Wake Forest University Top Questions

Small classes, very intimate but very very hard. B's are definitely do-able but A's are very rare.

Students are not competitive but rather have a "we're all in it together" mentality. Helping classmates study for tests or giving them notes they missed is a common practice. The library is absolutely packed during midterms and finals. Students take work very seriously but also take partying very seriously. Professors are generally very approachable and care about the students. Many classes incorporate student discussions and participation is encouraged, not seen as "uncool" but other students.

I have loved the academic world at Wake. I feel very close to my teachers and have felt very comfortable seeking them out for help. Students are pretty competitive and it is an acadmically stimulating campus. I have had my share of classes and professors that I don't like; however, this happens on EVERY campus! Student's do study a lot and the library is hot spot, but we also know how to let loose and have a good time. I used to think that I wanted to come into a curriculum picking and choosing exactly what I wanted, but the liberal arts education allows you to experiment with a core curriculum. In other words, you can take a bunch of classes that you may not have initially been interested in and find a potential major. I've really enjoyed some classes that I've taken even if it was just to fulfill a requirement. I definitely think that a Wake education will get you far in the job world. People are often impressed by a Wake diploma!

Classes are difficult. You may work hard for merely a C in a class. Professors make themselves readily available outside of class if you need help.

My professors do know me by name. My favorite class is Spanish 319 because it is a small class and the professor works hard, which makes the students work hard. My least favorite is Computer Science because it is hard to stay awake. Class participation is not very common in most of my classes, even though the professors encourage it. Wake students have intellectual conversations outside of class on occasion, but usually conversations consist of gossip and personal stories. Some students are more competitive than others, but on the whole, students are not highly competitive among each other. I do not spend time with my professors outside of class, although they are willing to. The education at Wake is geared both to getting a job and learning. The divisional requirements are a good way to learn a variety of disciplines and provide a good base for any student.

All of my professors know my name and remember my work. I can easily reach them all by email or go to their office during their office hours. I have honestly enjoyed the majority of my classes and found them interesting, even at 8 A.M. The work is hard, we have the nickname "Work Forest" but if you stay on top of your schedule and manage your time you will do fine.

Academics at Wake are difficult. Do not come to Wake Forest if you don't expect to study your ass off. Certain majors are more difficult than others, however, so take a variety of classes before settling on a major. Wake has a broad spectrum of divisionals it requires, so be prepared for that. Wake Students are big on participation in class, especially in smaller classes. Students are competitive, so be prepared. Essentially, if you do not enjoy reading, studying and homework, Wake may not be a great choice for you.

My life IS studying. Last semester, I went out ONCE and did 30-40 hours of homework every weekend (seems impossible, I know, but just you wait!). So be prepared to be willing to give up weekend activities at times and fun, because even though your friends will go out, you will not always be able to. I'm sure there are people that slack more than me though, and you are welcome to be one of them. Class participation is not only common but pretty much required to get a good grafe. First year seminars are unique classes that are required freshman year (or the first year here for transfer students). They are on a variety of subjects, and professors go to a huge effort to make them fun and interesting, not just educational. They are writing, reading, and discussion intensive. I am a political science major (and English major, but let's focus on the poli sci part), and I LOVE IT and would recommend it to anyone. While I have not spent time wiht any of my professors outside of class, I have heard of professors asking classes to dinner at their houses to have a study session before a test. The professors are great, and I am pretty much in love with my major.

As I said, school is hard and there is a lot of work, but college is all about balance. However you choose to do it, just be sure that at the end of the day you did what you had to do. I work well with schedules. I like to plan how long things will take me and figure out the day so I can do what I need to and still have fun.

Professors definitely know my name, even in "large" lecture classes of 40. The academics are rigorous-- each professor assigns work as if you are only taking their class that semester. It was nice coming to Wake from a public high school, because I noticed that Wake students are able to bring what they read about and learn in the classroom to conversations and debates in their dorms. GPAs are competitive, mostly because each of us was at the top of our class in high school and suddenly had to work much harder to make lower grades. Wake definitely gears you towards a future-- for Calloway students, it's getting a 5-figure salary right out of college; for med students, it's having one of the highest acceptance rates into med schools; for everybody else, it's grad school.