I wonder whether that kind of systematic grooming and dossier-building comes easily to the spiky individuals who have tended to populate this campus. That goes for the personalities of both advisers and advisees. There could have been a brief and serendipitous outbreak of tractability and uplift in the nineties, making it simply an exceptional decade. Aren’t we told that given enough time all the molecules occupying an enclosed space will crowd into one corner of it and that a monkey pounding on a typewriter will create the works of Shakespeare? Thus it might happen that UChicago will in one decade of each century go on a Rhodes tear. The norm, however, does not favor this.
Are there any data out there as to the number of applicants from each college for the scholarship? Without such data, it’s hard to place any significance to the number of Rhodes Scholars from each college? Would love to see the percent yield, i.e., applicants to winners, rate at each college.
@marlowe1 , it wasn’t just one decade. It was at least two decades, maybe more. The University of Chicago is #9 all time in number of Rhodes Scholarship winners with 51, just behind Brown (56) and UVA (53) and just ahead of MIT and the US Naval Academy (48 each). And far, far behind Harvard (364), Yale (248), and Princeton (213). (Stanford (101), West Point (93), and Dartmouth (63) fill out the rest of the top 10.) Only 10 of those came during the decade 2004 - 2013; there were 41 before that.
Once again, marlowe1 misapprehends the extent to which Chicago is different from other elite universities. It is, but not that much.
@TiggerDad I don’t know exactly what the rules are, but I know colleges have to officially sponsor any applicants, and there’s definitely a limit on the number of applicants a college can sponsor. Probably it’s not more than two per region, and there may be an overall cap as well. I’m sure the American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust would be tut-tutting if a college sponsored 32 applicants. As a practical matter, colleges don’t like to sponsor candidates with no chance. For that reason, the success rate per college may not be so interesting. But I can pretty much guarantee that five in one year for Harvard is a very high success rate. (And this year isn’t that unique for them.)
While there may be some similarities, I would argue that Penn is much more pre-professional than Chicago. Sure, Chicago has plenty of pre-professional students like all to private schools, but they exist in the College (of liberal arts). But the big difference to me is that Penn also offers pre-professional *undergrad[i/] majors/schools: Wharton, Nursing, & Engineering. Penn may want to claim the social-Ivy mantle, but to me, it’s also the PreProfessional Ivy.
U of Colorado had a winner last year and one this year. This tells me someone at the school knows how to prepare the applications (a la MIT and Harvard).
Both were/are social science majors (poli sci/international affairs). The winner from last year was a very accomplished woman (first women in CU history) and had ECs like Bollywood dancing. The guy from this year is student body president, plays jazz piano, and wants a career in politics.
The quarterback from the Air Force academy was a finalist and he missed the game on Saturday to interview. Unfortunately, he wasn’t chosen. The other spot in our region went to a guy from Harvard.
Actually, I got confused and miscounted. There were 13 Chicago winners in its best decade, 2005-2014. And 10 in the decade 1995-2004. There was a Chicago winner in 2017, too – he was a law student, but sponsored by the University. So Chicago has averaged almost one American scholarship winner per year over the last 25 years . . . but only one undergraduate since 2011.
The rest of Chicago’s 27 winners are pretty evenly spread over the years, starting with one in 1904, when the scholarships began. There was a cluster of 9 in the 11 years 1974-1984, but only one in the 1940s (when I think the scholarships may have been suspended for a while) and only one from 1985-1994.
@JHS , if I grant that in two decades out of eleven the U of C reaped other than a measly harvest of Rhodes’s, and if I concede that this result was slightly greater in probability than a monkey typing all of Shakespeare, will you absolve me of exaggeration?
The elephantine figures for HYP speak for themselves. How can one look at them and say with a straight face that those schools didn’t enjoy, to put it rather neutrally, a ridiculously sweet arrangement/understanding with the Rhodes Foundation.
You say resignedly that UChicago was doing no worse than the lesser ivies and a bit better than many another good school, but you are making the assumption that the students at UChicago had ever (except perhaps in those two decades, which were not great ones for student culture at Chicago) signed on to the Rhodes mystique. I would maintain, admittedly on the basis of anecdotal evidence from my own limited time period, that the top Chicago students never went after the Rhodes and were not really suited for it, for the reasons I have stated elsewhere. Not sure what the situation was at the lesser ivies. Perhaps they merely gave up the battle given the overwhelming weight of the HYP thumb on the scales.
There could also be something to @JBStillFlying 's observation that during the two decades of relative Chicago success the Rhodes were briefly not so monolithically focussed on ECs and Leadership. Perhaps as the century neared an end the more old-fashioned ideals derived from playing fields and the obligations of the privileged had come to seem, well, fussy and anachronistic. The Committee was briefly open to more purely academic achievement. That let Chicago in the door.
What we have seen over the last seven years is the closing of that door as the emphasis has morphed back toward leadership conjoined with social justice good works. Chicago students in this reading of it didn’t change so much during the miraculous decades and haven’t changed much since then. Rather the Rhodes ethos briefly swerved in their direction but has now swerved away again, back to its usual path, old-style noblesse oblige having received a modernizing injection of social consciousness. HYP made the transition seamlessly: the contemporary iteration is not really that different from the traditional ideal of these schools and of Cecil Rhodes of old - identifying and fostering the world’s leaders.
If you look at the profiles of the winners – everyone from 2001 forward is available online – the Chicago winners look fundamentally like everyone else. Lots of achievement, lots of leadership.
It’s ridiculous to suggest that Chicago had a “measley” harvest of Rhodes Scholarships in periods other than the 30 years in which it averaged one per year. The 24 scholarships Chicago candidates got in those other years would place it in excellent company if they were all Chicago had ever received. Among the universities with fewer than 30 Scholars total ever are Berkeley, Michigan, Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Johns Hopkins, WUStL, and Northwestern.
Part of the success of Harvard and its ilk – including in meaningful respects the University of Chicago – is not that they have some kind of stranglehold on the selection committees (other than perhaps the committee for the Massachusetts region). Every year the regional committees choose candidates from public institutions, and often not flagship publics, or lesser-known liberal arts colleges. The University of Mississippi does fine in the region that includes Mississippi, probably even better than Harvard does there. But Harvard can field really impressive candidates in almost any region any year, and Ol’ Miss is limited to one region most years as a practical matter.
These districts are districts of residence, not where you attend college, correct?
@JHS : Don’t we have to account for this enormous discrepancy between Harvard and Chicago (364 to 51) and the even greater discrepancies between Harvard and the other fine schools you named? I only have knowledge on the ground of one school, but does it follow that because every school not named Y or P does spectacularly poorly in relation to H that they all do poorly for the very same reason? Or that all these schools should be content to huddle in each other’s company while the big three regularly take home the goodies?
I gave you my theory about why Chicago does so poorly in relation to HYP - because of its special educational orientation and character of its student body as distinguished from theirs. You disagree. OK, I have another theory: the Rhodes people themselves changed the emphasis for a while. You disagree. What then is your theory?
We can’t be incurious as to why perhaps the most prestigious scholarship in the world (even if not at Chicago!) is and always has been awarded in stupefying disproportion to three schools, reducing all others to mere pigmies in this game. I propounded a theory for that as well. What is yours? Please don’t tell me it’s simply that Harvard’s students are 8 to 10 times more brilliant than just about every other school’s.
You can apply from either the district where you reside or the district where your college is. Obviously, there are strategies involved. Someone from Alabama is likely to apply in Alabama; someone from New York is likely to think about where to apply and maybe scope out the competition some.
As mentioned upthread, I was wondering how much the criteria had changed over the years so that other types of leadership or pertinent other EC’s played a factor in receiving the award. So I explored that a bit further.
Here is Samual Greene’s bio from the Nov. 2013 press release:
"Samuel M. Greene, Spring Green, is a senior at the University of Chicago who will graduate with a B.Sc. in chemistry and an M.Sc. in physical chemistry. A Goldwater Scholar and junior member of Phi Beta Kappa, he has conducted research demonstrating the feasibility of a new material able to catalyze a chemical reaction to convert organic material to biofuel. He has also done research relating to ice-encapsulated methane, and for the U.S. Department of Energy relating to uncertainties in quantities of radioactive materials. Sam is deeply interested in developing innovative renewal energy technology as well as inspiring others to reduce emissions. He has lifelong interest in Zen Buddhism and leads Zen training. Sam plans to do a D.Phil. in materials at Oxford. "
This reads as quite an academically-oriented profile. Mr. Greene’s other pertinent activities are confined to Zen training.
In contrast, below are the quite impressive and very much abbreviated profiles of 12 Rhodes Scholars from the current list, each one graduating with STEM degrees. (Had to abbreviate in order not to violate length restrictions). I focused on STEM because I figured we were more likely to encounter scholars with a primary interest in research as opposed to other activities. Also, Mr. Greene is clearly a STEM-oriented scholar.
It should be underscored that 100% of these latest Rhodes Scholars have an impressive resume complete with pertinent research interests, and many have conducted their work at a very advanced level and have even published. What I wanted to know is how many of them did other significant things (sports, volunteering, organizations founded or part of, etc.). It turns out that about 2/3 of the STEM group have done so.
I’ve reproduced those significant activities below, and if the profile was mostly or entirely academic, I noted that instead.
“Luke G. Melas-Kyriazi, Manhattan, is a Harvard senior pursuing a B.A. in Mathematics and a M.S. in Computer Science.
As treasurer of the Harvard Student Agencies, the largest student-run company in the world, Luke manages a $1.2 million reserve fund to support educational and business opportunities for students. He also organizes hackathons for computer science undergraduates across the U.S. and Canada.”
“Olivia J. McGinnis, Phoenixville, is a senior at Harvard University where she is pursuing an A.B. in Neuroscience.
Olivia is the Editor-in-Chief and Head of Design of Ecdysis, a student-run journal dedicated to building bridges between the sciences and the humanities. She is also a committed volunteer at Alzheimer’s Buddies, which supports individuals grappling with advanced Alzheimer’s disease.”
“Gabriella M. Deich, Savannah, is a senior at Duke University majoring in Biological and Artificial Intelligence.” - Profile is entirely academic. No mention of EC’s.
“Prathm Juneja, Edison, New Jersey, is a senior at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in December with majors in Political Science and Computer Science.”
- Profile mostly academic; mentions that he worked for Buttegeig as a tech. intern.
“Kritika Singh, McLean, is a senior at Northeastern University where she majors in
bioengineering.
Kritika is founder and CEO of Malaria Free World, a non-profit focused on malaria awareness and education . . . and founded the Northeastern University Global Health Initiative.”
“Vilhelm (Billy) L. Andersen Woltz, Logan, is a senior at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology where he is pursuing double majors in Physics and in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
He is an advocate for expanding access to science and technology education and founded a computer science camp for students at his former high school in rural southeastern Ohio. An Eagle Scout, Billy is also captain of the varsity track and field and cross-country team at MIT.”
“Claire E. Halloran, Wauwatosa, is a senior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she majors in Materials Science and Engineering.
Claire founded the MIT ClimateAction Team, a campus group that organizes in support of climate change mitigation policies. She has also served as a peer educator on issues of sexual violence, cultural values, and healthy relationships. Claire plans to pursue a career as a federal policymaker focused on using technology to accomplish rapid and just decarbonization in the United States.”
“Rossella I. Gabriele, Chesterfield, graduated from Washington and Lee University in May with degrees in Physics and Global Politics.” - Mostly academic, mentions internships for Elizabeth Warren and Mark Warner.
“Neil B. Band, Omaha, is a Harvard senior majoring in Computer Science.
He is a campus leader on issues of technology and entrepreneurship, and serves as the founding technology chair of the Harvard Undergraduate Blockchain Group. He is the co-founder of multiple social ventures, including the development of a cryptocurrency that aims to improve payment security in the world’s largest Syrian refugee camp. Neil is also an accomplished dancer with Harvard College Bhangra and has choreographed original dances for competition performance.”
“Megan A. Yamoah, Davis, is a senior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology majoring in Physics and Electrical Engineering.
She serves on the executive board of MIT Undergraduate Women in Physics and as the President of the MIT Society of Physics Students.”
“Francisca Vasconcelos, San Diego, is a senior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology majoring in Physics and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Francisca serves as Technology Chair of the MIT Society of Women Engineers and is a member of the MIT Women’s Club Soccer.”
http://s3.amazonaws.com/rhodesscholars-fileshare/final_winners_bios_2019.pdf
The next step would be to compare Mr. Greene’s bio against his contemporaries. Perhaps he’s particularly brainy and focused, even for the time period? Or is it the case that academic scholarship on its own was more highely rewarded in those days?
Every year it’s a mix. There are always some people from the service academies. The Rhodes used to have an athletic component – Rhodes was a strong believer in the character-building aspect of sports – and even though that’s no longer a formal requirement I think it’s clear they have a soft spot for really accomplished athletes who measure up in other ways.
Here are some bios on the Chicago winners in my son’s class. They display a mixture of academic and nonacademic qualities, in varying degrees by candidate.
Anna Alekseyeva
Anna was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. . . . Living on the South Side of Chicago precipitated Anna’s interest in housing rights; as an activist, she has worked as a tenant advocate and discrimination tester. Anna has interned at Human Rights Watch, where she researched migrant labor in Russia and human rights violations in the North Caucases, and published the 2010 human rights profile of Tajikistan. . . . Her senior thesis analyzes the ways in which the Soviet regime legitimized its deportation of ethnic minorities in the 1930s-40s. Anna helped to found a community service student organization focused on serving refugees resettled in Chicago. She has also been actively involved with the University’s Community Service Center as a volunteer and a program coordinator.
[After a stint with BCG, took a public-interest management job at LISC.]
Prerna Nadathur
Prerna Nadathur is currently a graduate student in the mathematics program at the University of Minnesota, having graduated from the University of Chicago in 2010 with a B.A. in Mathematics and minors in Linguistics and Philosophy. She writes poetry and fiction, played violin in the University chamber orchestra, pursues classical Indian dance, and has been awarded distinction by Trinity College London in the ATCL diploma for solo piano performance. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, she has participated in research in both mathematics and linguistics. Prerna served in Student Government and was a founding member of the University of Chicago chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, a campus forum for political discussion and thoughtful action. She pursued her enthusiasm for teaching by working in a number of mathematics outreach programs for middle- and high-school students. . . .
[Linguistics PhD student at Stanford]
John Salvatore Scotti
. . . Specializing in organic chemistry, he graduated early with three degrees, an M.S. and B.A. in Chemistry and a B.S. in Biological Chemistry. A Goldwater Scholar, his research focuses on the high-throughput synthesis of small-molecule libraries modeled after monoterpenoid alkaloid biosynthesis. . . . Beyond scientific pursuits, he also played the piano for the campus jazz ensemble, studied ancient, medieval, and renaissance Roman history in Rome, and achieved the highest level of proficiency in Italian (il livello di specializzazione) at the Istituto Michelangelo in Florence. When at home, he spends most of his time “surfing and enjoying the Southern California sun.”
[Got his D.Phil in organic chemistry at Oxford, then went into finance]
“- In terms of specific school as a comparator, I think recent Chicago changes reflect some similarities between Chicago and UPenn. Chicago’s heavy use of ED, a 2yr residential requirement with lots of students in high-rise dorms, expanding greek life, new curricular opportunities in practical endeavors (business economics, linkages with the B school, more practical classes in comp sci, etc.), converge the schools in ways never seen before.”
Well, you forgot that both are located in humongous urban areas. Of course, that alone could explain “high rise dorms”- in UChicago’s case, I’ll add another explanation which is the historical (and perhaps historic) inability to establish a cohesive housing system from ground zero.
Don’t know much about Penn exactly, but it seems that @Cue7 is focusing mostly on the superficials. The ED part I’ll agree with, since UChicago shifted to admitting 50+% of the incoming class that way (similar to what Penn has done). But Penn’s undergraduate count over 40% larger than UChicago’s, hails overwhelmingly from the coasts, and has a gender distribution that skews female rather than being balanced. Unlike UChicago, the number of regular apps regularly outpace ED apps - this past year by a 5:1 ratio - which indicates less enthusiasm for the place as a first-destination school, and the degree program isn’t exclusively liberal arts. Thus the feel and culture of the school, the student body representation, the degree of enthusiasm, and the undergraduate educational philosophy are all distinct from UChicago.
@JHS at #33 - that does demonstrate a mix of talent. Small numbers but again we see that 2/3’rds of the group went as far as to found some organization or other. The remaining scholar seems intent on intellectual pursuits with the “surf and sun” for his version of “zen.”
I do get the sense that at least two of the three are primarily motivated by academics, but I suppose that might be due to bias toward UChicago and the particular knowledge that most of the music ensembles don’t take up much extra time. But here is some food for thought: for all three, and adding in Mr. Greene, the other pursuits just seem more genuine and less grandiose than the stuff I recorded upthread from the other schools. Student gov’t, campus ensembles, community outreach and political discussion chapters, surfing, sun and Zen were pretty much the stuff of the leaders at my college and in my day. Most of us focused on our schoolwork first and foremost. Maybe it’s just the wording encouraged by the college committees in very recent years, but “social ventures” “editor in chief” “founder and CEO of a non-profit” “treasurer and fund-manager of the largest student company in the world” etc. sound like their academic pursuits, while notable, are simply not the main focus of their achievements or of their time. Yes, you have to be a top student but you also need to have left a notably-sized footprint in the realm of social, political and other causes.
If that’s the current selection criteria, then UChicago kids might lose out till Nondorf or Boyer convinces the academic side that it’s ok to skip class to pursue this other stuff.
Note, though, that (as I added) the super-academic guy is the one who jumped to a series of finance jobs as soon as he completed his doctorate.
All of these groups have a variety of different people who were clearly chosen for different reasons, although there are lots of commonalities among them
Here’s a fun pair, by the way. Selected by the same regional subcommittee on the same day, one a Chicago student, the other a dreaded Harvardian:
One other note: When Chicago counts its Rhodes Scholars, it includes quite a number of international undergraduates who are selected as Rhodes Scholars by their home-country committees. Notwithstanding the drought of American Scholarships, in recent years I think Chicago has had a good eye for (or has done a good job of grooming) students who will stand out in their home countries.
Ha! One of the Chicago Rhodes Scholars in the Pete Buttigieg class turns out to be Andy Kim, a Democratic congressman from Cherry Hill, NJ (i.e., Philadelphia suburbs and Jersey Shore). The ambitious politicians were not limited to Harvard!
As impressive as Pete Buttigieg is - and as interesting as his thesis sounds - Ian Desai’s bio comes across as more “scholarly”. Maybe that’s UChicago’s niche. The college is not particularly well known for graduating ambitious politicians. The one notable exception - Bernie - doesn’t fit the mold in the least (although he’s been influential in shifting the democratic party leftward, and that’s a more notable political achievement than anything Buttigieg has accomplished so far).
Fun to compare all these guys.