Let be honest!Wake Forest

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wake Forest University
1

<p>to start off i want to say that this maybe a bit of a long question and that i do know that there will be some people who will be offended by this messages(i apoligize right now). so sit tight and enjoy this 3-4 minute ride. so, i bet many if not all of you have heard about WFU huge change (no longer requiring act/sat scores). this is being all done in order to raise the diversity of the school. which over 80% is white, rich, and arrogant(i added that, no offense..lol). i have done quite the research on this school(well sort of). And that is the vibe that i have gotten from many reviews written by students and alumni. I am from NJ and a move to NC will be very scary. But that is not the point now. The point is that the school(at the moment) is looking to diversify the itself. Which translates to great opportunities for minorities(me).I have had the opportunity to read many articles about minorities being offered huge amounts of money to go to college and else. and some people feel it is an offense to the person accepting the money because it is being rewarded solely on the color of skin. Now when i look at it from that view i feel a bit "put down" but nonethless an "almost-free" or free education is a great gift. i am a male/immigrant(5 yrs in us)/hispanic. With splendid grades 4.0+ great ranking(only hispanis top 10) gpa, extracurriculars and AP and honors courseload. At the moment I feel that i could very likely be accepted to WFU. Especially with the option of no sat/act which i bombed. So in the case that i apply to this school and become accepted. should i go there? i will only go to WFU if the financial aid is very favorable. but there is a down to this. i am 100% sure that i would not "fit-in" i am not liberal but closer to it than close minded. my skin color and thick accent will defenately set me apart from the rest of the white-preppy crowd. i don't really mind being an outcast. but it can get lonely. especially if you are hours away from home. so what should i do? apply(even thought many n many more students will be applaying now that sat are not reuired). or should i look for a school that i will fit in more even thought the bill will most likely be higher. and should i continue to seek for schools in desperate need of diversity so i can get the money-even if im setting myself for OUTCAST.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance-and for reading all of it!</p>

<p>btw- fafsa is over 20,000 parents contribution.
what are my chances?</p>

2

<p>I just have to say that the opposite of liberal is NOT closed minded. In other words, conservative does not equal closed minded and it's rather closed minded of you to imply otherwise.</p>

<p>I don't know much about Wake Forest but it does have a rather small proportion of minority students. That can work to your advantage for admissions, but the possibility does exist that you will feel awkward there. That doesn't mean that you won't be accepted by the other students but I don't think there's any way to know in advance.</p>

3

<p>My son is a junior at Wake Forest. We live in a diverse area, and he is South Asian. Wake is definitely not as diverse as many schools but the incoming class this year is 18% minority, a huge difference from before. The multicultural office staff is excellent and really provides good resources to guide students. He's made great use of that. And overall the staff is very nice, very friendly. Most of all you get a great education. And Winston-Salem has a good share of Hispanic population, so I don't think you would feel totally out of place. My son's perspective is that although it is less diverse(his high school has students from over 60 countries), it has been a great experience for him. Remember that although SAT/ACT is optional on application, interviews are required. I would recommend applying anyway.</p>

4

<p>Do you know, are you required to interview on campus? Or do they schedule them in various locations?</p>

5

<p>They offer off-campus interviews too. I'd check with the admissions office about scheduling well in advance. Good luck to you.</p>

6

<p>thanks for your thoughtful answers. in no way, was i trying no be a conservative or close minded. is rather hard to say that to someone else when you have are not in there shoes. as an immigrant i can assure you it is a great FEAR to to fit in. i has taken me 6 school years to feel accepted by my peers in school. </p>

<p>jeli25- below i will write my stats and would like for you(since your son goes to WFU) and anyone else to chance me. Please!</p>

<p>male//hispanic immigrant(been in the US 5 years)
g.p.a 4.18-weigted 3.85 unweighted
rank 7/479 top 2%
ACT-which i will take again as of now 23(yes...i know...lucky they dont required it)
spanish AP-5</p>

<p>EXTRA-CURRICULARS
Tennis(1 yr jv. 3 varsity) captain this year.
School Play( 2 yrs. + 1 this year)
Newspaper(2 years reporter 2 editor)may get editor in chief
yearbook-reporter-3 years
NHS
French NHS-secretary
Gospel Choir- secretary
French Club</p>

<p>60+hours of community service
Business camp summer-summer 07
Worked for elder and disable housing-summer 06</p>

<p>THANKS/</p>

7

<p>Hi JPComm, I think you have a very good chance to get into Wake Forest. Of course you need good recs too, but it sounds like your ECs are good. The tennis will help as most of the kids at Wake are into sports. That certainly helps break the ice, with the great athletic teams they have, including tennis.
My son plays intramural basketball, which he's enjoyed a lot. You don't have to report your SAT/ACT score, but make sure to put effort into the essays on the application. Also, contact the multicultural affairs office and OLAS (Latin American student group) if you want to talk to other Hispanic students about their experience at Wake, you can get that link on the website, I think under campus life. They do have a visitation day and overnight stay for the multicultural students that are accepted; my son attended that. They might offer something like that for prospective students too. Hope this helps. In the end, wherever you go to college, I'm sure you will do very well.</p>

8

<p>If you were white, you wouldn't even get in, much less get a scholarship.</p>

<p>I hate affirmative action hahaha</p>

9

<p>Well, to be honest, I don't think you should come to Wake if you have a negative mindset about it. I'm a new student here. It is more diverse than you think. It is more "open minded" than you would think. In my opinion, it defies almost all of the negative stereotypes it has been given. Is Wake Harvardly diverse? No, but why is that really important to you? Is diversity really only measured by race? What about different life histories, talents, and religions? These are questions you should be asking as a prospective student (among a few many more).</p>

<p>Wake feels like home to me, and I am far from a conservative, preppy Protestant. Your happiness here depends on the effort you put into activities, your schoolwork, and social life, and not on your skin color.</p>

10

<p>Well said, TAce. Glad you're enjoying Wake.</p>

11

<p>tace. your coment was a rude yet informative. there is no other way for students,high schoool, to get a perspective of the school other than what most people say. so lets get that clear. the ideas that i expressed on my original post are those that i read and research, and these portray the general experiennce of wake students. i am glad to hear you feel a different way. but not every does. </p>

<p>JELI. thanks a lot. i am now looking forward to applying.
did your son get any scholarships?</p>

12

<p>I'm sorry you found my comment to be rude, but I stand by it completely. There are indeed alternative ways to find out about schools, many of which are infinitely more truthful than common stereotypes. That's your job as a prospective student, isn't it? To ask questions from a wide variety of resources, to see things yourself, and to decide for yourself. Don't let other people decide whether or not you would like Wake. Many negative stereotypes come from students who are angry at the school for one reason or another, and are therefore motivated to voice their opinion. I can say, as a current student, that at any given moment, at LEASt 90% of Wake students would say that they are at least generally happy- and that includes minorities. I do realize that it's definitely not "perfect," and that not everyone likes it here. But more often than not, this is because they are not engaging themselves in our incredible academic and social opportunities; in other words, they are "hermits." </p>

<p>My advice- talk to real students, professors, and admissions counselors. Websites, forums, and the Princeton Review are bound to be slanted or biased. I guarantee you'll have a different (and more authentic) perspective of Wake if you do.</p>

<p>Best wishes on your college search, and please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you</p>

13

<p>JPComm, TAce77 makes an excellent point. Visiting the school and talking to students and professors there at the urging of a family friend made a huge impact on my son. He was not even thinking seriously about Wake until he saw it for himself and realized the value of the education he would receive there. He has had some excellent opportunities as a result. JPcomm, visit as many schools as you can, and look at all they offer--academic programs, ec activities, sports, etc. If money is a concern with respect to visiting, a lot of schools will help with that. Good luck to you, I know it is a confusing time but the more information you have, the better decision you will make.</p>

14

<p>jeli25 & tace77. thanks to both of you. I understand the points made. And i will be sure to get in touch with more students. This,however, is hard to do. (Where can i find them?) I am from New Jersey so a college visit will be hard to accomplish; not impposible! </p>

<p>But for any current Wake Forest Students out there could you guys answer the following 8 questions. Please...!pretty please!</p>

<ol>
<li>How do you like WFU</li>
<li>Are you receiving any aid?</li>
<li>How much is YOUR tuition/room/board total cost.</li>
<li>How diverse do you feel WFU is?</li>
<li>How friendly are thhe people?</li>
<li>How hard are the academic?</li>
<li>college life?(personal input)-social...etc</li>
<li>How difficult to get in?</li>
</ol>

15

<p>My D is a freshman, and doesn't go on CC, but I will try to answer for her, with info I got today!
1. She really likes it, but does not like the dorm food (who does??). She is also a picky eater. No homesickness (from CA) yet.
2. No aid
3. about 50,000
4. Not really diverse. On her hall, of about 20 girls, one is African-American and one is Asian, the rest white. This seems about typical.
5. Very, Very friendly. everyone is very nice
6. Pretty hard, lots of work, but she is taking some hard science classes
7. She seems really happy, Lots of social stuff going on. Also, you do things during orientation, which is a few days before school starts, with your hall, which encourages friendships. She also has, along with a group of 10, a faculty advisor and student advisor. Student advisor came by to say hello while my D was moving in. Before scheduling for classes her group had met with the faculty an student advisor a few times, including for dinner. Seems like lots of support here.
8. Pretty difficult, but not impossible. My D was a very good high school student, with lots of community volunteering and some club involvement.</p>

<p>Hope that helps - know you would rather have info directly from a student, but figure this info is better than nothing!</p>

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<p>Thanks Elizabeth. And your answers were great. I would like others to answers the questoins so i can get more resources. i cannot believe you guys are paying 50, 000 dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!That's insane. there is no way i could pay that!</p>

<p>Anyways....OTHERS KEEP ANSWERINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG</p>

<p>THANKSSSSSSSS</p>

17

<p>JPcomm., I have read this thread with some interest. As the mom of a recent high school graduate and, very proudly now, mom of a Wake Forest Student, I would like to address your question.</p>

<p>To begin, I advise that you should visit each campus that you are interested as very important. Our son was very interested in a particular school on the east coast. He visited, and just could not find himself going there. He also visited another school that he had not considered, and really found the campus to be nice. One important question to consider in the process is, "do I see myself living there for four years?".Also consider transportation to and from your home. You do have to go somewhere over breaks (Christmas and spring) and transportation costs are on your own, not covered in scholarships.
There are also other costs that are not covered in financial assistance that you really need to look at.</p>

<p>It "sounds like", you definately need financial assistance with whatever university is in your future. That is not unusual, most students do. What is important is that you look at the university as a whole, not just for what they may or may not offer you as financial assistance particularly as a minority.</p>

<p>I question your reasons for choosing WF. Is it mostly because you did not do well on your SATs and you feel that because WF no longer looks at SATs you have a better shot? If you were my child I would highly encourage you to try again, and even again if you need to. Though many will disagree with me, just because Wake has decided to not accept SAT scores does not mean that they will not look deeply at the "whole" admission of each student.There are many ways to evaluate applicants. </p>

<p>As a parent of a Wake Forest student, I can tell you very firmly that we are very happy that our son chose Wake Forest. Wake is ranked highly nationally for a reason. Diversity, you would never know that there was not diversity in our son's dorm. There are guys from all over the world and they all get along tremendously. We found the entire orientation process very helpful and every faculty and administration person to be so helpful. They are all there for the students, it shows ( well, to be fair, at least so far).</p>

<p>You should definately take a look at Wake Forest. It is a very fine university with big university amenities within a small school campus. It is definately not for everyone. It is definately not within a large city if that is important to you. For some students that is very important.</p>

<p>There are many posibilities out there just look. Research and then research some more :) And do talk with students and staff if possible. As it has been said before, that helps so much in making decisions.</p>

<p>And take that SAT again. Even if you do decide to apply to Wake, I would hope you will apply to other universities as well and a lot still have the SAT as a requirement.</p>

<p>Good Luck!!</p>

18

<p>Deacmom-thanks a lot for your input and interest. I greatly appreciate it. your comments make a lot of sense. now let me answer a question you have. which is whether i am choosing WFU because now they do not require an act/sat score. The answer is NO. the reason isn't much better either, but i do not hide things and will sure say it again. i am applying to WFU 1. because i have great credentials and 2., they have a low percentage of minority and since i am one, i hope that they offer me scholarship money.. yes...it all goes back to the money. personally, i do not want to be in debt 30 years from now. is not how i envision myself, and even this would not neccesarely be the case. i always think f the worst because that is what i do. </p>

<p>something that i did want to ask u. was.. how much money are you guys paying for the school.?</p>

<p>againg thanks for taking the time for posting an answer/comment to my thread.</p>

<p>I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO KEEP POSTING ON THIS THREAD AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE POSTED.</p>

<p>AND ALSO WHAT OTHER COLLEGES YOU GYS RECOMMEND FOR ME. I BELIEF I HAVE BEEN PRETTY BLUNT WITH MY PLANS</p>

<p>THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>

19

<p>Hi, I'm a freshman at Wake so I will answer your questions as well.</p>

<ol>
<li>I absolutely LOVE Wake. I am so so glad I chose to go here, which was a very difficult decision for me at the time, but I am so confident I made the right choice.</li>
<li>No aid.</li>
<li>over 50,000</li>
<li>Wake is less diverse in terms of skin color than my high school, so i thought that would bother me. However, there are so many different people from all over the country and the world who I've already met that have showed me that your skin color doesn't have to be different to be diverse.</li>
<li>The people are so friendly. Being from the north, the friendliness of people saying hi to me just walking across campus weirded me out and I tried to figure out how I knew them, but now I LOVE it. I just feel home.</li>
<li>So far they are definitely challenging, but I don't know anybody having serious problems yet.</li>
<li>Make sure to get involved in the first couple of weeks, because this is when all the clubs are starting up and all of the tryouts for different groups. Also, although the Greek scene completely dominates campus, its actualy really cool. You don't have to be in a frat to go to frat parties, so the freshmen and upperclassmen alike are all welcomed at the parties which are basically just house parties. They're not elitist or anything and the only time Greek life is even prominent is through their parties, service on campus, and the occassional t shirt you see someone wearing.</li>
<li>Um, I don't really know how difficult it was to get in. Sorry.</li>
</ol>

20

<p>JP, I will try to answer some of your questions from the perspective of a mom whose son transferred after two years at Wake.</p>

<p>He absolutely loved the academics. Classes are small, professors are very engaged with the students, profs seems to enjoy teaching and most put it ahead of their research, no TAs except to help in labs. He found the work very challenging (science major), but doable if you don't get behind.</p>

<p>He loved the campus--everything convenient, good communication from the school to the students, dorms so-so, food I believe is improving and adding more options. The on campus student health was well-run and supportive (son had an emergency medical issue while he was there).</p>

<p>He transferred mainly due to social life. Winston is not a "college town" and he found that he desired that. He felt that frats did dominate the social scene--for instance he found it hard to find an intramural team (after freshman year) unless you were involved in a frat (granted he could have put his own team together--but most friends were in frats).</p>

<p>As far as diversity. He felt, as another poster stated, that Wake is really pretty diverse if you don't rate diversity score based only on skin color. There were students with full-rides who had very little financial resources, there were students whose parents were CEOs of major companies, there were international students and everyone mingled more on this size of campus that you might find in a larger school. For example, football and basketball players would join him at a table in the dining court, instead of having their separate dining facilities like you find at some bigger schools. His sophomore year two of his 4 suite mates were from mainland China.</p>

<p>He received no scholarship or aid--two years ago we were paying about 44K.</p>

<p>It all boils down to what you are looking for. All schools have positives and negatives--you just have to weigh it out. And some things you just can't figure out until you are in the school. For example, on paper my son should have been a perfect fit---white, protestant, athletic, conservative but it didn't work for him. A friend of his finishes up this May and has been happy--she is not involved in athletics, didn't join a sorority and is black. You can't pigeon hole people.</p>