Wake Forest University

Overall ExperienceWhat's This?

Students overwhelmingly agree that their experience at Wake Forest was a very special one. Despite the “Work Forest” reputation (and reality), the challenging liberal arts coursework of Wake Forest prepares students to be successful leaders in the world. Students are often very well-rounded and take part in a variety of activities, including athletics, Greek life, and clubs. ACC Athletics and supporting the Demon Deacon sports teams are an important part of Wake Forest’s identity. As one of the smallest Division I schools, Wake Forest offers sporting events of the caliber of a much larger institution. Despite the intimate campus community, Wake Forest encourages students to engage the wider world, from Winston-Salem to Vietnam and everywhere in between. As a true “liberal arts university,” Wake Forest gives students access to the research resources of a much larger university. In particular, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is a nationwide leader in medical research. In short, for many alumni, graduation day was a very sad one indeed. Nonetheless, students do not pretend that Wake Forest is an absolutely perfect place.

Probably the biggest concern of Wake Forest students is that Winston-Salem is not the ideal college town. This is certainly valid, but Wake Forest has consistently made efforts to connect with the growing city. Nonetheless, Wake’s campus can sometimes feel confining because there is nothing within walking distance. Diversity is another issue that consistently comes up. The average student is white and upper-middle class, but in general, race relations are quite good. Additionally, the percentage of “diverse” applicants has been consistently rising from year to year. Despite these shortcomings, students love their school and would have made the same decision to attend again.

Wake Forest Student Reviews