Reed students are creative, self-propelled, passionate, and analytical. They have a boundless enthusiasm for learning and an unexpected ability to embrace paradoxes. And they love Reed, one of the most intellectual colleges in the country.
This is Reed.
Reed Facts
Located in the progressive, dynamic city of Portland, Oregon, the Reed campus encompasses 116 acres of rolling lawns and winding paths, a century of distinct periods of architectural design, over 2,000 trees representing more than 125 species, and a 28-acre watershed that is home to a growing population of native wildlife and plants.
Enrollment
1,400 Undergraduate Students
16 Average Class Size
9:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio
1 Honor Principle
0 Fraternities or Sororities
Infinite Points of View
In 2020–21, Reed's incoming class came from 36 states, the District of Columbia, and 13 countries.
Class of 2024 Geographic Distribution
30% California
17% Northeast
17% Northwest
13% Mountain/Southwest
9% Midwest
6% South
8% International
Class of 2024 Demographics
36% Domestic-born Students of African, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Island, or Native American Descent
10% First-Generation-To-College
#1 in Best Classroom Experience, Princeton Review 2020
Costs and Financial Aid
58% of Reed Students Receive Financial Aid
100% of Demonstrated Need is Met for Every Admitted Student
Total Cost of Attendance (2020-21)
$75,600
Average Financial Aid Package (2019-20)
$45,490
Average Total Debt for Reed Graduates (2018)
$21,081
#6 in Great Financial Aid, Princeton Review 2020
Honors Prizes Scholarships
3 MacArthur Fellows
187 National Science Foundation Fellows
116 Fulbright Students
32 Rhodes Scholars
68 Thomas J. Watson Fellows
ACADEMICS
A Reed education is characterized by close interaction between students and faculty in an atmosphere of shared scholarly concern and active learning.
#2 in Professors Get High Marks, Princeton Review 2020
Honor, Independence. Reed's Honor Principle promotes a culture of trust and respect: exams are unmonitored and community members engage in conscientious self-reflection about their words and deeds.
HUM 110 serves as a powerful common experience for first-year Reedies, all of whom are reading the same works at the same time and sharing a significant base of knowledge.
A Little Help From Your Friends. Roughly 50 percent of students make use of Reed's peer tutoring program—many of the 200+ tutors have been tutored themselves.
Majors
- American Studies
- Ancient Mediterranean Studies
- Anthropology
- Art
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Chemistry-Physics
- Chinese
- Comparative Literature
- Comparative Race and Ethnicity Studies
- Computer Science
- Computer Science-Mathematics
- Dance
- Dance-Theatre
- Economics
- English
- Environmental Studies
- French
- German
- History
- History-Literature
- International and Comparative Policy Studies
- Linguistics
- Literature-Theatre
- Mathematics
- Mathematics-Economics
- Mathematics-Physics
- Music
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religion
- Religion-Ancient Mediterranean Studies
- Russian
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Theatre
Teacher Scholars
There is a crucial interconnectedness between teaching and research at Reed—faculty culture supports both superb undergraduate teaching and high-level research. Students work side by side with professors in the classroom, on the senior thesis, and on faculty research.
"The opportunity to collaborate with curious and passionate students is one of the extraordinary features of the Reed academic experience." —Sarah Schaack, Associate Professor of Biology
COMMUNITY
At Reed, students challenge each other and take care of each other.
Forms of Living. Residential life at Reed is designed to bring people together: the kitchen forms the heart of the Co-ops; an international Fulbright Scholar lives in the Arabic Culture House; students live together in "neighborhoods" arranged by class year to develop lasting bonds as they continue through their Reed experience.
#3 in Unique Traditions, Unigo 2013
It began on a misty night in 1913 when a group of Reedies from Doyle House snatched a concrete owl and gave it a lofty new perch high atop Old Dorm Block. Ever since, the Doyle Owl has been pursued, defended, and brandished.
Mountain Hideaway. Just 90 minutes from campus, Reed's ski cabin on Mount Hood is a great place to unwind with friends after a day exploring the mountain.
ADVENTURE. Reed's Gray Fund provides students with cost-free cultural, social, and recreational opportunities—from barn dancing and white water rafting to hot-air balloons and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Portland. The big city that feels like a small town, the urban center that looks like a forested garden. Take Trimet (Portland's public transit system) to head downtown or go by bike to explore food carts, concert venues, vintage stores, galleries, and museums.
Top 25 in Outdoor Adventures, Outside magazine 2014
LIFE AFTER REED
The fellowship of Reed—the traditions in which you participate, the academic milestones you achieve, and the relationships you form here—is yours for a lifetime.
Young Alumni
"At Reed, I learned that asking a good question is more important than—and often just as difficult as—coming up with a good answer. Developing that ability to tackle a problem head on, sideways, upside down, and backward has been essential to my success after Reed, first as a PhD student and now as a researcher in the software industry." —Zan Goldblatt Clark ’07
Nisma Elias ’12 / Economics
Economist at the Ministry of Education, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Zan Goldblatt Clark ’07 / Religion
Anthropologist at Adobe, San Francisco.
Georgia Kirkpatrick '08 / Biology
Owner and Designer at Silvania, her Portland-based, Peruvian-inspired clothing line.
Suraj Pant '12 / Economics
Research Analyst at the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy in New Delhi.
Ranked Percentage Of Graduates Who Go On To Earn Doctorates
Reed is ranked:
- 4th in percentage of graduates who earned doctorates in all disciplines
- 2nd in percentage of graduates who earned doctorates in the humanities
- 3rd in percentage of graduates who earned doctorates in the physical sciences
- 3rd in percentage of graduates who earned doctorates in the social sciences
Love Reed.
You will gain wisdom, join a stronghold of griffins, and graduate from Reed prepared to make your own exuberant difference in the world.
Learn more.
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