What are my chances at Wake Forest University?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wake Forest University
1

What are my chances at Wake Forest University?
GPA (weighted): 4.479
SAT (superscore): 1440
I’ve taken 10 total AP classes throughout high school (AP Euro, AP US History, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Biology, AP Physics C, AP Calc BC, AP Stats, AP Chemistry, AP English Language and Comp, AP French - UConn Credited Course)
My grades are a mix of A’s and B’s
Extracurriculars:

  • Member of National Honors Society (11th and 12th grade)
  • Member of French National Honor Society (12th grade)
  • Total community service work: 25 hours through NHS, 72 hours at a local convalescent home, additional 52 hours through Leo’s Club)
  • Varsity cross country runner (9th - 12th grade), All-State athlete, All-Conference athlete, All-academic team, Class MM State Champs (2016), State runner-ups 9th and 11th grade
  • Varsity outdoor track runner - All-Conference, All-academic, Most Improved athlete (9th and 10th grade)
  • Varsity indoor track runner - All-academic team (all 4 years)
  • Summer job inputting data entry and lane numbers at track meets at a local high school
  • Operation Smile Club (10th and 11th grade)
    -Recreational basketball player (10th and 11th grade)

I plan on applying to Wake Regular Decision. I am not doing the interview even though I know it’s a huge part of the application.

2

What is your unweighted GPA? Class rank? WIll your recommendation letters be stellar, or just pretty good? Anything about your school would help also. (Is this a public / private, super rigorous - or not?) That info would be helpful before answering. You have an above-average SAT as you know, but from reading the stats of last year’s accepted students in REGULAR decision… Seems they had mostly A’s - maybe a couple of B’s (you mentioned a "mix’ of both, so that I why I am asking your unweighted). Is there a particular reason you didn’t interview (such as …couldn’t find an opening?) Yes - as you stated, they love the interview. Wake’s acceptance rate is 29% overall but the Regular Decision acceptance rate is around 24% (Early Decision is around 44%).

3

My school only put weighted GPA on my transcript, so I have no idea what my unweighted GPA is quite honestly. My school doesn’t report class rank unfortunately, although I know I’m within the top 10% of my class. I go to a public school, nonetheless our academics are challenging. I’m not doing the interview because I know I’ll psych myself out and regret having taken the opportunity. Believe me. I just know it won’t go over well. I’ll crack under the pressure and draw mental blanks. I’m applying RD to Wake solely because I want to be able to compare my options financially since I will be matriculating into medical school after undergrad if all goes well. I did not read my letters of recommendation, I waived my right to see them, but I’m confident they’re good. I’m confident my college essay is stellar, and hopefully my supplements will be that way too by the time I finish writing all of them. From the replies, it sounds like I should consider Wake to be a target school and just hope for the best. Thank you for taking the time to respond! I appreciate the insight.

4

Thanks. If there is no class rank, your school will likely report a percentage. Wake prefers to see top 10% or above. I certainly would say you have a good chance. 50/50 or a bit higher… Regular Decision gets really selective. Not sure if you ever visited the school (they do consider ‘demonstrated interest’ in the school… but one of many other factors, not a deal breaker…) You really stand out with your dedication and high achievements in cross country. Maybe in one of their many essays, it would allow you to talk about your persistence, what it took to stick with it and reach the heights that you did etc - maybe any obstacles you had to overcome at times you felt like quitting. It seems you have excelled there. I do wish you the best!

5

Thanks so much for the idea!! I did tear my ACL and got surgery in April. I was still able to compete in cross country this fall and maintained my spot on varsity, consistently being the #2 finisher on our team. I was in place to be #1, but definitely take pride in how I performed coming off surgery. I think it would be a great opportunity to mention this in one of the many supplements. Thanks again!

6

@StudentBMA2 Excellent. Show your perseverance, determination, and your ‘never give up’ attitude. That you had made a commitment to yourself to compete all 4 years and be your very best - and that’s what kept you going. And after coming back from your injury (which would have been a great time for a quitter to quit…) being the #2 finisher was a winning way to finish it up!