First-year Applicants - Admission & Aid

Platforms

Reed College accepts applications from two platforms: the Common Application and the Coalition for College. Applicants may only submit one application per year and may select from either of these platforms. Neither of these applications is favored in the admission decision process. Finally, Reed will neither require nor use testing results from the SAT or ACT in our admission review for the fall 2025 cycle.

Common Application

The Common Application is a consortium of more than 900 colleges and universities. Each year, over 5.5 million applications are submitted using the Common Application. If applying using this method, students will be required to submit the Common Application, which includes a personal essay and a Reed writing supplement.

Start a Common Application

Coalition Application

The Coalition for College is powered by Scoir and brings together over 150 public and private institutions that share the mission of making the college search and application process more accessible. Reed is proud to be a founding member of the Coalition and is dedicated to ensuring that all students have access to an affordable, supportive, and transformative college experience. On the Scoir platform, students will find a free suite of online tools to search for colleges and collaborate with their supporters.

If applying via the Coalition for College, students will be required to submit the Coalition Application and a Reed writing supplement.

Start a Coalition Application on Scoir

Requirements

First-Year Application Requirements

Common Application	Coalition Application
Personal essay	No personal essay
Reed writing supplement	Reed writing supplement
School report (completed by your counselor)	School report (completed by your counselor)
Counselor recommendation	Counselor recommendation
Official high school transcripts	Official high school transcripts
Official college transcripts (for any college you have attended, whether or not you want credit for those courses at Reed)	Official college transcripts (for any college you have attended, whether or not you want credit for those courses at Reed)
Two teacher evaluations (from two different academic disciplines; must be different from the counselor recommendation, as well)	Two teacher evaluations (from two different academic disciplines; must be different from the counselor recommendation, as well)
Self-reported SAT or ACT scores if available (neither will be used in our evaluation)	Self-reported SAT or ACT scores if available (neither will be used in our evaluation)
Early Decision Agreement (ED I and ED II applicants only, must be signed by the applicant, parent/guardian, and high school counselor)	Early Decision Agreement (ED I and ED II applicants only, must be signed by the applicant, parent/guardian, and high school counselor)

Additional information for international applicants

Reed Writing Supplement

As part of your application, Reed College requests a writing supplement of up to 500 words. The writing supplement may be submitted via the Common or Coalition Application or emailed to admission@reed.edu. In your supplement, we ask that you address the following question:

For one week at the end of January, Reed students upend the traditional classroom hierarchy and teach classes about any topic they love, academic or otherwise. This week is known as Paideia after the Greek term signifying “education”—the complete education of mind, body and spirit. What would you teach that would contribute to the Reed community?

Testing Requirements

Reed will neither require nor use testing results from the SAT or ACT in our admission review for the fall 2025 cycle.

Results of additional tests, such as Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) may be submitted for Reed credits upon enrollment.

Taking either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing Service assessment (IELTS), or Duolingo is strongly encouraged for international students who do not speak English at home or attend a school where the language of instruction is not English. The average internet-based TOEFL score for international students entering Reed is 110.

Reed College test code

TOEFL 4654

Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision

Most students apply to college through Early Action (EA) or Regular Decision (RD). Students can apply Regular Decision to as many schools as they would like, and in most cases can do the same with Early Action unless they are applying to a school with a Restrictive Early Action policy. The deadline for EA applications is November 1, with offers of admission sent out in early February. The deadlines for RD applications is January 15, with offers of admission sent out by April 1.

First-year applicants for whom Reed is their first-choice college may apply under our binding Early Decision (ED) plan. Students may submit an ED application to only one institution, although they may submit Early Action or Regular Decision applications to other institutions. If admitted to Reed under the ED plan, students are expected to withdraw all EA and RD applications to other colleges and to initiate no new applications.

Reed offers two timelines for ED; the only differences between applying ED I and ED II are the application deadline and notification dates. Traditionally, about 30 percent of Reed’s incoming class will enter through Early Decision. Students who want to choose between multiple offers of admission and financial aid should apply through the Early Action or Regular Decision plan.

International applicants may apply under any of the plans: EA, ED I, ED II, or RD.
If you are denied as an EA, ED I, or ED II candidate, you may not submit another application (RD) for the same year.

Application Deadlines

	Early Decision I	Early Decision II	Early Action	Regular Decision
Applications Due	November 1	December 20	November 1	January 15
Decisions Mailed	December	February	February	April 1
Reply Date	Within 2 weeks of admission	Within 2 weeks of admission	May 1	May 1
Suggested Interview Deadline	November 15	December 31	December 1	February 1

Why Early Decision?

What is Early Decision (ED)?

Early Decision (ED) is an application round that allows you to share your excitement about Reed by telling us that, if admitted, you commit to enrolling in the fall.
You can apply for Early Decision by choosing an ED round in the Common or Coalition Application and submitting an ED agreement signed by trusted advisers—a parent or guardian and your school counselor.

Why apply ED?

Your ED application is the strongest way to indicate your interest and passion for Reed. Your enthusiasm is important to admission professionals, and an ED application shows us you are serious about joining our community.
- Early Decision students embody what a past student body president said about her experience at Reed: “I found a community that embraced me. I wanted to embrace it back.”
Complete the college application process by November 1 (ED I) or December 20 (ED II) and enjoy the rest of your senior year with less stress.
If you are admitted to Reed, your ED application guarantees that you will get your first or second choice of residence hall.
The admission rate for ED applicants is higher than other application rounds.
- Why? It comes down to mutual enthusiasm. We want to bring students to Reed who are excited about being part of this community. Those students tend to be highly involved on campus, furthering the vitality and culture of Reed.

Facts about Early Decision at Reed

Early Decision candidates are twice as likely to gain admission.
Students admitted in the Early Decision round have the same academic preparation and qualifications as admitted students in other decision rounds. We look for the same qualities in an ED student as we would in a non-ED student when evaluating an application.
You are welcome to submit applications to other colleges (though you may not apply Early Decision to more than one school). If you are admitted to Reed, you are expected to withdraw your other college applications.
Every year, around 95% of admitted Early Decision students affirm their agreements and enroll at Reed.

What about financial aid for ED applicants?

The financial aid process, from the evaluation of need to the awarding of aid, is the same for Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision.
Reed meets 100% of the demonstrated need for all admitted students and families. Our financial aid is robust and generous.
Our financial aid office will work with you to make sure the information you provide is complete and accurate.
If you apply for financial aid and the offer is not feasible for your family, the first step is to talk to the financial aid office to discuss your options and ensure that the information you entered is accurate. You will be released from the ED agreement if the financial aid package doesn’t meet your family’s expectations.
The Quick Cost Estimator can give you a ballpark estimate, before you apply, of what your family might be expected to contribute.

I’m on the fence about making this decision. What are a few ways I can get more information about Reed?

Think about what information you need to make this critical decision. It usually falls into three categories: academic program, community, and shared values.
You can learn more about academics at Reed by exploring our major-related pages, browsing faculty profiles, and reading about students’ senior theses.
Reed’s vibrant campus life is student-built and student-governed. With an active student group scene, events and outings, traditions like Paideia, and our setting in Portland, your college experience will be shaped by the campus and the local community.
Honor. Inclusivity. Intellectual inquiry. Our shared values bring Reedies together and make Reed what it is.

What are my next steps?

Select Early Decision I or II as your application round in the Common or Coalition Application.
Submit your application by November 15 (ED I) or December 20 (ED II).
Early Decision I applicants will receive their decision in December; Early Decision II applicants will receive their decision in February.
Discuss your intention to apply Early Decision with your family and school counselor.
Submit the Early Decision Agreement through the Common or Coalition Application. Your parent or guardian and school counselor will also sign the agreement form.
If you intend to apply for financial aid, submit your FAFSA and CSS Profile by the Early Decision deadline.

How can I get more guidance on whether Early Decision is right for me?

Your admission counselor would be happy to talk with you, your family, and your counselor about applying Early Decision. You can email admission@reed.edu to be connected with your admission counselor.
You should also connect with your family and college counselor—people who know you very well and can help you think about whether Reed and ED are a good match for what you’re looking for in college and how you want to apply.
If you’d like to speak with Reedies who applied Early Decision, we’ll put you in touch. Current students can talk with you about their application and decision-making process and help you think through yours. To connect with current students about their choice to apply Early Decision (or anything else!), you can email writeareedie@reed.edu.

Credit Toward Graduation

AP, IB, and College Credit

If you have taken Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or college courses during secondary school, we view this as significant evidence of your academic preparation. In some cases, incoming students may receive credit toward graduation for work completed before enrollment at Reed.

Students graduating from dual enrollment high school programs are considered first-year applicants to Reed, not transfer applicants.

First-Year Student College Credit Guide

Incoming students may receive credit toward graduation for work completed before enrollment at Reed.

Most transfer credit is granted through

successful completion of course work at accredited colleges and universities;
performance on the College Board's Advanced Placement exams;
internationally recognized academic programs, such as the International Baccalaureate, Abitur, or GCE A-levels.

Credit at Reed is based on a unit system. One Reed unit is the equivalent of four semester hours or six quarter hours from another institution.

Students may receive no more than 8 total units of pre-matriculation credit. Those 8 units may be from regular college courses, exam credit, or a combination of both. The successful transfer of pre-matriculation credit does not affect class standing at Reed. Students who successfully transfer pre-matriculation credit are still classified as first-year students and held to the Humanities 110 requirement.

Students who have attended college full time should consult the admission office's transfer guide for a more detailed description of transferring to Reed.

Dual Enrollment: Courses Completed at Other Institutions

Pre-matriculation credit is credit earned for academic work prior to enrolling at an institution of higher education. It includes:

College courses completed while in high school or as a non-degree-seeking student after high school graduation but prior to matriculating at Reed. These courses must appear on an official transcript from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution and meet Reed’s standards for transfer, and with a grade of C- or better. The Registrar shall be empowered to apply the credit for these courses toward Reed’s group and division requirements. Department or program committee approval is required to apply these courses toward major and minor requirements.

Advanced Placement Credit: College Board AP Exams

Approval of AP credit varies from department to department; however, all those granting credit require scores of 4 or 5.
Credit for AP tests will apply toward the 30 units of academic credit needed for graduation, but cannot be used to meet any other Reed College requirement.
Students are generally awarded one unit of credit for each AP exam.
No student may receive more than a total credit of eight units by means of AP or other exams.

Departmental Policies - AP Exams

African American Studies For scores of 4 and 5, one unit of credit is granted. Students are considered individually for admission to advanced classes.

Art, History For scores of 4 and 5, one unit of credit is granted. Students are considered individually for admission to advanced classes.

Art, Studio/Portfolio For scores of 4 and 5, one unit of credit is granted. Students are considered individually for admission to advanced classes.

Biology/Environmental Science One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 and 5 on the biology and environmental science exams. There is no advanced placement, however, because the department believes that all biology students should be exposed to the instructors, concepts, and methods in Reed's first-year, team-taught course.

Chemistry Chemistry 101 and 102 are required for the chemistry major at Reed, regardless of any AP or IB experience in high school. While AP preparation is a valuable previous exposure to chemistry, our Chemistry 101 and 102 sequence is quite distinct and subsequent courses build on this foundation.

Students who have earned a score of 4 or 5 on the AP chemistry exam will receive one unit of college credit. As outlined above, students planning to continue their education in chemistry at Reed will complete both chemistry 101 and 102. At this point, the AP credit will be rescinded.

Chinese, Language and Culture One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5. Course placement is based on the exam administered by the department before registration in the fall.

Computer Science One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5 on either the computer science A or AB exam. A student may not receive credit for both the AP test and Computer Science 121.

Economics, Micro/Macro One-half unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 and 5 for either or both of the economics exams. Advanced placement, however, is not granted on the basis of the AP exam, but is determined instead by a placement exam administered by the department before registration in the fall semester.

English, Language/Literature One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5 on the literature exam. No credit is granted for the language exam. Generally, first-year students are not eligible to take a 200-level English course, and 300-level courses are closed to first-year students, regardless of AP credit.

French, Language/Literature One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5 on either or both French exams. Course placement is based on an exam administered by the department before registration in the fall.

German, Language One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5. Placement is determined in consultation with faculty members and through an exam administered by the department before registration in the fall.

Government & Politics, United States/Comparative For each exam on which a student earns a score of 4 or 5, one unit of credit will be granted. This credit may not be used for group, divisional, or departmental requirements but may serve to satisfy prerequisites. Petitions must be received by the department by the end of the student's sophomore year. Read more information on prerequisites.

History, United States/European/World One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5 on any of the history exams. Advanced placement is not relevant, as the history program is not sequentially arranged and the department does not offer courses on the AP model. First-year students may enroll in upper-division (300-level) history courses only by the consent of the instructor. A student may not receive more than two units of AP history credit.

Human Geography One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5 on the human geography exam.

Japanese, Language and Culture One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5.

Latin One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5. A student may not receive credit both for the AP test and for the corresponding course at Reed. Placement is determined by an exam administered by the department before registration in the fall semester.

Mathematics, Calculus AB/BC One unit of credit is granted for the score of 5 on the AB exam, or scores of 4 or 5 on the BC exam. Credit will not be granted for both of the calculus exams. A student may not receive credit for both the AP test and Math 111. Placement is determined in consultation with faculty members. Reed does not grant credit for the Calculus AB Subgrade.

Music, Theory One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5. Placement in Theory I or II is determined by an exam administered by the department before registration in the fall.

Physics, B, 1, 2 (non-calculus)/C (calculus) Credit is not granted for the physics 1, 2, or B exams. For scores of 4 or 5 on the physics C exam (mechanics or electricity and magnetism), one unit of credit is granted for either or both. Students who wish to pursue physics at Reed are expected to enroll in Physics 101/102 or seek advanced placement by speaking with their academic advisers and physics faculty during orientation.

Precalculus No credit is granted for the precalculus exam.

Psychology One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5. There is no advanced placement, however, as previous work in psychology may not be substituted for the introductory or core courses at Reed.

Research No credit is granted for the research exam.

Seminar No credit is granted for the seminar exam.

Spanish, Language/Literature One unit of credit is granted for scores of 4 or 5 on either or both Spanish tests. Placement is determined by an exam administered by the department before registration in the fall; results of the AP and achievement tests, when available, are also considered.

Statistics No credit is granted for the statistics exam.

International Baccalaureate

Credit for IB tests will be granted for Higher Level (HL) exams. With very few exceptions, no credit is granted for Standard Level (SL) work.
Approval of IB credit varies from department to department; however most of those granting credit require a grade of 5 or higher.
Credit for IB exams will apply toward the 30 units of academic credit needed for graduation, but cannot be used to meet any other Reed College requirement.

Departmental Policies - IB Exams

Anthropology

World Cultures: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, two units of credit will be granted. No advanced placement is offered.

Social and Cultural Anthropology: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, two units of credit will be granted. No advanced placement is offered.

Arts

Design Technology: There is no credit or advanced placement granted because this is a design course, not an art course.

Visual Arts: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, two units of credit will be granted. No advanced placement is offered.

Biology

Biology: For grades of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are granted. There is no advanced placement because the department believes that all biology students should be exposed to the instructors, concepts, and methods in Reed's first-year, team-taught course.

Chemistry

Chemistry: For grades of 6 or 7 on the HL exam, 1 unit of credit is granted. Students in this category may obtain placement out of the Chemistry 102 lecture if they receive an A or A- in Chem 101. For grades of 6 or 7 on the SL exam, 1 unit of credit is granted. However no advanced placement opportunity exists for students in this category. Students can only receive two units of credit for some combination of Chem 101, 102, and AP/IB credit.

Dance

Dance: For grades of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are granted. Placement into studio dance classes will be assessed based on prior experience.

Economics

Business Management: No credit is awarded for this exam.

Economics: For grades of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are granted. If a student receiving these credits takes Econ 201, 1 of these credits is rescinded. Advanced placement is not granted on the basis of the IB exam, but is determined instead by a placement exam administered by the department before registration in the fall semester.

Information Technology in a Global Society: No credit is awarded for this exam.

Environmental Studies

Environmental Systems and Societies: No credit is awarded for this exam.

Geography

Geography: No credit is awarded for this exam.

Government and Politics

Global Politics: For grades of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are granted.

Greek, Latin, and Ancient Mediterranean Studies

Classical Languages: For grades of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are granted. Students who took the IB Latin program will need to take the corresponding placement exam before registration in the fall semester.

History

History: For grades of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are granted. Advanced placement is not relevant, as the history program is not sequentially arranged. First-year students may enroll in upper-division (300-level) history courses only by the consent of the instructor.

Literature and Languages

Language and Literature: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, two units of credit will be granted.

Lang B Acquisition: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, two units of credit will be granted. Students are expected to take placement exams to determine appropriate course level at Reed.

Lang A Literature: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, two units of credit will be granted.

Film: For grades of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are granted.

Literature and Performance

Literature and Performance: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. No advanced placement is offered.

Mathematics

Mathematical Studies (SL): No credit is awarded.

Application and Interpretation (HL): For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. A student may not receive credit for both the IB exam and Math 111. Placement is determined in consultation with faculty members.

Analysis & Approaches (HL): For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. A student may not receive credit for both the IB exam and Math 111. Placement is determined in consultation with faculty members.

Music

Music: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. However, if a student takes Music 111, one credit will be rescinded. Students can consult faculty for appropriate placement.

Philosophy

Philosophy: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. No advanced placement is offered.

Physics

Physics: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. The physics department does not allow students to use AP or IB courses to place out of the introductory physics sequence. Students seeking advanced placement should speak with physics faculty during orientation.

Psychology

Psychology: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. No advanced placement is offered.

Religion

Islamic History: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. Students may fulfill the 100-level Islam course prerequisites and may take 300-level Islam courses with instructor consent.

World Religions: No credit is awarded.

Theatre

Theatre: For scores of 5 or higher on the HL exam, 2 units of credit are awarded. No advanced placement is offered. These units may not be used towards departmental requirements or production work.

Abitur and GCE A-levels

Students who have successfully completed internationally recognized programs that typically surpass the standard American high school curriculum (such as the Abitur and the GCE A-levels) may be eligible for Reed College credit.

Given the variety of curricula and quality of work completed within these programs, a student's academic standing will be determined individually.

The student applies to Reed as a regular first-year student. Upon matriculation, the student provides full curriculum information to the registrar's office for reference in academic advising. A final credit evaluation is made by the end of the student's first semester at Reed. Depending upon the student's progress at Reed and the extent of work completed beyond the high school curriculum, the college may grant up to one full year's credit.

College Level Examination Program

Reed does not grant credit on the basis of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or other programs of credit by exam where the exam does not reflect completion of specific course work.

The college does not grant academic credit for experiential learning programs.

Reed College Placement Examinations

At the beginning of each academic year, some departments (including music, economics, and languages) administer placement exams. These exams assist the departments in placing students at the most appropriate level based on proficiency in the subject.

Students do not receive academic units for placing out of a course.

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION: Reed College prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or familial status, military status, veteran status, genetic information, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, status as a parent, family relationship, or any other category protected by law. The college’s Title IX policy and procedures may be found on our Title IX web page. Inquiries may be directed to the college's Title IX Coordinator by email at title-ix@reed.edu, by phone at 503-517-4842, or on campus in Eliot 108A. Inquiries may also be directed to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education.