<p>merryecho, I think it’s fine to ask parents for charitable contributions, and fine for parents to say no when they’re asked. I’m an alum (albeit a poor one) and I know I bear some responsibility for helping correct this. So if I were to hit the lottery (not likely, since I don’t play), I’d happily establish a significant scholarship fund at Wake Forest. As it is, any such gift will likely come through my estate. </p>
<p>Wake Forest changed my life. I’d like to see others benefit from the same opportunities I had.</p>
<p>pinkcupcake, the cost of a public university education is also very high, but states use taxes (to varying degrees) to subsidize the cost for in-state students. The only foolproof way for privates to similarly subsidize costs is through tax-deductible philanthropy. Most schools with huge endowments got them from one or just a few strong relationships with generous individuals or families. Apart from the gifts that made the move to Winston-Salem possible, Wake has not yet received a really transformational gift.</p>
<p>That’s it exactly. On the other extreme, I have two daughters who are undergrads at Harvard and pay the equivalent of what it would cost them for room, board and fees as in-state students at UGa AFTER getting full-tuition scholarships. A big endowment gives a school lots of options.</p>
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<p>What was the university’s ultimate use of the RJR facilities that were left to them?</p>
<p>gadad, the RJR World Headquarters building (a gift valued at about $30 million) is still in the University’s real estate portfolio and is largely leased out as office space. If I recall correctly (and I may not), income is being used to offset debt service on the Worrell Professional Center (about $27.5 million when built). Transformational for law and management schools but not for the college. The parking lot of course is adjacent to Groves Stadium (BB&T Field) and the old Ernie Shore baseball stadium, an A+ facility now owned by Wake Forest.</p>
<p>I’m in the same position I ADORE Wake Forest and would give anything to be able to attend…but I’m going to be about $50,000 in debt unless a miracle happens. and with medical school in my future, that is not possible. Sooo looks like I’ll be at University of Florida.</p>
<p>Our financial aid package was half of what all other schools he applied offered. They need to take down the passage that says they guarantee to meet financial aid.</p>
<p>For such a supposedly good school, you have to wonder why it does so little for it’s students. </p>
<p>My son’s been there twice and wants to go. We were shocked (and hurt) at the package, wording, and lack of explanation and response. </p>
<p>This is definitely a school that only wants the wealthy. Not looking for diversity and middle class.</p>
<p>Quote: “This is definitely a school that only wants the wealthy. Not looking for diversity and middle class.” </p>
<p>We are middle-class in NJ, which looks alot better in other states, NJ is an expensive place to live. Wake’s financial package would be less than others for sure, kids with lesser stats than my son attended privates in NJ for a third of the actual cost, and he could have also if he chose that quality of education. However, academically and socially, they were not for him, so we did have to pay more than we would have if he had attended another school. To us, that Wake did not offer as much as some schools does not mean they only want the wealthy. Our son was not the “top” of the heap at Wake, he was smack in the middle. That meant we had a choice- go to a lesser school, or pay what was painful, but possible with some sacrifice. Also, many of the students (of all ethnic and religious backgrounds) that my son considers his closest friends are receiving a good amount of financial aid, along with old-fashioned sacrifice on the parent’s part. The kids scrimp and save to go out occasionally, and all are sale shopping guys who work for the extras.</p>
<p>IDK about EFC. Mine was around 14,000 and we got almost nothing. None of the 5 kids from my son’s class who want to go can. I’m sure my son is middle of the pack too so he’s not really wanted I guess.</p>
<p>“None of the 5 kids from my son’s class who want to go can. I’m sure my son is middle of the pack too so he’s not really wanted I guess.”</p>
<p>Wake’s selectivity (and thus, ranking) could be hurt by this over the long run. WFU may have to admit more students and pull more students off the waiting list to fill classes. </p>
<p>FWIW, your son shouldn’t feel alone. Wake seemed relatively disinterested in its overall approach to my daughter, who is #1 in her class with ~2300 SATs. Emory and Vandy were far more proactive in recruiting her and offered merit and/or aid, but American University went to great lengths to make her feel wanted with a generous merit award and a lot of personal contact, and that’s where she’s headed.</p>
<p>Being/feeling wanted matters. It’s how I chose Wake Forest back before it was among the elite.</p>
<p>I can’t help but be a bit amused, because the financial aid is so much better than even four years ago when I was a freshman. The administration realizes that we lag behind Duke, Davidson, Vanderbilt, Emory, etc. in terms of financial aid and have been rectifying this discrepancy.</p>
<p>And of course, SAT-optional has to do with increasing diversity by SES, race, etc. It also has to do with boosting applicants and it also has to do with embodying the more holistic approach that Wake Forest stands for. It is not just one of these things.</p>
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Actually, quite the contrary. Our rankings should enjoy a healthy boost this year as state schools (ie: UNC, California schools) suffer financially and our application rate went down. This is not just a Wake Forest problem, this is a problem in America as schools simply have less money. This is compounded by the fact that people simply have less money. Simply it is not wise to look at it among a few people who you know and draw an overarching conclusion from that. Look at the entire scope of the problem.</p>
<p>"Our rankings should enjoy a healthy boost this year as state schools (ie: UNC, California schools) suffer financially and our application rate went down. "</p>
<p>willmingtonwave, I hope you are right.</p>
<p>I find it hard to believe that Wake’s applications are down this year. I keep hearing applications are up just about everywhere as applicants apply to more schools. This makes yield management a bit more difficult and may lead to increased waitlisting at many schools.</p>
<p>In any case, it seems to me selectivity would be diminished <em>in the long run</em> by a disparity between perceived and actual cost. Need blind admissions (encouraging applications from students who are qualified academically but not economically) in the absence of the ability to fill the need (resulting in accepted students going elsewhere) would hurt yield, wouldn’t it? Longer waitlists and rolling admissions may mitigate the impact, of course, but it’s a bit risky in terms of class stats and it’s a strategy available not only to Wake but also its competitors.</p>
<p>I know WFU’s administration is keenly aware of the need for scholarship funding. Unfortunately, it’s a problem that doesn’t lend itself to quick fixes. It’s going to take time and a lot of creativity to deal with the problem effectively, especially with continued need-blind admissions.</p>
<p>USN&WR has done no one any favors with their flawed rankings methodology.</p>
<p>I imagine willmingtonwave meant to say acceptances, not applications, were down this year. Apparently the trend among college applicants is to apply to more schools than in the past, so I imagine many colleges are admitting a lower percentage. If I were in admissions (thank God I’m not!) and trying to figure out how to deal with it, I’d probably opt to be more conservative than usual with acceptance rates and fall back on waitlists to fill the bottom of the class. I cannot imagine how hard it would be to be an enrollment manager trying to figure out how many applicants to accept in such a dynamic environment, or a financial aid manager trying to figure out how to apportion limited resources.</p>
<p>8 thumbs up: Quadruplets choose same NY college
From Associated Press
April 19, 2010 9:38 AM EDT
EAST SETAUKET, N.Y. (AP) — The vote is unanimous.</p>
<p>A set of quadruplets from New York have decided to attend the same college. Grace, Erin, Bobby and Danny Mele will attend Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., in the fall.</p>
<p>Grace Mele was the holdout. She was concerned about spending her college years known as “one of the quadruplets.”</p>
<p>But the 17-year-old from Setauket (seh-TAWK’-keht) on Long Island decided it would be “traumatic” to split up the close-knit siblings. Says Grace: “We’re going to savor these next few years together.”</p>
<p>Their dad, Robert Mele, cried with happiness at the news.</p>
<p>Or was it sticker shock?</p>
<p>Actually, scholarships and sibling discounts have greatly reduced the family’s upcoming bill — to about $74,000 a year.</p>
<p>Yes I meant rate of applicants admitted.<br>
From a marketing/admissions stand point, some schools have done very well playing the game of high waitlists…</p>
<p>Interesting article on and discussion of selectivity at Wesleyan. Wliiams stats also referenced in comments. Weslyan seems to have employed ED more extensively to curb volatility.</p>
<p>It is a shame that Wake does not seem to have more scholarship money to dole out. I think they would get it back many times over in donations from grateful alums. I was accepted to a state flagship and seven private schools. Wake gave me a small scholarship ($10K), but it was the lowest of all the school. My choice was pretty easy…state flagship would leave me with $20K left over for grad/med school. Wake would leave me with $70K debt before starting med/grad school. Both have a great programs and a great track records for getting kids into med school. I really liked Wake, but it simply was not affordable for me.</p>
I ADORE Wake Forest and would give anything to be able to attend…but I’m going to be about $50,000 in debt unless a miracle happens. and with medical school in my future, that is not possible. Sooo looks like I’ll be at University of Florida.</p>