I have received a decent amount of scholarship money from both Rhodes and Sewanee, making them both equivalent to just paying out of state tuition. If I attend either of these two, then I will have the opportunity to run in college. I want to major in something environmental, such as, sustainability science or ecology. Sewanee offers more of the majors I am interested in, but Rhodes has a better cross country team. I have also heard rumors that drinking is a big part of these school’s cultures, I am not really into drinking. Also Sewanee is about a 7 hour drive, but I would have to fly to Rhodes. Which of the two schools would you recommend?
If you look up the “Southern LACs” thread, you will find a wealth of great info on both schools, including a review I posted of Rhodes after our visit at the end of last week.
Good luck!
Earthgirl, Judging from your moniker Sewanee maybe should have the edge! Have you had a chance to visit either yet? While they have some similarities, the urban/rural settings are a major difference.
Thank you! I was able to do a “VIPish” tour at Rhodes because I was a recruit, and spent the night with an older runner. At Sewanee I just did a regular tour, and I have walked the campus multiple times. I agree, the urban vs. rural feel is a major difference!
Sewanee has a major edge in environmental science because of its focus on exploiting its Domain for the benefit of the student body. That being said, I find it difficult to believe you find both equally desirable since they really are very different instutions.
@whenhen They are extremely different institutions, I couldn’t agree more. They both have their pros and cons, which I would say balance out and make choosing between them a very difficult decision.
Just out of curiosity, why can you drive 7 hours but not 11-ish? I’ve made it from Sewanee to Memphis in 4-4 1/2 hours many times, and, depending on where your coming from, it’s could be less than that.
^I don’t know, I would be willing to drive 7 hours but not 11. (Actually, my personal limit is 4 by myself and maybe around 6 when shared with another person.)
Especially as an environmental science/ecology major, I would be more attracted to the rural setting and open vistas of Sewanee - plus they actually have great environmental programs and that’s a big part of their niche. You said that you would have the opportunity to run at both places. Unless you are interested in becoming a professional runner or coaching running or something, I’m not sure that it would matter to me that Rhodes had the better team - it would just be about the opportunity to run, not necessarily whether or not our team wins a lot! (But that’s just me - I’m not competitive.)
My daughter’s decision came down to Sewanee vs. Rhodes. The settings are very different, but I think the schools have many similarities. Distance was also a factor in D’s decision: 7 1/2 hours to Sewanee vs 10 1/2 hours to Rhodes. Three hours doesn’t seem like a big difference, but she’s about at her driving limit at 7 1/2 hours. She felt like she couldn’t make a 10 1/2 drive alone in one day. Environmental Science is very strong at Sewanee. I don’t know anything about Sewanee’s cross country team, but they have a lot of acreage on which to run. I wish you the best with your decision.
As others have said, Sewanee has the beautiful natural surroundings and strong offerings in environmental science and geology; Rhodes has Memphis and the amenities of a moderately sized city. The zoo is literally right across the street with internship opportunities – I knew one student who was working on a very interesting project with amphibians and assisted reproductive technologies.
You’ll find drinking at both, but it’s more avoidable at Rhodes. Sewanee has several factors associated with higher rates of drinking (large Greek scene, rural campus, etc.).
@earthgirl101 Just wondering if you made a decision. My D was back at Sewanee last week for a visit and once again was very impressed by all that she saw. There were a lot of runners out because the weather was so beautiful!
@midwestDad3 I have not yet made my final decision. I have one more visit planned to see both campuses. I am glad your daughter enjoyed her time at Sewanee!