Admission
International Student Guide
Applying to Reed
Financial aid
Reed community
Graduate schools
Campus activities
Off-campus resources
Canadian students
Download the international student
guide (pdf)
Applying to Reed College
Reed welcomes applications from international students whose educational interests would be served by Reed’s programs in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. The college seeks students who are well prepared academically and who are serious about a broad-based education. Admission to Reed is competitive and is based upon a close examination and comparison of credentials from many highly qualified applicants. Each international student’s application for admission is reviewed carefully by at least two Reed College admission professionals. Intellectual curiosity, academic performance, and an understanding of Reed are among the criteria used to evaluate each applicant’s candidacy.
A number of points warrant particular attention as you consider applying to Reed:
For proper evaluation, the admission committee requires full secondary school transcripts (and college or university records, if any), a description of the courses taken, and a statement of grades (or evaluations) for each course. Students studying under a system that requires examination (for example, the International Baccalaureate or the British System) are asked to submit exam results at the time of completion. Predicted results for exams that are in progress should be sent with the application. British System candidates are expected to sit for A-levels. Students who successfully complete A-Level, International Baccalaureate, Abitur, or Lycée programs may be eligible for up to one year of advanced credit from Reed. - We require results from the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I) of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) or ACT. These tests are administered September through January in most major cities throughout the world. For information and application, see the College Board website at http://collegeboard.com or the ACT website at http://www.act.org. International students should make arrangements to take the SAT I or ACT and TOEFL tests no later than December of the year before they apply and should complete their applications by the January 15 deadline.
- International applicants whose native language is not English are encouraged to submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The substance of Reed’s courses and the style in which they are conducted demand a thorough understanding of and a high degree of proficiency in the English language. The average TOEFL score for international students entering Reed is approximately 650 paper-based and 280 computer-based. For information and application log onto http://toefl.org.
- We require two teacher recommendations from two different academic areas. Although they need not be written in English, the inclusion of an accurate translation is expected.
- If you are a permanent resident of the U.S., you must submit a photocopy of your alien registration (green card) with your application.
Reed makes admission decisions on an early timetable. Early decision option I application forms must be submitted by November 15. (International citizens cannot apply for early decision option II.) Freshman application forms must be submitted by January 15; decisions are mailed from the college in late March. Occasionally an extension of the deadline is granted to overseas applicants; however, students applying for financial aid must meet the January 15 deadline in order to be considered for an award. A student applying for transfer admission must submit an application by March 1.- Corresponding by fax or email reduces the waiting period for international mail. The admission office fax number is 503/777-7553; the email address is admission@reed.edu. If you have a fax number or email address where you can receive messages, please provide us with it so that we may reach you in the most efficient manner possible.
- We ask that you supply the following information clearly labeled "Reed application supplement" and include it with your other application materials:
- Have you applied previously to Reed? If yes, when?
- To which other schools are you applying?
- "Why Reed?" In a short essay, explain how you first became interested in Reed and why you think Reed would be an appropriate place, both socially and academically, to continue your education.
Financial Aid
All financial aid at Reed is granted on the basis of demonstrated financial need. We offer no academic or athletic scholarships. Need is determined through an assessment of your family’s financial resources and ability to contribute toward the total cost of your education. This assessed family contribution is subtracted from the total cost of tuition, fees, room and board, books, incidental expenses, and a travel allowance. The amount remaining is your demonstrated financial need.
Even though Reed is an independent college, funds from the United States government provide a significant portion of a student’s financial aid package. These funds are available only to students who are U.S. citizens or have permanent resident status in the U.S. As a result, when Reed offers financial aid to international students, the entire package is composed of Reed funds. Since our funds are limited, we can only offer financial aid to approximately 15 to 25 international students each year. In a typical year, 100 to 125 qualified international freshman and transfer applicants compete for these few awards. For applicants who demonstrate need, Reed will admit only those who also receive financial aid awards. All offers of financial assistance include grants, work opportunities, and loans. Loans must be repaid to the college.
If you are requesting financial assistance
(non-Canadian citizens)
If you plan to apply for financial aid from the college, you must complete the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA), and the International Student Certification of Finances Form.
You should send the completed forms to Reed with your admission application by January 15 (March 1 for transfers). Since financial aid decisions for international students are made in early March for freshmen (early April for transfers), it is imperative that you submit your admission and financial aid forms early and urge your counselor and teachers to do likewise. Applications not completed in a timely fashion will not receive consideration for financial aid. All students who receive financial assistance or an offer of employment while attending Reed College must obtain a U.S. social security number. You may ask the nearest U.S. embassy for more information on how to get a U.S. social security number.
If you are requesting financial assistance (Canadian citizens)
If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you must complete the College Scholarship Service’s (CSS) Profile. For information about Profile applications, go to http://collegeboard.com. You must also complete the Reed financial aid form in the admission application packet. All students who receive financial assistance or an offer of employment while attending Reed College must obtain a U.S. social security number. You may ask the nearest U.S. embassy for information about how to get a U.S. social security number.
If you are not requesting financial assistance
All international citizens, including Canadian citizens and permanent residents, must submit the International Student Certification of Finances form. This form must be completed in order for a student to be issued the I-20 document needed to obtain a student visa.
Costs for the 2008-09 school year
| Tuition and fees (direct) | $38,190 |
| Room and board (direct) | $9,920 |
| Books, other incidentals (indirect) | $1,850 |
| Total | $49,960 |
Direct costs will show on your billing statement from the business office. Indirect costs are probable expenses that are not billed by the business office, but for which you will be responsible. Another indirect expense that should be considered is cost for travel, which will vary by location.
The Reed Community
At the beginning of each year, a week of orientation events helps students and their parents become acquainted with the multitude of services available to them in the Reed community. The week includes introductory sessions from academic departments, student services offices, and academic advising. A special orientation program for international students precedes the regular orientation.
Academic assistance and tutoring during the academic year are available in centers for writing, science, math, and quantitative skills. Individual tutoring is available for most classes in which students are enrolled. Information resource centers, in which students can use Apple Macintoshes and Unix systems, are open 24 hours a day. The campus has one of the most sophisticated academic computing environments among the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges.
Room and board
The residence halls at Reed offer convenient access to the school’s facilities, as well as the opportunity to make friends. In addition, the residence life office maintains a bulletin board listing available off-campus rooms, apartments, or houses.
Food service at Reed provides a variety of options for students who live on or off campus, including vegetarian meals. The Paradox Café and Paradox Lost, small coffee shops on campus, are managed by Reed students.
Health care
Staff members are available to assist students with health and counseling at the health center. All students must provide evidence of health insurance coverage or subscribe to the college’s health insurance policy. This policy is designed to help pay medical costs most likely to be incurred by college students. Off-campus referrals to physicians in the Portland area can be made through the health center.
Campus security
Reed’s beautiful, wooded campus is a very safe place to live and study. The campus security office is open 24 hours a day, operating the college switchboard and patrolling the campus. The community safety officers are certified by the State of Oregon, and are trained to assist with CPR, first aid, fire safety, and criminal investigation.
Host families
The international programs office is an important base for international students. This office coordinates the Reed College host family program, which provides ongoing contact with local families for international students. The student and the family make arrangements for visiting and for attending activities and meals together. The international programs office also coordinates opportunities for students to share their cultural perspectives within local community groups.
Jobs and careers
During orientation week, a job fair is held at which students may meet staff members from the offices on campus that hire student workers. The career services office maintains several job boards for off-campus positions, and staff advisers are very helpful in assisting students with their job search. Specific details about student visa requirements, social security, and income tax for employment will be provided for you when you enroll at Reed. The career services office also assists in job placement after you graduate.
Summer internships and jobs are available through the career services office. Recent opportunities
have included internships at:
- Princeton plasma physics lab
- Aegean Wildlife Hospital
- theatre in New York City
- Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
- Harvard biophysics department
- Coca-Cola, Madrid
- Microsoft
- UC San Diego
- Mayo Clinic
- Intel
Graduate schools
The career services office is instrumental in guiding students through the application process to graduate schools. Reed’s focus on academics and research is invaluable in preparing students for continued study. Graduate schools most frequently attended by Reed alumni seeking Ph.D.s include the University of Chicago, Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkeley, Yale, Cornell, the University of Washington, and the University of Oregon. For those seeking M.D.s, the most frequently attended medical schools are Harvard, Stanford, the University of California, Cornell, the University of Washington, and Oregon Health and Science University. The law schools most frequently attended by Reed graduates are the University of Chicago, Yale, Harvard, the UC Berkeley, and the University of Oregon.
The Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium’s Weighted Baccalaureate Origins Study revealed data on Ph.D.s granted from 1992 to 2001. This list (below) shows the top 10 institutions in the nation ranked by percentage of graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D. in selected categories.
RANKING BY ACADEMIC FIELD |
|||
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES |
MATH & COMPUTER SCIENCES |
SOCIAL SCIENCES |
ALL DISCIPLINES |
REED |
Caltech |
Swarthmore |
Caltech |
Campus activities
|
Students have many opportunities to participate in activities throughout the academic year, from attending concerts to doing volunteer work in the Portland community. Students may participate in classes and activities at the sports center, which has two gyms; an indoor pool; squash, handball, and racquetball courts; a weight room; saunas; a mat room; and dance studio. The theatre on campus also welcomes participation from students in all majors.
Off-campus resources
Reed is surrounded by residential neighborhoods. Commercial areas are within walking distance from the campus, featuring a variety of shops, grocery stores, banks, and a public library. A public bus and light-rail transit system serves Portland and nearby communities.
The Reed campus is on the east side of the Willamette River. In downtown Portland, approximately 15 minutes away on the west side of the river, are the central public library, a performing arts center, the Portland Art Museum, Portland State University, many restaurants, and a variety of businesses. Other universities and colleges are within a 30-minute ride. Portland is noted for its parks, which are a pleasure to explore. The city has demonstrated its concern for bicyclists by installing extensive stretches of bicycle lanes on most major streets.
Students may travel nationwide from downtown train and bus stations. The Portland International Airport, about 30 minutes away from the campus, can be reached by taxi, airporter service, or the local bus and light rail system.
Beginning with an optional orientation backpack trip, students may find ample opportunities to explore Oregon and the Pacific Northwest together. Within a few hours, an adventure can begin at the Pacific Ocean or in the Cascade Mountains that will give an excellent balance to the academics that constitute the foundation of the Reed experience.
