Visiting colleges always provides a unique opportunity to see what the feel of the college is like, which you can't get from a website! It's a great way to meet students and faculty, see the campus buildings, including housing, have meals at their campus eateries, and learn about what the university has to offer. Here are my takeaways from those visits:
Rhodes College:
Campus: Rhodes is in the midtown part of Memphis, which is a well-established area, close to shops, restaurants, and across the street from the Memphis Zoo! Rhodes makes you feel as if you are in England, with the look of their buildings and the secluded nature of the campus. You don't feel like you're in a big city while on campus, and with approximately 2,000 students, it has a personal feel without feeling small. I love how this campus is laid out, and while confusing at first since all the buildings look alike, it has a serene feeling on campus because of how beautiful it is!
Admissions: Rhodes has both Early and Regular decision. Their Early Decision application is open and they will begin accepting students on a rolling basis until the deadline of November 15th. They have a 2nd Early Decision application that is due January 15th. The Regular Decision Deadline is January 15th. They are on the Common Application as well! Here's their full list of admissions requirements.
Application Deadlines
Early Decision I: November 1 (Notified 2 Weeks*)
Early Decision II: January 1 (Notified 2 Weeks*)
Early Action: November 15 (Notified by January 15)
Regular Decision: January 15 (Notified by March 15)
Scholarships: There are several opportunities for students to earn scholarships and fellowships at Rhodes. Here is the link for the full list of how to learn more about them!
Campus Life: One of the biggest things that stuck out to me while at Rhodes is how prevalent study abroad and internships are with the students. They have 65% of their students study abroad! Many of the students we met had done multiple programs and the possibilities were robust. Internships were also popular, with 75% of their students completing an internship and 80% doing a service project during their time at Rhodes. They are heavily focused on serving others and expanding current knowledge to real world experiences.
Other Notes:Since I stayed in the dorms, I was able to get a feel for what that was like. The nice thing is that I had a suite, so I had my own room, which was furnished with a desk and bed, and outside my room, there was a shared bathroom with 3 other girls who had their own bedrooms as well. There was also a living room and a kitchen in the suite, so everything we needed was there. There was also a commons area where we hung out a lot, which also had a kitchen. Rhodes does require students to live on campus the first two years, and there are usually 100 students or less in each residence hall, so it keeps it from being overwhelming. Rhodes felt personalized; like a place where students are encouraged to learn, speak with their professors about their interests and goals, and where students grow due to all their opportunities on campus, in the community, and abroad.
