<p>shaheirunderdog,</p>
<p>If you took the time to read a bit more about the Rhodes Scholarship, you’d see that it is about much more than academics. Outstanding academics are only the starting point.</p>
<p>It’s true as the rhodes folks point out that a simplistic body count probably does not give one the final word about an institution’s quality. It does, however, say something about an institution’s ability to attract future star students. </p>
<p>Interestingly, for the rhodes folks to say the competition is not a national one is a bit disingenuous. While the competitors are divided into 16 districts, and competition is only among students within a district, this is irrelevant for colleges with a strong national draw. Even strong regional colleges draw heavily from surrounding states, commonly in different districts.</p>
<p>So, from the POV of an individual applicant, it’s a regional competition. From the POV of a college, it’s not.</p>