Perhaps, it was a sign from the heavens. “Ne plus ultra,” my Latin teacher repeated. I put down my pen and looked up the meaning of the Latin phrase in the handout. The phrase means “nothing more beyond” or “perfection.” I have long been trying to find a way to describe Reed so that I could explain to my parents of my intent to apply to this college. I finally found it.
After being given the opportunity to attend the Reed Overnight Multicultural Experience (ROME), I now know that Reed is truly the ne plus ultra of liberal arts education. More than that, I understood that Reed is the right place for me. I know that I want to be challenged, and the intense academic environment of Reed will satisfy my intellectual curiosity. I was especially enamored by the Humanities 110 Conference, which is equivalent to the seminar classes I have taken in my high school. I like talking, arguing, debating, analyzing, and criticizing different types of literature and art. I also like to be around people who are similar to me not because we think alike but because we all have our own convictions and ideas and we are all ready to defend our side.
Reed students have a voice, and this voice stems from their passion for what they are learning and their curiosity to understand the world around them. I believe that when you combine this with professors who are primarily dedicated to teaching undergraduates, you get a college that stimulates interesting discussions and the desire to learn for learning’s sake. When I sat in a Junior Seminar class, I also became interested with the teaching tactics of one Professor Pancho Savery as he led the class to the themes presented in Ralph Ellison’s book, “The Invisible Man.” During the afternoon tea with the Reed faculty, I talked with Prof. Pancho about the intertextuality of Frederick Douglass’ “Narrative” in “The Invisible Man.” He acknowledged the connections I had made and even told me that if I go to Reed, I will find intertextuality ten times more than the average college student…and I will love it. Prof. Pancho was very engaging, and I would really love to work with him someday, preferably at Reed.

The unique Honor Principle that guides the students’ motivations at Reed also fascinates me and draws me towards the college.
People are very accepting of each other’s differences culturally, philosophically, socio-economically, etc. Furthermore, people do not judge you for your appearance, but rather they judge you for your character.
I believe that Reed is the place where I can grow both as a student and as a human being. After all, I want to go through an intense, yet fulfilling college experience that will last a lifetime. I see Reed as something I can be part of and something that can be part of me. Ultimately, I believe my answer to the question “Why Reed?” can be summed up in just two words: why not?