<p>Rhodes College fits all your criteria except size (it’s about 1900 students). Small class sizes, outstanding research opportunities (especially for the natural sciences at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital), in a lovely area of Memphis, middle-of-the-road politically, with a great mix of conservatives and liberal students. It may seem small, but the fact it’s located in a large city could help mitigate that. Definitely look into it, especially if you are interested in a science major.</p>