Why this Portland college rejects traditional grades and the U.S. News ranking system
In short: Reed College in Oregon is a private liberal arts institution that famously de-emphasizes letter grades in favor of narrative evaluations. Founded in 1908, the college rejects the traditional Ivy League model, instead prioritizing intense academic rigor, independent inquiry, and a mandatory senior thesis for every undergraduate student.
Reed College, located in Portland, Oregon, was established in 1908 as a private, nonsectarian, and coeducational institution. Its founders, Simeon Gannett Reed and Amanda Reed, envisioned a school that stood in stark contrast to the prevailing Ivy League model, intentionally omitting varsity athletics, fraternities, and exclusive social clubs. Today, the college maintains a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and serves approximately 1,300 undergraduates. The campus is centered around a forested canyon and features Tudor-Gothic architecture, housing facilities that include the Reed Research Reactor, which supports undergraduate education and research.
The academic culture at Reed is defined by its commitment to intellectual depth. Students are required to complete a yearlong senior thesis, and grades are largely de-emphasized in favor of detailed written feedback. This approach extends to the college's institutional philosophy; in 1995, Reed became the first U.S. college to refuse participation in U.S. News & World Report rankings, citing concerns over data manipulation. Investigations by students have suggested that the college’s rankings were potentially devalued as a result of this non-participation. Despite this, Reed remains a top producer of PhDs, particularly in the natural sciences, history, and philosophy.
Reed has a history of intense political engagement and student activism. During the 1950s, the college faced internal turmoil when President Duncan Ballantine fired Marxist philosopher Stanley Moore for refusing to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee, a decision for which the administration later expressed formal regret. More recently, in 2016, students formed the group Reedies Against Racism, leading to protests that targeted the mandatory freshman humanities curriculum and the college's financial ties to Wells Fargo. These events, which included lecture disruptions and a contentious sit-in, eventually contributed to the 2018 resignation of President John Kroger.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Reed College
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