Reed / Interview
The Reed interview
Optional interview, and it carries minor weight in the decision. Here is how it works and how to prepare.
Optional interview
Optional alumni interview, ~30-45 min, virtual or in your area; conducted by Reed alumni volunteers
How to prepare for Reed
- Reed's interview is conversational and intellectual , come ready to discuss ideas, books, or problems you genuinely care about, not to recite achievements.
- Reed values authentic intellectual curiosity above polish; interviewers are looking for how you think, not what you have done.
- The Paideia tradition matters here , be prepared to discuss a question or idea that has genuinely puzzled or fascinated you, not just your extracurricular list.
- If an interview is not available in your area, declining is not penalized , Reed's holistic review places far more weight on your essays and how you engage with ideas on the page.
Practice before the real thing
Rehearse real admissions-interview questions and get an honest read on your answers, what an interviewer hears, where you sound generic, and what to sharpen. We coach you; we never script you.
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