How to get into Rhodes College
How to get into Rhodes: a small Memphis liberal arts college with the Bonner Scholars service pipeline and St. Jude integration
50.3%
Acceptance rate
$57,110
In-state cost
What makes Rhodes College admissions different
Rhodes College is a small (~1,800 undergrad) private liberal arts college in Memphis, TN, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The campus is built in collegiate Gothic architecture and the location in Memphis provides distinctive opportunities — direct research and clinical integration with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (a partnership unique to Rhodes), urban-immersion service through the Bonner Scholars program, and a strong music recording and Memphis-culture program tied to the city's history. The Bonner Scholars Program is one of the more meaningful service-learning scholarship pipelines in the South. Rhodes runs binding ED and EA, and ED provides a real admit-rate bump.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply Early Decision I (Nov 1) or Early Decision II (Jan 15) if Rhodes is your clear top choice. ED is binding and provides a meaningful admit-rate bump.
- 2.
Apply Early Action (Nov 15) for non-binding early decision and merit consideration. Most strong applicants apply ED or EA.
- 3.
Apply for the Bonner Scholars Program through the Bonner supplemental application (separate application by the Bonner deadline). Bonner Scholars receive merit aid plus a service stipend and join a multi-year service cohort.
- 4.
Apply for institutional merit awards (Bellingrath, Cambridge, Buckman) — these are competitive named scholarships awarded from the admit pool with separate consideration.
- 5.
Write the 'why Rhodes' supplement around the Memphis location, the St. Jude partnership (for biology/pre-med applicants), the Presbyterian liberal-arts model, or a specific Rhodes program (Search, the urban studies program, the Mike Curb Institute for Music).
- 6.
Maintain a strong GPA in rigorous coursework. Rhodes has been test-optional and the policy continues; submit SAT 1310+ / ACT 30+ if scores reinforce.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Missing the Bonner Scholars deadline. Bonner is a separate application track and missing it forecloses one of the most meaningful service-and-aid combinations at a Southern liberal arts college.
- ✕
Applying RD when ED would have worked. Rhodes's ED bump is meaningful.
- ✕
Writing a 'why Rhodes' supplement that's about Memphis BBQ or Beale Street. The supplement is read for academic specificity — name a program, a partnership, or a curricular feature.
- ✕
Underestimating the St. Jude integration value for pre-med applicants. Rhodes is one of a few liberal arts colleges with formal research integration with a top pediatric research hospital — name it if applicable.
The specifics for Rhodes College
Application deadlines
- Early Decision I2025-11-01Binding.
- Early Action2025-11-15Non-binding.
- Early Decision II2026-01-15Binding.
- Regular Decision2026-01-15
- Bonner Scholars applicationVariesSeparate Bonner supplemental application — verify the deadline on the Bonner page.
What makes this admissions process distinctive
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital partnership ↗
Rhodes has a formal research and internship partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — a unique pre-med and biomedical-research integration for a small liberal arts college.
Bonner Scholars Program
A multi-year service-and-scholarship program. Bonner Scholars receive merit aid plus a service stipend and join a multi-year service cohort.
Memphis location and urban-engagement programs
Rhodes's location in midtown Memphis enables urban-immersion service through the Bonner program, the Memphis Music Initiative, and the Mike Curb Institute for Music. The location is the institutional differentiator from peer liberal arts colleges.
What graduates actually do
Rhodes is a small liberal arts college in Memphis, with strong pre-med outcomes anchored by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital across the street and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center two miles away. Graduates feed Memphis healthcare and the Vanderbilt/Emory/Tulane med-school pipeline, along with Nashville banking and law. The Mike Curb Institute for Music documents Memphis blues and soul heritage. Strong Fulbright and Watson Fellowship outcomes.
Notable alumni
- Abigail Spanberger — Former U.S. Congresswoman from Virginia
- Claudia Rankine — MacArthur Fellow poet
- Roger Holland — Olympic gold medalist
- Jeanette Catsoulis — New York Times film critic
Transfer pathway
Rhodes accepts a small number of transfer students each year, with a 3.0+ GPA expectation. The college honors credits from regionally accredited institutions and has informal articulation with Southwest Tennessee Community College and other Memphis-area CCs. Transfer merit aid is prorated by remaining semesters.
Articulation partners
Southwest Tennessee Community College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App (supplements re-verified this pass). Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
Rhodes rewards applicants who apply ED, apply for Bonner in parallel, and write a Memphis-specific supplement. Strong-stat applicants with specific supplements are competitive. RD applicants with generic supplements compete in a smaller pool.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.