A Rhodent Perspective

Introduction
I chose Rhodes for its small and intimate size, location in a midsize city, academic reputation, and fairly regional diverse student body. Like most, the collegiate feel of the gothic architecture played a part in my choice. Once I got here, I loved the intimacy of the community on campus-with professors, staff, my involvements, other students- and getting to explore Midtown and Downtown restaurants (I love food!). What people seem to dislike most about Rhodes is how it gets to feel really small and high school-like, how the adminstration sometimes seems to care more about the school's image than the students, that a significant portion of the students are "preppy," and for some, the dislike of Memphis. But no where is perfect, and none of these drawbacks would have changed my decision to come here.

Campus Life and Social Life
The social life is what you choose. There are plenty of parties- in dorms, frat houses, off campus houses, venues that they run buses back and forward from. A lot of students frequent bars in Midtown and on Beale downtown. Greek life is pretty big but not all consuming. A lot of Greek parties are open to the whole campus, and if you aren't Greek, in my personal experience, you may feel a little left out at the beginning but come to be glad you have the time to do other things. There are also plenty of things to do outside of partying. On the weekends, there events like outdoor movies and midnight desserts, and a lot of times they will give out free or discounted tickets to sporting events or movies. There is plenty to do in Memphis, and oftentimes people go do things in groups. Sometimes you make your strongest members just hanging out in the dorm with friends. Sports are division III, so they feel like high school. You get into everything free, but attendance isn't huge. I usually go to games where my friends are playing. Advertisement
Academics
Classes are difficult but not impossible. A lot of it depends on your major. I feel like science majors do a lot more work than the rest of us, but we do our fair share. The biggest majors are psych, bio, English, economics, and business. I really don't know of a department that people don't like. It just depends on your preference. Big departments offer more course options, while small ones are more intimate. A lot of people go to law school and med school. Our acceptance rates are high for both, and the professors will prepare you well. Most professors are wonderful- engaging in class, open to discuss things with you outside of class, and eager to get to know you. They know their stuff and explain it well. Classes involve a lot of discussion, so you are also engaging a lot withe fellow students. In some classes I feel like there are a lot of people way more intelligent than me, while others I feel the opposite, it just depends.

Student Body
More people are from the Southeast than elsewhere, but there is a good sprinking from other regions. There are a lot of Texas who tend to be full of state pride, so the rest of us enjoy giving them a hard time. The school is trying to become more racially diverse, but it is, as are most private liberal arts schools, mostly white. The school is expensive, and though a lot of people come here on scholarship, most are very well off. There is a good variety of people politically. Most people party pretty hard (but get their work done too), but there are plenty of people who don't prefer the drinking scene. The school is technically Presbyterian but not overly Christian. There are people of all religious beliefs. Getting to know people from a variety of backgrounds has deepened my experience here.

In Closing...
I like to say that the typical Rhodes student is very academically consciuos but at the same time is involved with organizations and service AND still has a social life.