College of the Week

Each week, Mrs. Nilsen will provide insight into unique college options for learners and families. The source is the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2019, an annual comprehensive catalog of diverse universities here in California and nationwide, Colleges That Change Lives, and 50 Colleges that Create Futures.

THIS WEEK: Rhodes College

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Enrollment: 2,032

Acceptance Rate: 47%

DETAILS: Since 1848, Rhodes College has been instilling the timeless values of truth and honor in Southern sons and daughters, and today increasing numbers of learners from the rest of the country are discovering its charms. The school’s honor code means exams are not proctored and backpacks are left unattended in the cafeteria. Its small size gives everyone an opportunity to take on leadership roles in campus clubs and organizations, and people are generally friendly. Throw in the college’s proximity to Memphis’s world-famous Beale Street, barbecue, and the blues, and it’s clear that Rhodes offers a winning combination. “Rhodes students are generally fun-loving people with passions for academic advancement and community engagement,” says a senior.

To receive a Rhodes degree, learners must demonstrate proficiency in 12 areas that form the foundation of the liberal arts. These include being able to critically examine questions of meaning and value, developing excellence in written communication, and understanding how historical forces have shaped human cultures. A new, yearlong First Year Experience course is also required of freshmen.

Rhodes is especially strong in the natural and social sciences, thanks to labs with state-of-the-art equipment. Business is the most popular major, followed by biology, psychology, English, and neuroscience. Educational studies is the newest major available. Aside from traditional lecture-style classes, the college offers seminars, honors programs, one-on-one Directed Inquiry tutorials, and interdisciplinary majors. Rhodes is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South, and it participates in a second degree program for engineers with Washington University in St. Louis. The academic climate at Rhodes is “demanding and challenging,” according to one learner.