Demonstrated Interest???

<p>I got waitlisted today and am quite frustrated considering Wake is one of my very top choices. I feel like I'm a pretty qualified applicant (2210 SAT, high 700's on 3 SAT II's, 4.0 weighted gpa, 2 sports, captain of 1, etc.), and am thinking that maybe not enough "demonstrated interest" did me in. So was anyone accepted to Wake Forest without visiting the campus? And do you guys think this may have been what did it... or am i just not a qualified enough applicant?</p>

<p>btw, I do plan on pursuing the waitlist.</p>

<p>p.s. if you couldn't tell from the post, I did NOT visit the campus.</p>

<p>I visited, but i have the feeling that it was the essays that saved my butt. I did common app + supplement, and I know the sheer number of essays gave the opportunity to really change your stock. I dunno, also could have been your recs? I know I beat out my best friend--shes now going to villinova, and she had a stellar GPA ok test scores, but her essays were kinda common--what my church group taught me etc--i was opposite horrible GPA-- she also visited too,</p>

<p>DD was waitlisted also with what we thought were great credentials. She did not visit recently, but had visited twice with two older brothers, so WFU probably had no record - my mistake in not having her point it out on app. She is also pursuing the waitlist. Another thought - Wake claims to be need blind, but we applied for finaid and I can't help but be a little skeptical - any thoughts??</p>

<p>well, if they are need blind, then it would make sense that the need extra time to process the financial aid info. I haven't gotten mine, which I guess indicates that maybe its true but you never know. I see your point, however, because I don't think they have that big of an endowment to funnel money into gift aide, and I would assume they have to manage there student body somehow.</p>

<p>Obviously you are qualified, but I'm sure it hurt that you didn't visit. I visited twice and interviewed during the summer and I'm sure that that helped. Perhaps it was a sort of "Tufts" thing where you were qualified, but they didn't think you were serious.</p>

<p>that's what I'd definitely like to think. Cuz then just pursuing the waitlist would prove I'm really interested... right???</p>

<p>Also, should I call the regional admissions rep to try to get any more info? Maybe ask him what went wrong?</p>

<p>I didnt visit either and i'm thinking thats why I got waitlisted.</p>

<p>Its looking like a trend....</p>

<p>Go figure, my middle class parents say "lets wait to see if you get accepted before visiting because we'd hate for it to be a waste of money and time" and it turns out that just might be what gets me waitlisted.</p>

<p>I didn't visit and i got in, I was quite surprised actually.</p>

<p>I didnt visit and I was accepted, I'm going to visit now thoug</p>

<p>Wake is need-blind. I'd see no reason to be suspicious about it.</p>

<p>My daughter didn't visit (we are in CA) but was accepted yesterday. We also applied for financial aid so that didn't hurt.</p>

<p>She called Admissions last fall to ask if it was important to visit before applying...explained that we couldn't really invest in a trip before knowing if she's accepted or not...they said that was fine, they don't insist on formal interviews and a lot of people don't visit till accepted. She hadn't applied at that point so there wasn't a file for them to have noted her interest so I doubt the actual call affected anything.</p>

<p>We are likely going to visit for the Spring Campus Day April 10th. My father ilves in NC, which she mentioned in the application, maybe knowing she has extended family made them feel like she's really serious, even though we're on the other side of the country. It's also a possibility that being in CA helped, if they're looking for "geographic diversity."</p>

<p>I posted her stats in the official acceptance thread last night, but in short, SAT was 2120, SAT History 790, SAT English Lit 780, SAT Math (the harder test) 670, ACT 33. (We sent the ACT even though they don't ask for it...that translates to 1470 on the old test -- don't know about the new test -- and I suspect it didn't hurt.) She's a strong writer and had about the best teacher recommendation possible.</p>

<p>We're just nervous now about Financial Aid. Our EFC is $19,000 but we are a family of 6 in an expensive state, and like a lot of middle-class families we're in the situation where we're not low income enough to qualify for tons of aid but not rich enough to actually pay a lot of cash. So we'll see...she's <em>really</em> interested Wake Forest.</p>

<p>Good luck to those on the waitlist!!!</p>

<p>PBK Mom, </p>

<p>Congratulations on your daughter's acceptance. I'm assuming you also applied for merit aid. I'm still waiting on that for myself. Good luck! Hopefully that information comes soon.</p>

<p>Thanks! </p>

<p>We are waiting for merit & financial aid info...were a little disappointed the letter said it might not be here till mid-April. My daughter is so interested in Wake we may go ahead and invest in plane tickets to visit...but I'd hate for them to offer us all or mostly loans for the financial aid (since we'll need loans to help fund our own portion) and have to disappoint her after visiting. It's a Catch-22! :)</p>

<p>Does anyone know if Wake will "take another look" if you need more help after the initial financial aid package, and/or if they will look at other offers? My daughter has an offer of over $20,000 in merit aid and grants, plus work study and federal loans, from a respected but less prestigious university (Redlands in CA). We're wondering if Wake's initial offer would be too challenging for us financially, if we tell them she really wants to come, would they look at her other offers. Anyone have experience with that with Wake? The schools all seem to have such different policies in that regard.</p>

<p>Also, would geography play any role in what they might offer in grant aid? (We're in CA, do they need Californians? Grin!)</p>

<p>wow!! 19 Gs EFC? in cali?! Your considered rich in my book!! I also live in cali, and applied to wake haha...my efc is 1,000 :) so im below middle class!! If i get in, wake HAS to hook it up :) oh yeah, im a minority too (hispanic)</p>

<p>The $19,000 G EFC represents over 20% of our <em>pre-tax</em> income...once you deduct a So. CA mortgage, taxes, insurance of all kinds (life, health, home, auto), medical expenses, retirement, utilities, a single car payment, and four kids...not really very much left over, even though it sounds great on paper! :) We recognize that we are blessed compared to many...but live pretty much paycheck to paycheck. Along with raising 4 kids, I'm self-employed part-time to help pay the bills. My husband moonlighted with a second job on the weekend for many years.</p>

<p>(We are seriously considering moving somewhere like NC with a lower cost of living and more affordable home.)</p>

<p>Good luck to you!!!!!!! We've all got challenges to meet wherever we are in life. I hope it works out for you and you achieve your heart's desire!</p>

<p>thanks! that was really nice :)!! and i live in so cal too :p in the ghetto part of LA!!</p>