<p>jonri,</p>
<p>Your information is outdated/innacurate. There is no longer a state rhodes competition. It is now 16 different regional/district competitions, with two winners from each. Colleges are not capped in their number of nominees to a district, but it does not make much sense to nominate more than two, lest they compete with each other. BTW, both of the winners for district 10 this year were from Illinois and the U. of Chicago. </p>
<p>Regarding I-banking, a few of the posters above summarized it well. Just consider why most kids pursue IB internships. The rhodes selectors know this too, so there is a presumption of, shall we say, “high self interest” to be overcome, as inthebiz stated. I’m sure there is also an experience factor (perhaps less than ideal outcomes with past scholars with the IB experience?)</p>
<p>There is another factor that could be in play here: being “among the top students” may not be enough, depending on how broad the “among” pool is. The committee is not just looking for a high GPA. To win takes something beyond that, something that shows up in faculty references and word of mouth. This individual could never know how he really stacks up against the competition, but the scholarship office knows. Perhaps the IB internship is not the whole story, but is a gentle way to let the guy down?</p>
<p>Do IBs and consulting firms go after Rhodes Scholars? Of course. It starts right after winners are announced. So there is no question some end up employed there. The firms even advertise the fact.</p>