<p>I realize people may be angered by this question, but how does Wake Forest stack up to Georgetown in terms of academic prestige?</p>
<p>Why would people get angry about this question? When you speak of academic prestige, are you talking about the reputations of the schools in general or specific courses of study? And are you talking about the prestige of the degree while seeking employment or at a Saturday night cocktail party? You know, "Oh my son/daughter goes to… Let’s face it to someone who lives in New Mexico, they may be unaware of either school (not dissing people in NM, just geographic familiarity is all I am saying). To many people there are the Ivys… then there is everyone else. To others, lets say Catholics, there is Notre Dame, Georgetown, Boston College. To people in NC there’s Duke, UNC, Wake. So I guess it all depends on who you are talking to. Georgetown obviously is a great school, but so is Wake Forest. Let’s say you are an accounting major at either school. Which degree is more prestigious? Well, Wake grads have the highest pass rate on the CPA exam in the country, does that make their program better than Georgetown’s? I tend to think not really. Because when you are looking for a job in the accounting field most employers only care that you did in fact pass your exam (for many it takes more than one sitting) and then there are many other things that factor into an employment decision. My husband works for a Fortune 100 company in NY and he hires people in the accounting field all the time. A degree is only one part of the equation, experience in the field probably a bit more important, as is the personal interview because lets face it, a great degree can’t buy you a personality!(at the level he hires, passing the exam is a given). So…it is difficult to answer that question. You want to work in Washington DC, yeah Georgetown will probably give you an edge. But what about in Los Angeles or Saint Louis? Wouldn’t UCLA or Wash U grads have an edge there? Many people turn down admission to schools like Georgetown and Wake to go to their state public U because of the cost. Is there degree worth less? Do kids choose certain school’s based on name recognition? Sure all the time. But really a college should be chosen because of what it offers the student. Some like big. others small. Georgetown and Wake are very different. Both are excellent schools. Both have excellent reputations. Kids who go to both are obviously bright and on the ball (or most anyway). Some people use rankings to judge prestige. Georgetown was ranked #23 and Wake #28 but Emory came in at #17 so does that make Emory more prestigious? I think prestige is very subjective. All I can tell you ,as a parent, if my kid got into either Georgetown or Wake, I would be thrilled.</p>
<p>^^^ Well said, irishmary! Two thumbs up!</p>
<p>Bravo, Irishmary! That took time to explain, thank you, as we all need to be reminded of the reality of the world. Thanks so much for caring!</p>
<p>Yeah, thanks! I guess what I was really asking was summed up in your last few statements. Thanks for taking the time to explain!</p>
<p>Your Welcome! And ejh074 if you are deciding between Wake and Georgetown, first let me say congratulations lucky you! I would recommend a visit to both if you haven’t done that already (when school is in session). Having looked at both with my son, they are very different. It all comes down to what you are looking for in a school. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Thank you! I actually have visited both and do prefer one to the other but I also wanted to take into account the school’s reputation. I guess like you said though, as long as one does well, they will end up where they want to be, a degree is a degree. Thanks again!</p>
<p>Academically, it is honestly a wash. Georgetown has the School of Foreign Service which is great, Wake Forest has Calloway, etc. I think the important thing to take into account is that they are two very different schools. </p>
<p>As other people have mentioned, it is just splitting hairs. There are roughly 2,500 4 year schools in the United States. Schools like Wake, Georgetown, Emory, William and Mary are all top schools.</p>
<p>Georgetown is more prestigious than Wake on every level.</p>
<p>Wake doesn’t even require SAT scores. I know several people admitted from grade-inflating, barely competitive high schools – but they had all A’s. Naturally they did not submit their SAT scores but their transcripts and course rigor were good so they got admitted.</p>
<p>It’s hard to take seriously any school that does not require SATs. All the Ivies do. Georgetown is on par with Cornell, University of Chicago and some of the most prestigious schools in this country. </p>
<p>Wake is not in their league.</p>
<p>As a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center I have to agree with…</p>
<p>IrishMary</p>
<p>Nice, Van555. That answer is representative of what I hope for in a Georgetown graduate.</p>
<p>According to 2010 Princeton Review</p>
<p>Georgetown University</p>
<p>18,696 applicants
19% applicants accepted</p>
<p>Range SAT Critical Reading: 650-740
Range SAT Math 660-750
Quality of life rating 84</p>
<p>Wake Forest U</p>
<p>7,177 applicants
42% accepted</p>
<p>Range SAT Critical Reading 610-700
Range SAT Math 630-710
(This does not even take into account those who don’t submit SAT scores for the obvious reason - scores are low.)
Quality of life rating 76</p>
<p>Furthermore, Georgetown is in DC, a thriving metropolis with unlimited internship opportunities, while WFU is in Winston-Salem, home of big tobacco. Enough said.</p>
<p>sunny7, why don’t you apply to Georgetown again? It sound like you really would have liked to attend.</p>
<p>From Princeton Review 2010</p>
<p>Georgetown:
Academic Rating: 92
Financial Aid Rating 95</p>
<p>Wake Forest
Academic Rating: 88
Financial Aid Rating 84</p>
<p>Furthermore, “drinking is pretty big at Wake, especially hard liquor.”</p>
<p>As evidenced by the fact that 7 ambulances were recently dispatched to a WFU frat party to rush undergrads with alcohol poisoning to the hospital </p>
<p>[Ruining</a> The Party Old Gold & Black](<a href=“http://oldgoldandblack.com/?p=6740]Ruining”>http://oldgoldandblack.com/?p=6740)</p>
<p>Sunny, I think that you are the cocktail party person I was talking about in my original post. But, hey this is America and you are intitled to your opinion and I respect that. I have just never understood why people feel the need to bash a school when a question like this is asked. It is done alot and I am sure that is why the OP thought that people would maybe get angered by the question. I stand by my original #2 post. Don’t hate on Winston-Salem, it is quite a nice little southern town. OK so it is home to big tobacco…so what. Washington DC is home to our nation’s government. Enough said. There are many opportunities for employment and internships in NC, wth Charlotte and the Research Triangle not too far away. Companies such as IBM, Cisco, GE, Sony, AA to name a few. As far as PR facts…yes, so? Yale applicants could post similiar stats comparing Yale to Georgetown does that make Georgetown lousy? No, so stop the silliness. Sounds like you wanted to go to Georgetown and Cornell (and BC, Villanova and U of Richmond). Good for you, they are all amazing schools! But to say that you can’t take students at Wake Forest seriously because they don’t accept a SAT shows how little you know about Wake Forest’s education. But, hey, my son attends, loves it and I must tell you finds it quite challenging. And I should tell you he got into several of the schools on your list. He sent his SAT score when he applied. I didn’t feel Wake was less of a school because they didn’t require it. In fact, I think that out of all the places he applied their application and required interview allowed the school to see he was more than just a number (GPA,SAT, rank etc). As for the pledge night incident, I don’t think that is representitive of all students at Wake Forest. My son is pledging a fraternity and he wasn’t carted off in an ambulance. How do you know hard liquor is only at Wake? Seriously, get your head out of the sand. Alcohol and drugs are on every college campus and if you don’t think so you are nuts. Individuals, not the schools, are responsible when someone drinks too much. To generalize an entire student population for the recklessness of a few is just plain wrong. But, to be honest, I don’t really care what you think about Wake because you add nothing constructive to the conversation.</p>
<p>The OP asked how the two schools compared. I responded with facts and data to back up my opinion. In contrast, you responded to ME with a 27-line emotional outburst, after saying that you “don’t really care” what I think although I am “intitled (sic) to” my “opinion.”</p>
<p>I don’t, as you put it, “feel the need to bash” WFU, but if you think it’s in the same league as GU, you are delusional. Here’s an idea. Go on the GU thread and pose the comparison question and see what kind of responses you get. You certainly seem to have the time on your hands.</p>
<p>first off, an academic rating differing by 4 points is not really big. no one ever said that Wake was better, they said they were similar, which is shown by this stat…also, in response to the alcohol related comment. GU has had 515 alcohol related referrals, while Wake has had 313</p>
<p>and Wake is about 30 mins from the Research Triangle, probably how long it would take to get to most internships in DC. and Wake is located IN the Piedmont Triad.</p>
<p>Yikes, sorry for the misspelling! Sorry you thought my outburst as you put it, was emotional. That was not my intention at all! I am hardly qualified to say if one is better than the other. If you read my original post, I said they were different and both good schools. But, honestly I really can’t stand people who feel compelled to belittle others in an effort to make themselves feel good, or right. So whatever…Like I said, alot of Ivy grads will tell you all day long their school is better than GU, Northwestern, U Chicago on and on. Are they right? Why can’t people just accept that there are many excellent schools which offer tremendous educations to kids today. Call me delusion if you like your responses speak for themselves. I am getting out of the sandbox now…</p>
<p>We have been very pleased with my son’s education at Wake Forest. Irishmary- when I was on campus a few weeks ago, I was taking in what a great place Wake Forest is, and realized that I don’t care that a few “highly educated” 
people in my town still ask me whether my son is still at that school “in the boondocks!” I just smile at their all-knowing New York accents, and ask about how their children are doing at Manhattan college, or Ramapo, or sometimes Georgetown. We know how special Wake is, and that is enough. There is something to be said for that. Oh, and my graduating son’s interviewer at Northwestern has heard of Wake, too! :)</p>