Wake Forest University Top Questions

What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

Brittany

That people can be sort of judgemental if you don't look put together 24/7.

Kathryn

I wish I had known how to study effectively when I first got to WFU. I know how to study now, but at first my grades did not represent my ability coming from a public high school in Alabama. WFU requires a lot of studying, and it is extremely respected to study often. I wish I had known that I would be home-sick and probably want to stay somewhere closer to home. No matter how perfect WFU is, distance is a factor. I wish I had known how wealthy the school is.

Kirstyn

I wish that someone would have told me that it is really hard to wash dishes, cups, and flatware in the dorm bathrooms.

Allison

I wish I had known how much the school had to offer in the research field. I did not make use of this resource until my junior year, but if I had been more aware of it before coming to Wake Forest, I would have made sure to participate in research earlier in my college career.

Christina

I wish I had known just how big Greek life is. If you don't join a fraternity or sorority, there can be a lack in social opportunities.

Maria

As a student athlete, I wish I would have known the time commitment required to compete in my sport and be a successful student. Time-management skills and awareness is necessary to survive at this school. Initially, it was really difficult to manage a social, athletic, and academic life. The demand of my sport far exceeded my expectations, but with it comes a greater reward and self-satisfaction. I wish I could have fully understood the demands of athletics and academics, because combined they create two giant monsters.

Jennifer

Not to wait 15 years before starting a PhD

Alice

I wish I had known that Wake Forest has two little stores, similar to those at gas stations, that are both open late every day of the week. Using their student IDs, students can not only buy a variety of snacks such as cold sandwhiches, microwavable dishes, and simple "munchies," but also general items, such as paper plates and cups, kitchen appliances, trashbags, and bathroom materials. If I had known this prior to coming to school, I would have been able to save room in my luggage for other items since I could buy them at school anyways.

Samantha

Wake wasn't my first choice because I was nervous about the social life. There are many sororities, and I refused to join one. However, i have found many people who are not in greek life and we have an amazing time hanging out. Most of Wake students are wealthy. I am the only student I have met who is paying her way through college. However, despite my finances, I am a Wake student, I am smart and I belong there. Don't ever let money hold you back, it is your character which paves the way to your future.

Jane

I wish I had known more about the social activities and culture, such as what students tend to do on weekends. I also wished I had a better sense of the general attitudes of students toward the school and what academic areas students are most likely to study. I also wished I had known about interesting and original opportunities that students are able to participate in.

Toni

I wish I had known that the campus was not as diverse as it could be. The diversity is getting better, but it's still very low. Also, I wish I would have known that some upperclassmen housing was not as good as the freshmen housing. Also, I wish I would have known that the food here was not as good as the school made it seem.

Lindsay

The grad deflation makes it that much more stressful to earn a 3.2 while my highschool friends at public universities make 4.0's without working half as hard as I do. It is definitely something to think about--a 4.0 at a big state school usually looks better than a 3.0, even at a top school like Wake. And more free time to actually enjoy college would be an added bonus. Not to say that I don't enjoy Wake, I am, but not as much as I would like.

Danielle

I wish I had known that the greek life was as omnipresent as it is.

Mason

Although there are a great number of scholarships available to graduating high school seniors, there are also scholarships or other types of easily accesible funding that can be applied for depending on your chosen major(s). Some of these scholarships may even be applied to study abroad which does not necessarily have to be under the direct administration of the university to be eligible for course credits.

Tara

That there is nothing to do on campus besides Greek life, it's a very "southern" atmosphere, the gym is very small, the dining situation changed from a-la-carte (cheaper!) to a meal plan (worse food).

Lisa

I wish I had known the extent to which Greek life controls social life . I also wish that i had known how difficult classes were going to be and that I would not be as successful ias i had been in highschool

Sarah

I wish I had known more about the social population. Wake was a perfect fit for me academically, but socially, I may have chosen a different school.

Lindsey

The significance of sororities and fraternities. As a northerner, sororities and fraternities are not exactly prevalent in the universities surrounding my home. It worked out, but I would have liked to have had more of a warning prior to my first semester.