I realize that it may be hard to compare, unless anyone out there has transferred from one to the other, but I was just curious if the difference between the two was as extreme as the “Work Forest” reputation implies? I revisited both campuses this past week for admitted student days and while each are incredible, I feel like the structure Wake provides would be a better for me personally. That said, I am worried about how labor intensive Wake might be in comparison to Chapel Hill. I have many friends who attend UNC and while the classes are difficult, they don’t require constant studying and hours spent in the library a day, as Wake’s reputation (grade deflation, etc…) implies.
Also, I qualified/received extra in high school and on my ACT testing (5.02 (unweighted) and 4.0 (weighted) GPA; 34 ACT (super-scored) and 31 (not super-scored)… and I worked REALLY hard for it, as compared to some other kids in my AP classes who didn’t have to put in nearly as much time/effort for the same grades. I mention this because Wake’s reputation for difficult classes, harder grading, less curves and higher workloads, is kinda freaking me out… especially since I really have no way to know how I compare to the average admitted Wake student, given my extra time on the ACT.
Any insight. thoughts, would be SO much appreciated, as I have to decide this week and really want to make the right choice. Also, if anyone received extra time in high school and how goes to either Wake or Chapel Hill, I would be curious to know if you still receive any accommodations?
@Ellenc I have a son who is a freshman at Wake so I will tell you about his experience and hope it helps. He did not get extra time in HS and went to a rigorous private HS in CA. He had a very good first semester at Wake and is also doing well this semester. He does work hard but honestly it is about time management. You have so much more free time in college than in HS if you plan it right it is manageable. He really likes all of his professors and has really good relationships with them. He hasn’t had more than 30 students in any of his classes so far and that has been nice. You should also consider the reasons you get extra time and whether that will impact you significantly in college. Does one school have better resources than the other? You also might want to post this on the UNC forum to see what kind of feedback you get from there. Good Luck in your decision!!
My S has had a similar experience at Wake. Is a freshmen. Did very well in HS and is doing very well at Wake. I ask him about the “Work Forest” rep at various times and he always says the same thing, “It’s manageable”. He is very good with time management. Per the other poster’s comment, you have a lot more free time in college. How you use it is up to you. S has managed to make Dean’s List while playing Club Baseball, joining a business fraternity, participating in other clubs, and regularly hitting the gym to workout. Most of his friends are equally active. He plans his days and weeks out and is pretty committed to the schedule. Now around finals time, he definitely lived in the library.
The student / professor relationship is a real thing. He has told us many times about how much his profs care about student success. Very available at and outside of office hours. If they can accommodate you, they will. That’s likely to be a major difference between Wake and UNC (which is a great place too - was high on my son’s list).
@rickle1, not to hijack this thread but could you say more about club baseball at Wake? Is it very active and well-organized? My baseball-loving S is considering Wake.
^^^ used to be very well organized and active, part of an intercollegiate league, etc. They weren’t that this yr. Kept it to a spring club, practiced twice per week and had some tournaments scheduled. That said, my son told me he and another kid(s) are going to take leadership in bringing it back to what it was. I assume the guys leading it graduated a couple yrs ago without the proper infrastructure in place to keep it going.
However, he has really enjoyed just practicing, throwing bullpens, batting practice, etc. He was really into it in HS so.
