Reed is an amazing place. The campus is one of the most beautiful, with fabulous wildlife in the Canyon, a fish ladder, etc. The administration is very nurturing of the students (much more so than New England colleges with which we are familiar). Academically, it's amazing, but very rigorous. It's not for people who aren't super smart and willing to work very hard. It's a great place for free spirits.

The campus is a very traditional, clean cut, Gothic styled buildings and is very green. I love the open spaces and the vast amount of greenery. The main buildings in the center of campus are well maintained and have excellent detail in the stone work. The dormitories are spacious, clean, private, and the common kitchen area is homey and clean. The cafeteria is small, but has a fair amount of options for the small clientele of students. I enjoyed the trails around campus, the forest areas and the river flowing through the campus is unlike many campuses. The bridge from some of the dorms to the center of campus is bouncy, so if you feel like there is an earthquake it is probably the bridge shaking.

Yes, I admit it. I graduated from Reed College 56 years ago, so I might be biased! However, I have traveled to many colleges and universities, both here and abroad, and Reed certainly has one of the most beautiful campuses of all. Of course the beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers play their part, along with the quaint "old dorm block" with its Sallyport and gargoyles, and historic Eliot Hall are a major reason for the beauty. Part of the reason also is that it is fairly small and very walkable in a couple of hours, and part is because of the unique canyon area below the upper formal campus. Years ago, before it had been restored to its natural state, when I lived off campus during the summer and used to walk through the Canyon on my way home, I could stop and pick ripe blackberries along the way. Later, when I was an adult our children took lessons in the swimming pool in the canyon and we held family picnics there. Now, that is all gone so that the Crystal Springs Creek can be restored, the dams removed, and the fish can now move up the stream and all the way to the river and onward to the ocean. It has become a truly unique place in Portland, and certainly unique as part of a college campus. If you are wandering around Reed and get hungry for lunch, the Commons (in the Gray Center overlooking the Canyon) has quite good food, with a lot of fresh seasonal choices. The prices are modest. The bookstore is also a great resource. I'm not sure if you can get borrowing privileges at the library, but you can certainly go there to browse and read. Be sure to enjoy the historic older section that houses the reading room. But let me talk about Reed as an educational institution. When I arrived at Reed back in 1954, I felt immediately at home, and I have been at home there ever since, even though I had to move away from Portland almost 50 years ago. I return whenever I can, and almost every day I have a reason to thank Reed for the wonderful education they offer. I have checked with many people who know the students of today, and although things are obviously different now, since the world is different, I'm told that the same intellectual atmosphere prevails. However, don't get the idea that Reed students don't have fun. Yes, we studied, and discussed, and wrote papers, and toiled away in the library and in various labs, but we had lots of fun, and I can tell, when I see students today, and talk with them, that it's still fun to go to Reed. It is a different type of fun than the typical frat-sorority trip, the homecoming games, the rah rah atmosphere. The sports tend to be more individual and casual. My friends did a lot of rock climbing, for instance, and folk dancing was big back in my day. A lot of it is friendships, lots of frenzied discussion on every topic imaginable, and being able to go outside the boundaries of a major to be exposed to all kinds of ideas and activities with all kinds of people.

The fee to audit a Reed College course, without a evaluations or homework critique is just $100 (2023). This is a very great value. I audited some courses at Reed and learned much more than at my Matriculated University. Strongly recommended if you are a scholar.

First time stopping by in nearly a decade. I graduated from Reed in 2004. Was bit of an emotional visit even though I've been gone in Portland several times for visits but never had the courage to stop by and then of course COVID. Always loved the campus. Didn't have much time today but snapped a few photos. First time seeing the Performing Arts Center in person.