<p>■■■■■. If you care what Princeton Review and USNWR say you should rethink some things</p>
<p>Agreed with Wneckid99 … I couldn’t find a factual statement in that rant. Formulated a response but then decided that it did not merit one.</p>
<p>I don’t know if it was just the classes I took or what (I’m a language major), but Wake Forest was certainly not “Work Forest” for me. I had a 3.84 both semesters and I certainly didn’t slave.</p>
<p>Other students might disagree with me, of course, but I got the feeling that some kids there (not all, mind you, but a fair amount) party hard more often than they should, don’t put much effort into the class, and then complain when they (understandably) don’t end up with an A. Maybe that’s where some of the “Work Forest” perception comes from. Who knows. I think it’s a bit of an unfair reputation, though. I always found the professors at Wake to be very fair; generally speaking, the tests are quite doable if you pay attention in class and bother to study.</p>
<p>I went to a very good public HS OOS and Wake is considered an excellent school on par with Davidson, etc.</p>
<p>Wake is an outstanding small university with top-shelf faculty, students, campus and facilities. It’s a preppy kind of place, with significant resources/student. Far more than UNC and some others. Generally, lots of academic rigor and lofty, climbing expectations that result from 30+ years of working to escape the shackles of its Southern Baptist heritage and limiters. There is a very distinct culture with lots of climbers and wannabes scrambling to join lots of their classmates coming from families who are already there. It is a consumate Southern campus in a Southern city in a Southern state. A really great place in so many ways. I’m not sure why people want to put the place down, because the chances are great for those who are admitted and matriculate that they will receive a stellar education … one that is both substantive and highly regarded, especially among those in the know of higher education. WFU students have no difficulty in competing in both the admissions process and the grad programs they pursue. WFU provides a really nice mix of “big time” flavor in a “small college” package, with a very high level of student engagement with relatively younger, impressive scholars. Now, one quibble … academically, it is still playing catch-up with Davidson, and beyond athletic prowess, has surpassed UNC … except for the handful of out of state admissions at the latter. They are a modestly spectacular group. Wake’s major challenge is providing financial support to great students who aren’t necessarily poor. FA is putrid.</p>
<p>I believe Wake’s greatest challenge is avoiding allowing itself to become a W/S “branch” of Duke. It has far more capacity for establishing its own brand if it does not succumb to this seduction, which in NC, where there enormous campus-focused egoes driving these places, which are essentially absent competition from professional sports entities. WFU has a chance to be one of the most spectacular, unique places in the higher ed world. Problem is they will increasingly hire Ph.Ds who think Duke is worthy of emulation and duplication rather than figuring out something equally better and more Southern.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Just taking issue with this portion of your post. You can count our family as being EXTREMELY satisfied with the FA we have rcvd from Wake Forest over the past 3 years. Just got the award this week for this coming year and once again - very pleased. I guess everyone’s expectations will vary - but I view FA as a generous gift - not an entitlement - and Wake has been very kind and generous to our family.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Uh, not in our lifetime. Not in same academic or reputation league with Duke or Vanderbilt. It may make a name of itself in medicine, but that’s about it.</p>
<p>There you go! Congrats rockin’mom. FA is not a “gift” though. IF yours is other than a loan, THAT is a gift. Nice to hear someone got some.</p>
<p>kelly …are you THAT old? Of course WFU’s not “Duck” or Vandy, but in grinding your point, you’ve apparently no idea how far Wake’s come and how fast. It’s a function of momentum and direction and Wake’s curve is much steeper and more accelerated than either of your nominees. Stay tuned. You might be eating some Demon Deacon ham bisquits! 
Let’s just hope you keep your cookie-cutter away from W/S. “quack quack!” :eek:</p>
<p>@kellybkk - Calloway is renowned as well. Wake may not be seen by some as on-par with Duke, but in many respects it is on par with Vandy, especially in terms of business/medicine programs. You are getting a similar education from these three prestigious schools anyway. Many students at Wake had their choice between Vandy/Duke/Wake/UNC/etc anyway. You are greatly underestimating Wake’s abilities and how highly it is looked upon, especially in recent years.</p>