mwgstan
Jan 10, 2011
Undergraduate / "nothing more than to be a Reedie" - Why Reed College supplemental [3]
Critiques, please! Be as harsh as you like~
And the prompt is...Why Reed?
How did you first become interested in Reed, and why do you think Reed would be an appropriate place, both academically and socially, to continue your education? This essay is instrumental in helping the admission committee determine the match between you and Reed, so please be thorough.
Do you think I addressed the prompt thoroughly enough? I feel...eh about this essay around the ending. Anything I should speak to that I didn't do enough of here already (Should I have talked more about myself)? I also made a more than a few references to Reed-specific things...was that a good idea? Things to think about...Here it is now!
Why not Reed?
To me, Reed embodies the idea of something new, something unique, something out of the ordinary.
I believe it all started with a seemingly innocuous campus visit one fine spring day. As our good-natured tour leader pointed out to us the various sights and sounds Reed had to offer, from the Canyon, to the shelves that harbored vast multitudes of past Senior theses, to the nuclear reactor, and to the passing students singing the praises of being a Reedie, I was, to say the least, intrigued. As he described a smattering of Reed traditions, such as Renn Fayre, Doyle the owl, and a play put on by freshmen based loosely on the Humanities 110 curriculum, that was it: I was captivated.
From that visit, I drew two conclusions; firstly, I felt that the spirit in Reed was different - in a good way, of course - that Reed was a place where ideas and academics were prized. However, I understood that beyond that, another creative spirit was all but suppressed. Thus, it was a spirit that sought knowledge, but also looked to find the fun in the search. Enthusiastically academic, but never pedantic, this is how I see Reed, and this is what I love about Reed.
In Psychology class, we would say that Reedies are intrinsically motivated, driven by an interest in acquiring knowledge. To choose the liberal arts education that Reed offers, I believe this must be true. It struck me that at Reed especially, the tenet that education should be broad was more than a simple notion, it was a creed (especially after learning of Paideia). This is what I'm after. That wealth of knowledge that awaits, broad, expansive, and diverse, draws me to Reed. Sciences, humanities, foreign languages, math and more - all so worthy of attention. There is nothing I love as much as such diversity. As of right now, I'm uncertain as to what I want to do besides absorb as much information until my head bursts at the seams. But, by a liberal arts education, I'll have the opportunity to explore my curiosities, find a calling, and become a balanced individual in the process.
Oh, and another thing - I love a challenge. With the academic rigor on one hand, and the plethora of opportunities available in the form of clubs and otherwise on the other, I'll be hard pressed to find time in the day. Nevertheless, I accept your challenge!
I would love nothing more than to be a Reedie. The vibe I get when I'm at Reed is one that has my intuition telling me, "here! Pay attention! You can learn more than you already thought you could if you keep your eyes and ears open!" If my gut has anything to say about it, Reed is the place for me.
Critiques, please! Be as harsh as you like~
And the prompt is...Why Reed?
How did you first become interested in Reed, and why do you think Reed would be an appropriate place, both academically and socially, to continue your education? This essay is instrumental in helping the admission committee determine the match between you and Reed, so please be thorough.
Do you think I addressed the prompt thoroughly enough? I feel...eh about this essay around the ending. Anything I should speak to that I didn't do enough of here already (Should I have talked more about myself)? I also made a more than a few references to Reed-specific things...was that a good idea? Things to think about...Here it is now!
Why not Reed?
To me, Reed embodies the idea of something new, something unique, something out of the ordinary.
I believe it all started with a seemingly innocuous campus visit one fine spring day. As our good-natured tour leader pointed out to us the various sights and sounds Reed had to offer, from the Canyon, to the shelves that harbored vast multitudes of past Senior theses, to the nuclear reactor, and to the passing students singing the praises of being a Reedie, I was, to say the least, intrigued. As he described a smattering of Reed traditions, such as Renn Fayre, Doyle the owl, and a play put on by freshmen based loosely on the Humanities 110 curriculum, that was it: I was captivated.
From that visit, I drew two conclusions; firstly, I felt that the spirit in Reed was different - in a good way, of course - that Reed was a place where ideas and academics were prized. However, I understood that beyond that, another creative spirit was all but suppressed. Thus, it was a spirit that sought knowledge, but also looked to find the fun in the search. Enthusiastically academic, but never pedantic, this is how I see Reed, and this is what I love about Reed.
In Psychology class, we would say that Reedies are intrinsically motivated, driven by an interest in acquiring knowledge. To choose the liberal arts education that Reed offers, I believe this must be true. It struck me that at Reed especially, the tenet that education should be broad was more than a simple notion, it was a creed (especially after learning of Paideia). This is what I'm after. That wealth of knowledge that awaits, broad, expansive, and diverse, draws me to Reed. Sciences, humanities, foreign languages, math and more - all so worthy of attention. There is nothing I love as much as such diversity. As of right now, I'm uncertain as to what I want to do besides absorb as much information until my head bursts at the seams. But, by a liberal arts education, I'll have the opportunity to explore my curiosities, find a calling, and become a balanced individual in the process.
Oh, and another thing - I love a challenge. With the academic rigor on one hand, and the plethora of opportunities available in the form of clubs and otherwise on the other, I'll be hard pressed to find time in the day. Nevertheless, I accept your challenge!
I would love nothing more than to be a Reedie. The vibe I get when I'm at Reed is one that has my intuition telling me, "here! Pay attention! You can learn more than you already thought you could if you keep your eyes and ears open!" If my gut has anything to say about it, Reed is the place for me.