Reed College

Reasonably hard, and harder than the acceptance rate alone suggests. Reed admitted about 29% of roughly 9,600 applicants in its most recent cycle, but the pool is heavily self-selecting toward students who want an intense, academically focused experience. Enrolled first-years averaged a 4.00 high school GPA, and Reed weighs the rigor of your course load, your grades, and your writing as the most important parts of the application.

No. Reed is test-blind, which means it will not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission even if you submit them. Your application instead rests on your transcript, the rigor of your courses, your essays, and your recommendations. International applicants whose schooling was not in English are still encouraged to submit an English-proficiency test such as TOEFL or IELTS.

Aim for a transcript near the top of your class. Reed's enrolled first-years averaged a 4.00 high school GPA, and about 51% ranked in the top tenth of their graduating class among the minority who reported a rank. There is no formal cutoff, but because Reed is test-blind, your grades and the rigor of your course load carry even more weight than they would at a school that also reviews test scores.

Reed is known for an intense, intellectually serious academic culture. Every first-year takes the same year-long Humanities 110 course, every senior writes a thesis, and the college sends an unusually high share of graduates on to earn PhDs, especially in the sciences and humanities. Classes stay small, at roughly 8 students per faculty member, and the biological and social sciences are among the most-conferred degrees.

Yes to both. Reed offers two binding Early Decision rounds (ED I and ED II) for students who are certain Reed is their first choice, plus a nonbinding, non-restrictive Early Action option. Early Action lets you apply early and hear back sooner without committing, while Early Decision is a binding agreement to enroll if you are admitted.

Tuition and required fees run about $74,270 for the year, with food and housing adding roughly $18,470 more. Reed meets 100% of demonstrated financial need: about 64% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, and the average aid package for students with need is around $61,086.

The biological sciences lead at about 17% of bachelor's degrees, followed closely by the social sciences at 16% and English at 11%. Psychology, foreign languages and literature, and the visual and performing arts round out the most common fields. Reed is strong across the sciences and humanities alike, which shows up in its high rate of graduates pursuing doctoral study.

Yes, a great deal. Reed rates the application essay as a very important factor, on the same level as your GPA and the rigor of your transcript, and above interviews or recommendations. Because Reed is test-blind and draws applicants who genuinely want its discussion-based classes, your writing is one of the clearest ways to show you fit that culture.

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