How do I apply?
Admission to the program is highly competitive. The admission process requires completion of the application forms by the stated deadlines below. We require the following components, submitted through web-based forms, for completion of an application:
After all forms have been received, the director of special programs will contact you via email to arrange a required interview. Please be sure to accurately record your email address in the requested space on the application form.
- Application for participation and personal statements.
- A graded paper or exam from the field, or related area, that you wish to pursue at Reed.
The paper(s) should be uploaded on the web application—pdf, tif or doc preferred. - One high-school counselor recommendation.
- Two teacher recommendations. (You should request recommendations from teachers who have taught you in a subject related to the course you wish to take at Reed, or if not available, a course in a similar field. It is your responsibility to contact the teachers for a recommendation and refer them to this web site to complete the form.)
- Current high-school transcript. (An official transcript should be uploaded by the counselor. It is the applicant's responsibility to confirm with the high school that an official electronic copy is submitted or an official sealed transcript is mailed to Reed's special programs office.)
- Transcripts for any college work completed, if relevant.
- Scores of SAT, ACT, or PSAT tests, if available. (If the test scores are not recorded on the high-school transcript, the college counselor may note the scores on the recommendation form.)
Submit Forms
Applicants, counselors and teachers should complete and submit their respective forms electronically. (Please note that the forms work best if accessed directly from this page, rather than sent as a separate link.)
These forms do not allow you to save and return to them later for modifications; they will time out after three hours. Please make sure that the form is complete and accurate before submitting. We recommend that you save your work offline or a screen shot of the completed form before submitting.
You will receive an email confirmation of receipt if the form was submitted correctly. Please attend to all error messages before closing the recommendation form or your form will not be submitted.
Important: Notification about completion of application and interview scheduling will be sent via email from the director. View the class schedule here.
Deadlines
Applications should be completed by April 1, 2024 for admission to the 2024 – 2025 academic year (August 2024-May 2025). Short extensions to the deadline are available when necessary; please contact special-programs@reed.edu to request an extension.
Occasionally there are openings for spring semester enrollment. Students interested in applying for participation in the spring 2024 semester should email the office of graduate and special programs (special-programs@reed.edu) to determine if applications will be considered for spring. Spring applications are due by December 1, 2023 for entrance in late-January, 2024.
An application will not be evaluated until we have received all required materials.
Scheduling an Interview
All applicants to the Young Scholars program are required to interview with the associate dean of special programs. This interview is an opportunity for you to address any outstanding questions from your application, and to learn more about course selection and the college in general. Interviews typically take place online over Zoom.
The office of graduate and special programs will notify you via email when your application is complete. At that time, you will receive instructions on accessing the interview appointment schedule.
The office of graduate and special programs is in Eliot Hall, room 203. Eliot Hall is the large, Tudor Gothic building that faces Woodstock Blvd. with the flag pole out front.