Rhodes: the complete school report for parents
Rhodes puts the most weight on course rigor, GPA and class rank. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy, so family connections carry no weight. With a 51.5% admit rate and 64% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong.
Rhodes is officially Rhodes College. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does Rhodes actually weigh in admissions?
Rhodes rates 3 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, class rank. It does not consider 2 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Rhodes's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Rhodes rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Important |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Important |
| personal qualities | Important |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Very Important |
| demonstrated interest | Considered |
| the interview | Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Rhodes consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Rhodes consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Rhodes consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Rhodes consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Rhodes consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rhodes consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Rhodes consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Rhodes consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rhodes consider class rank?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Rhodes consider demonstrated interest?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rhodes consider an interview?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rhodes consider legacy status?
No. Rhodes does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does Rhodes consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Rhodes consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rhodes consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rhodes consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rhodes consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rhodes consider religious affiliation?
No. Rhodes does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
64% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.75 on a 4 scale, reported for 85.22% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 18.53% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 45.37% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 20.9% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 9.98% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 4.04% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.95% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.24% |
What is the Rhodes waitlist really like?
Rhodes offered a place on its waiting list to 893 applicants and 511 accepted one. 28 were ultimately admitted. That is 5.5% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Rhodes admitted 20.7% of 135 transfer applicants, against 51.5% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Rhodes reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 15 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | March 15 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | Yes |
| Early Decision deadline | November 1 |
| Early Decision II offered | Yes |
| Early Decision II deadline | January 15 |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 15 |
| Application fee | $0 |
| Fee waiver available | Not reported |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Rhodes requires 16 academic units. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | Not stated |
| Mathematics | 3 years | Not stated |
| Science | 2 years | Not stated |
| of which lab science | 2 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | Not stated |
What will Rhodes actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $28,585 a year at Rhodes after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $58,272. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 88.85% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 224 merit awards averaging $39,942 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
39% of Rhodes graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $37,203 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $231 a month in repayment. Rhodes’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Rhodes pay off?
Graduates earn a median $66,651 ten years after entering, and $48,898 at six years. 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 84% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$89,072 to $54,653, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Rhodes:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $89,072 | 23 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $83,816 | 71 |
| Political Science and Government | $77,515 | 32 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $64,958 | 16 |
| Biology, General | $60,895 | 47 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $57,062 | 24 |
| Psychology, General | $54,788 | 33 |
| Anthropology | $54,653 | 3 |
College Scorecard, by field of study.
Will my child actually graduate?
90% of first-years return for a second year. 76% graduate within four years and 81% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 86.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 81.7% of everyone else, a gap of -4.3 points.
How big are the classes?
79% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1, and 85% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
What is life at Rhodes like?
1,739 undergraduates, 66% of first-years from out of state. 95% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 80% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 26% of men join a fraternity and 32% of women a sorority. 13% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $73,395.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
- 64% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.75. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 28 of 511 who waited were admitted, about 5%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $89,072 five years out against $54,653 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Rhodes
What GPA do you need for Rhodes?
64% of enrolled students at Rhodes had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.75, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Does the Rhodes waitlist move?
511 students accepted a place on the Rhodes waiting list and 28 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Rhodes graduates earn?
Rhodes graduates earn a median $66,651 ten years after entering, and 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Rhodes
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Rhodes’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.