Wake Forest University Top Questions

Not at all. The school is as diverse and welcoming as you would expect from a top tier school.

Sometimes

This stereotype is not true. Obviously parts pertain to some, but as a whole it's a ridiculous stereotype. People are labeled as "athletes" and I know a lot of students who play sports at Wake that do not fit any of the categories above, yet they are viewed that way. Athletes are automatically segregated from the rest of the student body.

In some circumstances they are true. I would say that being "preppy" is quite prominent which is reflected in the clothing choices of students. As far as being wealthy, it may or may not be true. The fact of the matter is that Wake Forest tuition is high but people realize the education is well worth the money spent. Therefore they find the money to come here. It may be easier for some families, but in the end the money is only the means to a great education.

Like most stereotypes, there is some truth to this statement, but there are also many deviations from the "norm". The university does a decent job at bringing diversity to the campus- not necessarily via the students, but through professors, speakers, etc. The student body is definitely lacking in diversity, but the athletic teams allow a bit more diversity than the rest of the students.

I think the smart stereotype is accurate for the most part because to survive you have to have intelligence but I can't say that everyone has common sense. As for everyone being rich, there are very rich people at Wake but not everyone fits in the same category of wealth.

NO! these stereotypes are not accurate at all. I mean, there are definitely people who personify these characteristics, and most people that come here are generally wealthy, but i know plenty of people who are are here on scholarship or are not stuck up at all! I love wake, and i don't feel like i have to dress in J Crew everyday to feel like i belong whatsoever.

Some--the diversity is increasing on campus, but isn't largely present. We definitely work hard, but many play hard too. Very few students thrown themselves only into 1 thing whether it be academics or another activity. Most students are extremely well rounded and involved in multiple aspects of life here.

Yes.

Only for a very very small portion of the student population.

Not entirely

A lot of students at Wake are well off, and there's not a lot of economic or racial diversity. But everyone gets along pretty well even if they don't fit the mold. Everyone here is really nice and laid-back, regardless of how much money they have. I don't know anyone who flaunts their wealth.

Athletics are strong and it is an expensive school that not many people can afford, but I still think that Wake is fairly diverse and has a lot to offer to anyone.

For the most part, yes. Although there is some cultural diversity on campus, the majority of students are wealthy and white. Most are conservative politically, although as always in a university environment the majority of students are reticent with their political views except for the extreme cases at either end of the political spectrum. Most students here are intelligent and truly involved in their courses, although I am occasionally shocked at the stupidity of some members of the student body. These represent the "hard working" students with the diligence and marks to get into the school but the intelligence of a rock. While there is a strong emphasis on greek life, one can find other opportunities to engage in social bonding, though this requires motivation and a willingness to steer oneself away from the cynicism of complaining incessantly.

yes.

For some people, but definitely not everyone.

yes - to a certain extent. It is true that a majority of people are preppy at Wake but there are quite a few people who aren't. Along with this, while students might appear preppy, they don't necessarily fit the role--a lot of them are good people.

More or less... yes.

To some extent; I feel like I am in a little bit of a bubble

I would say for the most part, this is rather true. However, there are a bunch of Northerners here; and they fit about the same profile. As I have spent more time at Wake I have found more and more people who do not fit this stereotype. So, they are here, you just have to look for them.

Wake: depends on major Wake Students: basically and especially within greek life

To an extent they are. Wake does attract the wealthier student. But it is a very desirable school for affluent people because it has a great academic reputation in a desirable location with Greek life. Some people are here to party and others do an excellent job of balancing academics as well as social activities. I think a person would find the same types of people at Wake just as much as at other schools.

about some, not others

No, there are many different types of people at Wake and many different styles on campus. We work hard, but I like to think of Wake as a place with really well rounded and different people who have fun just as much as we work.

clearly, such stereotyping does not accurately describe the student population as a whole. certain organizations and students fall into these categories more than others; certainly many students are wake are genuine beings, and yet, such stereotypes seem very applicable.

For the most part, they are accurate

On the whole the people that attend Wake Forest are very preppy. Everyone walks around in polos carrying their North Face back packs with a Nalege or a cup of Starbucks in their hands. I do not think that everyone here is that snobbish. I would say that people that go to Wake are mostly still living in the sheltered bubble they grew up in and that their ignorance concerning differences can make them appear as if they have an attitude of self imposed superiority.

Wake is, in fact, a very difficult school however I do think the student body is not as homogeneous as some think it is.

While the stereotype does exist, Wake has a much wider variety of people than it used to. I came into the school pretty much expecting exactly that and instead found a group of very different people that all get along instead of breaking into typical groups due to the small size of the university. A lot of the people I hang out with I have very little in common with aside from the fact that we get along. I have noticed an increase in racial diversity in the past year alone, as well. It is hard to break away from the rich stereotype though, due to the unbelievable cost of the tuition.

Somewhat, but you can find it all.

Somewhat. I would only agree with the stereotypes to an extent. Obviously most of the students are smart due to who the admissions staff lets in the shcool. As for being preppy, yea a lot of people wear sun dresses to football games, but there are also a lot of people who don't. I would say for every preppy person there is someone the exact opposite. I am southern, but the majority of the friends I have made at Wake are from above the Mason-Dixon line.

Partly

they are for some students but certainly not for others, not for the majority

I would say some of them are accurate -- we're a pretty preppy group, but we're not all conservative, definitely not all Baptist, and although most of us are smart...the curriculum here kicks our butts.

Yes and No...Everyone at Wake is very well-rounded and involved. They also all seem to come from similar backgrounds - at least in the social circles I run in, which is mostly Greek and Athletic Teams. The kids come from all over the East Coast, but definitely hang out with people from similar places.

I think that both of the stereotypes listed are accurate.

it seemed that way coming into the school, but after being here for 3 years, and getting to know many people on a personal level, many of these stereotypes diminish. but, overall, yes i think they are accurate as a whole.

Somewhat

much less accurate than how they are perceived from the outside

Somewhat; of course we're smart, but not everyone is fake or stuck up. Not everyone is rich, either. Those that are fake are just insecure. NOT EVERYONE IS SOUTHERN!

fairly, for the most part

To a degree, yes. I think that beyond our academics, we just have a lot of students that work hard. We're all here because we did well in high school and most are still as Type-A motivated as ever. It's a pretty competitive environment; that is, if you choose to compete. This reputation can also be attributed to Wake's rigorous divisional requirements. It's gotten less overwhelming in recent years, but don't count on being able to take Football Physics instead of Calculus. As well, the language requirement is notoriously grueling to get through. However, as the saying goes, Wake Forest students work hard during the day but at night they play hard too, and sometimes even harder. Before coming to Wake, I was forewarned that my nose ring and laid back clothing style might not be well-received, due to Wake?s preppy reputation. I hate to admit this, but I bought at least five Ralph Lauren polo shirts to make sure I would fit in with the rest of the student population. On move in day, in my carefully selected green polo, I was pleasantly surprised to find my fellow students dressed in a variety of styles. Today, I?m proud to say that I only don my pastel polos for Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes theme parties. To class, there are students in everything from sweat pants to dresses and boots to yes, double-popped polos, but no one seems to feel out of place. While Wake is a southern school with a largely conservative student body, one might be surprised to find a huge number of students from the north, particularly New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York. And while the weekly newspaper is consistently sprinkled with anti-Democrat comic strips, there is still an open environment for liberals to have their voices heard.

Wake is a very difficult institution, but there is plenty of time for students to have fun. As to the idea that all Wake students are rich preps, that's not true at all.

For the most part, yes

The majority of people here are preppy or try to make themselves look preppy to fit in; the student body is by no means all conservative, but the more vocal of the students are; the students here come from all different backgrounds, but if they are not rich, a good number try to make themselves seem as if they are; there are a huge number of people in Greek organizations compared with other schools

No