thinking depends on taste) and plenty of mountains
- Regis in Denver, a few notches below the above in academic intensity
Last edited on Fri Apr 6th, 2007 06:24 pm by Descartes
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scoop
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 12:16 pm |
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Descartes,
I'm curious as to where you read the information on Reed. Is it in print or did you just have the opportunity to talk to students/faculty? I'm gathering information sources for my daughter and your info seems quite specific...did I miss a good book?
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limner
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 12:26 pm |
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CarolynLawrence wrote:
Thanks guys. I actually have two college-related book ideas in the works, but the problem is finding time to actually finish them. But, I'll let you know when I get to the point of book-signings. LOL!
Oh, I can see us now, the Carolyn Lawrence Fan Club. We'll have placards with slogans such as "Carolyn Knows Colleges!" and "Carolyn Came to our Rescue!" and we'll have t-shirts printed with our Carolyn Lawrence fan club logo.
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CalifCarolyn
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 02:55 pm |
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limner wrote: CarolynLawrence wrote:
Thanks guys. I actually have two college-related book ideas in the works, but the problem is finding time to actually finish them. But, I'll let you know when I get to the point of book-signings. LOL!
Oh, I can see us now, the Carolyn Lawrence Fan Club. We'll have placards with slogans such as "Carolyn Knows Colleges!" and "Carolyn Came to our Rescue!" and we'll have t-shirts printed with our Carolyn Lawrence fan club logo.
so is someone taking orders
and Carolyn I will certainly buy your books even though my younger D is now a Senior---
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WestrnMom
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 03:12 pm |
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I want autographed copies!
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entomom
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 03:43 pm |
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Carolyn, Can't wait for the books, hope I can get a signed copy for my 14 year old!
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 05:27 pm |
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Descartes wrote: Carolyn,
Some follow-up questions about Reed:
1) Reed has had a reputation for drug-using students and an indulgent administration. Did you or your S have any sense of how true this is?
2) I was intrigrued by the students' testing of your S's intellectual abilities. Do you think this was symptomatic of a pervasive atmosphere of intellectual one-upsmanship or do you think new students would more likely be welcomed into a mutual pursuit of knowledge and truth?
3) I have also read that Reed has a "sink-or-swim" approach to teaching that is certainly demanding and potentially abusive. One author said the ambiance is intellectually "almost butch." Do you have an opinion about how supportive students, the faculty, and the college in general would be at Reed?
Descartes,
In my extensive research on colleges, I've found that there is always a seed of truth in every college stereotype, but often college stereotypes also often take on a life of their own and become overblown in terms of the actual day-to-day reality. This is why it is ALWAYS important to ask a lot of questions of people who actually attend the school to sort out truth from stereotype.
Because Reed has been on my son's radar for a while, and he and I were both concerned with the Reed stereotypes, we both talked with current Reed students and Reed parents before our trip to see if it would be worth visiting Reed. He also talked with many students while he was there to get answers to his own worries about the stereotypes. Here is some of what we found out, both in those conversations, and during the visit.
1) Reed's administration definitely takes a "hands off" approach to policing student behavior. Reed has an honor code that basically boils down to "dont do anything that will harm someone else, and if we don't agree, we'll agree to discuss things and reach a mutually agreeable solution." From that perspective, yes, I suppose you could call administration "indulgent." (My daughter's college, by the way, takes the same approach.)
2) There are definitely drugs and alcohol at Reed, and some annual Reed events sound like pretty wild times. (But the same could be said about most colleges, including all of the other ones you suggested as alternatives to Reed). However, I think Reed's nickname of "weed" is also somewhat overblown. A few points to keep in mind: The typical Reed admit has an unweighted GPA of 3.9 and the median test scores (math/science) are 1369. Kids who were "stoners" in high school probably won't get into Reed. And, after they do get in, it would be very hard to be a stoner and stay in. That may account a bit for Reed's relatively low four year graduation rate, but honestly, I didn't see any evidence that Reed was any more of a "stoner school" than any other of the many, many college campuses I've visited over the past five years. Again, drugs and alcohol definitely exist at Reed, and I think that needs to be considered for sure -- but it's reputation for being more filled with drug-using and alcohol-abusing students than any other college is probably overblown.
3) Reed students are definitely very liberal (although I've visited other campuses where the students appeared more "out there") On the other hand, our tour guide, a senior, is headed for seminary next year to become a lutheran minister. In short, a college campus is made up of individuals, so stereotypes have to be taken somewhat with a grain of salt. A born-again Christian type or dyed in the wool conservative would probably not be comfortable at Reed.
4) Reed is definitely academically intense. Expectations are high, and Reed students do have to jump through hoops that students at other colleges don't (rigorous first year classics work, passing a comp exam in junior year, writing a thesis equivalent to what would pass for a Master's thesis elsewhere, etc.). Reed's conference-style of teaching means that students can't show up unprepared for class and just sit there passively taking in a teacher's lectures - they have to be continually prepared.
On the other hand, all of the students my son and I have talked to don't just sit around and studying as the Reed stereotype suggests. We've found that Reed students tend to have a lot of passions and involvements outside of the classroom, but to keep up at Reed, I think it's fair to say academics probably do come first and are very, very rigorous and demanding.
5) Is Reed a "sink or swim" place? Honestly, I don't think so. I was pretty impressed with the academic support services offered at Reed. While most colleges offer a "writing center" where kids can get help with papers, Reed also offers a math center, a science center, free tutoring, academic counseling, and personal counseling, among other academic support programs. While grades are recorded, students only see them if they ask to -- otherwise they receive written evaluations regularly from every teacher. They also meet regularly with their teachers on a personal basis.
In short, yes Reed academics are intense. Reed students can't coast through, and academically they are treated as graduate students. But, Reed also doesn't just let them "sink" either.
(Since I do know of a Reed student who didn't pass the comp. exam the first time around, I was particularly concerned about it and asked both students and the admissions office. According to the admissions office and the students I asked, only a very small percentage (less than 5% was the number the admissions office gave) fail the comp exam on the first go-round. They are then given a chance to take remedial course work in order to prepare for a second try. If they fail it a second time, it might be suggested that they consider a different major)
6) I did not get the sense that Reed is a place of intellectual one upmanship in the way I suspect you mean. It is definitely a place of intellectual questioning, however. Someone who isn't in love with learning for the sake of learning, who works more for the sake of a grade than the thrill of mastering concepts, who sees colleges as career preparation rather than a chance to explore ideas, who isn't comfortable with discussing and debating ideas, and feels that having people asking you to defend your ideas is "one upmanship" rather than exhilarating conversation probably wouldn't be happy at Reed.
But, for someone like my son, who LOVES intellectual questioning, lives to debate ideas, and who has been frustrated by the lack of intellectual curiousity of many of his peers (and, sadly, teachers) in high school, Reed might be a terrific, albeit very challenging place (if he was able to get in of course!) Reed, however, is not the only school like this. I'd include schools like Carleton, the University of Chicago, Grinnell, and Oberlin in the same pool, along with several others.
7) Just want to add that a Reed parent sent me a copy of a study recently done by the Reed psychology department. The study asked Reed students to report on what they perceived as the typical behavoir of Reed students in general, and then their own individual behavior. Interestingly, Reed students believed that Reedies study more, are more stressed, are more atheistic and liberal, and use drugs and alcohol more often then they themselves reported on an individual basis.
As I said, there are seeds of truth in every stereotype, but sometimes stereotypes take on a life of their own and become something less than the full truth. Questions, and lots of serious analysis, are always advised when considering any school, not just Reed.
Last edited on Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 06:49 pm by CarolynLawrence
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entomom
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 05:43 pm |
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| Thanks for the comments Carolyn, very interesting. Reed has never been on my D's radar screen for a number of reasons, the biggest of which is that it's in Oregon. However I can see now that it would definitely not be the school for her due to their very specific academic requirements. She feels like she's been jumping through hoops throughout HS and is looking for a college where she is able to direct her own education, thus Brown as one of the tops on her list. As usual, your thoughts are insightful and balanced! Last edited on Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 05:44 pm by entomom
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mackinaw
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 05:45 pm |
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As a Reedie who was never a weedie, I appreciate your fair minded assessment. I do know one dyed in the wool conservative (son of a professional friend of mine) who graduated from Reed a few years ago and loved the place! So much depends on a student's intellectual style, and in his case it fit right in.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 06:50 pm |
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Heck, Mack, way back when you were in college, wasn't EVERY college student a "weedie" regardless of whether they attended Reed or not? :LOL:
By the way, Entomom, one of Reed's biggest cross-applicant institutions is Brown. They tend to attract the same sorts of kids. I also think that most Reedies would say that they ARE self-directing their educations.
Last edited on Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 06:53 pm by CarolynLawrence
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Fri Feb 23rd, 2007 12:17 am |
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Carolyn,
Thanks for your quick and very complete response! I am anticipating that my S (a soph), who sounds similiar to yours, might be interested in Reed, so I'm trying to get information in advance.
scoop,
No, I have not had the opportunity to talk with Reed students. The quotation I used comes from Cool Colleges by Donald Asher, who has an extensive review of Reed in his chapter on "Colleges Where Scholarship Is Honored" (others: Swarthmore, U of Chicago, U of the South, Robert E. Cook Honors College at IUP). He is generally quite flattering but, to his credit, mentions possible downsides of the colleges he reviews, too. This, other books, on-line student reviews, and a young woman I know who visited Reed, resulted in the questions I asked.
Last edited on Fri Feb 23rd, 2007 04:24 am by Descartes
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scoop
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Posted: Fri Feb 23rd, 2007 12:24 am |
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Descartes,
Thanks for the book title. It sounds interesting and I will put it on my list of things to look at.
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