Reed College
Reviews

Portland Bus System Rocks!

The Trimet system in the Portland area is inexpensive, user-friendly, and will get you almost anywhere.

Tradtional Structure at an Untraditional Environment

If one is truly interested in their studies Reed should be at the top of their list. Reed provides a classic liberal arts education including a hellish workload, a diversity of subjects, and excellent professors. Reed is not for the light of heart. Students work to the bone, and would work more if there was any time. Professors are all PhD's and love their subjects. Students must interact closely with professors due to the conference system, in which there are classes with as few as four or five students. Reeds curriculum is very traditional, and to some may seem limiting, with many requirements and a somewhat small offering of classes.

Too One Note and Not Enough Options

I get that a small school is limited in what it can offer but with that in mind they should have tried to make sure that each of the 7 professors in the poli sci department has a completely different focus. Instead they have 4 professors who focus just on American politics, one IR professor and 3 political philosophy professors. So basically if you want to study anything other than the US or philosophy (so basically about 90% of the poli sci field) that's not really an option here unless you get lucky with the random visiting comparative politics professor they bring in each year.

Plainly, It Sucks

You can't go anywhere if you're underaged. There really aren't any good clubs in Portland if you are over 21 either. At the parties on campus very few people dance. Most people just stand outside drinking their crappy hippster beer trying to make themselves sound smart.

Fin Aid

I had lots of success at Reed securing good finicial aid. I feel that they are very accomdating and try to help students as much as possible

Cheating

Cheating isn't tolerated at Reed. Students police each other and themselves. There is an open policty for tests where students can take tests at home or outside of the classroom. Because of this honesty is veyr important.

Very Good Computers

lots of computers, almost always one available, mostly macs.

Less Than Imagined

It really depends on who you hang out with. People don't push drugs on anyone, but there is definitely a party scene and a group of people who take a lot of drugs.

Brilliant Professors

I am in the Biology department, studying soil microbiology. The professor are extremely responsive, keeping track of my progress and making sure everything is ok. They respond to emails and support my independent research. When I took a year off to work, I didn't have an adviser. One of the professors helped me through the whole process of choosing classes and getting ready to come back.

21 and Older

Portland is the City that Sleeps. I'm sorry to say it, but apparently people who live here like to close down between 7 and 9 pm (or even earlier!). That is, unless you're 21+ years old--then there is a more available nightlife. Still, Portland is no LA, NYC, or Vegas. If you're looking for a school with great nightlife, Reed may be better than, say, Amherst, but I'd suggest looking elsewhere.

The Honor Principle

If there's one thing you ought to know about Reed before getting there, it's the Honor Principle. Reed doesn't have an Honor Code, but rather an Honor Principle. Basically, this means there is no set penalty for student conduct. All we do is based on the Honor Principle and discussion. Quite simply, we live by a principle that in words is "Be Honorable" or, alternatively, "Don't be a d***." We're allowed to take finals in our rooms or the library, we're allowed to have closed-book tests without supervision, we're allowed to go around campus without cameras watching our every moment or CSO's following us in an attempt to get us doing something against some Honor Code. We do what is good for us and does not harm others, or even benefits others. Also a key aspect of the Reed Honor Principle is that no one suffers alone. We are a community and we wish the safety of all members of our community, and so we will allow our friends and peers to know and help with our problems, just as we will help them with theirs. If there is a major reason I love Reed so much, it is for the Honor Principle--may it live forever.

Sports...?

Reed has no varsity sports. We don't recruit for sports. We do, however, have some intense sports teams, namely Rugby and Ultimate. Our Rugby and Ultimate Frisbee teams may not be stellar, but they take themselves and their respective sports very seriously, playing hard and fun. We also have a lot of recreational sports and tennis courts, as well as just about any court you could desire in our Sports Center. I love sports and the attitude Reedies have towards sports, though this is not the place for some one who wants to be on the NBA after college.

Nerds, Hippies, and Hipsters

Reedies are wonderful, awkward, beautiful, granola, nerdy, and against labels. I wouldn't say the majority of students here are of the stereotypical "hot" description, though if you're into happy, adorable people, then this is the place for you--especially if nerds are to you the new blondes (not that they're mutually exclusive here or anything). I absolutely love Reedies and all of their quirks.

Social, Not Ethnic, Diversity

Though Reed is not known for its Ethnic diversity, it is one of the most diverse environments I've met. People here come from different ages, socioeconomic classes, and mindsets. You will see every fashion sense, every learning disorder, and every type of crazy here, and you will love it. One of the things I tell people about Reed which I take pride in is how all of us are so accepting of sexuality that you might as well assume bisexuality. While I have learned a great deal of getting along with every different kind of person, I will not say that Reed is the most diverse campus, for it has almost a homogeneous White, USA-resident population.

It's What Reed's Known for

If you know about Reed, you know about Reed's academics. Graduate programs know us for just this reason, as do foreign countries. You go to Reed because it will challenge you, and it will give you more work than you can sanely deal with. Freshman year is usually fairly easy, with the option to take 3 credits, and dealing with Hum 110 (not difficult) and other intro classes. The second you get to Sophomore year, though... watch out! The transition between year one to year two is considered the most difficult at Reed, because you switch to 4 relevant and often upper-division courses, each giving piles of coursework. Also, the classes you take are relevant to your major and future life, so you -have- to do well. Sophomore year is also when you need to start impressing professors and, at the end, you need to declare your major. Then Junior year comes about and the Qual. The Qual is a test you need to pass in order to go on to Senior year. It is different for every department, and can range from a test to an enormous and daunting paper, but universally does not spell for a good time. Pass that and you're onto your last year at Reed and the famous Reed Thesis that you get the pleasure of working on year-long. Your thesis is your life, and it is what will get you in to Grad School. It can be what makes you proudest, and/or it will be your nightmare. If Reed does one thing right, it's Academics. Be excited! You will leave Reed loving learning, and being excited with the prospect of reading 1000 pages on some obscure topic.

So Much to Do

Portland is a fantastic place, and the neighborhood Reed lies within is just a short bus ride downtown.

Reedies and Drugs

At a school full of liberal, bright people, there will be drug use--especially when it's a school that generates as much stress as Reed does on a day-to-day basis. Saying that, there is drug use at all colleges and universities around the country, and to believe otherwise would be foolish. At Reed, we are more open about our drug use that other schools keep under covers, and it's because we care about each other. We know the pros and cons of the drugs we use, and we want to keep everyone safe no matter what decisions they make. Because of this, we tell our peers and friends when we do or imbibe certain substances. It's just about the best environment around for Drug Safety, and though there is substance use, it is completely not peer-pressure-induced, and is not at all necessary for fitting in socially. Reed gets a lot of dirt on its "Drugginess" and it is not deserving of it. We are obviously doing something right, because of how many PhD's we produce and how positively graduate programs view Reed graduates.

The Best Decision I've Made

I have never and will never regret a moment of choosing Reed College. Since the first day I visited (after I was accepted), I loved the place and knew I needed to go. Ever since then, I have loved every moment of my time here and it has prepared and educated me in an incredible way. LoveReed!

Ample and Aesthetically Pleasing

Reed College has a lot of great facilities. Despite the small size and small student population, Reed has a fully equipped sports center and amazing library, not to mention it's own student-run nuclear reactor, lots of green, open spaces and it's own wetland nature preserve in the middle of campus. The dorms can vary from amazing to dingy and cramped. The classrooms are adequate and there are some better than others, depending on the age of the building. Aesthetically, it is very pleasing with a mix of modern and gothic architecture and very open feeling.

Off-Campus

These options are apparently more cost-efficient if financial aid doesn't help pay your room and board.

We also have campus-adjacent apartments, which are very nice and not much more expensive than living on campus. You may or may not choose to have a board plan if you live in one of these apartments.

The Sellwood neighborhood is close by, and it's beautiful. The houses are really close to supermarkets and restaurants, so you don't even need a car to live day-to-day.

Dorms

Living on campus is great, especially because the campus itself is so small. Every dorm is close to something good.

The best dorm is probably Anna Mann, or one of the language houses, because they're cottage-style and feel more like a house than a dorm.

ODB is great because it's 100 years old with a ton of history, but it can be drafty and spooky, especially at night.

The cross-canyon dorms are good because they're rich in community, but the rooms are a little small.

Naito/Sullivan are great because they're new, with lots of huge windows, but the rooms there are also a bit small.

FSM are considered the worst dorms, but are still good. They're mostly considered unfavorable because of room size and the state of the hallways, which are kind of "asylum-style."

Restaurants Near Reed

While Portland is known for many ethnic dining options (the "food carts" in particular), there are many great places to find food near (a short walk or bike ride away) Reed. My personal favorite is the Laughing Planet--they offer a variety of vegan/vegetarian/meat-eater friendly burritos along with other latin american inspired dishes. It is a pretty casual atmosphere and the prices are reasonable. There is also the Delta--I have only been there once, but I hear that any fan of southern cuisine will enjoy this funky restaurant.

Don't worry

There's a pethora of drugs to choose from, believe me. No need to elaborate.

The Social Norm

Guys and girls at Reed College vary as much as night and day. With there being no division sports, there aren't as many jock types. However, they can still be found along with city boys, southern country boys, ravers, science geeks, math nerds, and artist types. With girls there is the jock girls who get up to run at 5 am, music and drama lovers, science geeks, poets, and so much more. There is a good selection of very good-looking people. And the dress styles vary as much as the students themselves.

Top Notch Academics.

The academics at Reed are fabulous. Professors are generally brilliant and sincerely dedicated to helping students meet the very high expectations put on them. Students are seriously engaged in their studies and classes provide a rich forum for articulation and exchange of ideas.