Wake Forest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wake has had a heavy NJ/NY contingent for a long time, not just recently.

My friends there were from many places, not just the south.

Why did our tour guide talk so much about the chapel as the center of school? He kept making it seem like a religious school or something…

It is the most prominent and recognizable building on campus.

Wake cut ties with the Baptist Church years ago, but it did start that way-where do you think Deacons comes from?

That said, the Chapel is mostly used for large school gatherings. I saw Maya Angelou speak there. I saw a night line episode shot there. They have used it as the site of presidential debates. Shoot, Dave Matthews Band played in there while I was a student!

Fwiw, I did find the student body a little more churchy than I expected in the 90s. That said, other than the one required religion class, that was the only thing that was unavoidable.

They did still use the chapel for a Sunday service back then, but I assure you that there isn’t pressure to participate. Most kids are sleeping off their hangover on Sunday morning

I was at that same Dave Matthews concert in the chapel!! So fun and i think there was a "big" concert in the chapel every year, Toad the Wet Sprocket come to mind.
It has now become a school of the "haves" and "have nots". Rich kids who can afford it and poor kids who qualify for financial aid. The kids in the middle have been left out and the school isn't really doing anything to combat that, sadly. Also LOTS Of emphasis on trying to attract diversity and attracting kids from overseas who are full pay.

Is the campus very socially segregated racially? Seems like a sizable low income Afam population/financial aid recipients and a sizable wealthy white pop and the 2 do not mix?

Why would you assume the AA students are all poor? We know four iAA students that are attending Wake from local privates. None are low income. I think the social environment is better than at most southern schools.

Maybe it was just our tour….. it was very interesting to see who else was looking at the school. And the composition of our tour group. And also the guide chosen for our group.

It was a notably and discernibly different experience than many other schools we have looked at in the last nine months, including, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Tulane, Emory, UVA, Rice, Richmond.

Must have been your tour group. We also looked at Vandy, Emory, UVA and Richmond and did not have a notable different experience at Wake, though Vandy was a bit unique because visited during parent’s weekend and had the surreal experience of multiple parents berating the admissions staff about sibling legacy.

Where did your kid wind up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wake has had a heavy NJ/NY contingent for a long time, not just recently.

My friends there were from many places, not just the south.

Why did our tour guide talk so much about the chapel as the center of school? He kept making it seem like a religious school or something…

It’s a nondenominational building, basicallly an auditorium inside.

Right, two presidential debates were held in the chapel. It is a beautiful building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wake has had a heavy NJ/NY contingent for a long time, not just recently.

My friends there were from many places, not just the south.

Why did our tour guide talk so much about the chapel as the center of school? He kept making it seem like a religious school or something…

It is the most prominent and recognizable building on campus.

Wake cut ties with the Baptist Church years ago, but it did start that way-where do you think Deacons comes from?

That said, the Chapel is mostly used for large school gatherings. I saw Maya Angelou speak there. I saw a night line episode shot there. They have used it as the site of presidential debates. Shoot, Dave Matthews Band played in there while I was a student!

Fwiw, I did find the student body a little more churchy than I expected in the 90s. That said, other than the one required religion class, that was the only thing that was unavoidable.

They did still use the chapel for a Sunday service back then, but I assure you that there isn’t pressure to participate. Most kids are sleeping off their hangover on Sunday morning

I was at that same Dave Matthews concert in the chapel!! So fun and i think there was a "big" concert in the chapel every year, Toad the Wet Sprocket come to mind.
It has now become a school of the "haves" and "have nots". Rich kids who can afford it and poor kids who qualify for financial aid. The kids in the middle have been left out and the school isn't really doing anything to combat that, sadly. Also LOTS Of emphasis on trying to attract diversity and attracting kids from overseas who are full pay.

Is the campus very socially segregated racially? Seems like a sizable low income Afam population/financial aid recipients and a sizable wealthy white pop and the 2 do not mix?

Why would you assume the AA students are all poor? We know four iAA students that are attending Wake from local privates. None are low income. I think the social environment is better than at most southern schools.

Maybe it was just our tour….. it was very interesting to see who else was looking at the school. And the composition of our tour group. And also the guide chosen for our group.

It was a notably and discernibly different experience than many other schools we have looked at in the last nine months, including, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Tulane, Emory, UVA, Rice, Richmond.

Must have been your tour group. We also looked at Vandy, Emory, UVA and Richmond and did not have a notable different experience at Wake, though Vandy was a bit unique because visited during parent’s weekend and had the surreal experience of multiple parents berating the admissions staff about sibling legacy.

Where did your kid wind up?

Wake

[Anonymous]

Just toured Wake and it seemed like a school for over-protective parents in a way--curious if that actually rings true? We were surprised at the high level of security with entry gates closing at 10pm and only students allowed to swipe into buildings. Is Winston-Salem dangerous? It seemed fine to us.

Also thought it was a bit odd how dressed up the parents were for a tour (it was really hot). Are there interview opportunities tied into tours? We've toured a bunch of other schools and none were this dressy--especially during the summer.

We like a lot about the school, but want to make sure college is a growth experience and not sure if Wake comes across as too sheltered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just toured Wake and it seemed like a school for over-protective parents in a way--curious if that actually rings true? We were surprised at the high level of security with entry gates closing at 10pm and only students allowed to swipe into buildings. Is Winston-Salem dangerous? It seemed fine to us.

Also thought it was a bit odd how dressed up the parents were for a tour (it was really hot). Are there interview opportunities tied into tours? We've toured a bunch of other schools and none were this dressy--especially during the summer.

We like a lot about the school, but want to make sure college is a growth experience and not sure if Wake comes across as too sheltered.

Winston Salem has a really high crime rate: https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nc/winston-salem/crime

High level of security makes a lot of sense...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just toured Wake and it seemed like a school for over-protective parents in a way--curious if that actually rings true? We were surprised at the high level of security with entry gates closing at 10pm and only students allowed to swipe into buildings. Is Winston-Salem dangerous? It seemed fine to us.

Also thought it was a bit odd how dressed up the parents were for a tour (it was really hot). Are there interview opportunities tied into tours? We've toured a bunch of other schools and none were this dressy--especially during the summer.

We like a lot about the school, but want to make sure college is a growth experience and not sure if Wake comes across as too sheltered.

Winston Salem has a really high crime rate: https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nc/winston-salem/crime

High level of security makes a lot of sense...

Interesting--wouldn't have thought that--makes sense though--they don't talk about students hanging out a bunch off campus. Maybe why there is such big greek participation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just toured Wake and it seemed like a school for over-protective parents in a way--curious if that actually rings true? We were surprised at the high level of security with entry gates closing at 10pm and only students allowed to swipe into buildings. Is Winston-Salem dangerous? It seemed fine to us.

Also thought it was a bit odd how dressed up the parents were for a tour (it was really hot). Are there interview opportunities tied into tours? We've toured a bunch of other schools and none were this dressy--especially during the summer.

We like a lot about the school, but want to make sure college is a growth experience and not sure if Wake comes across as too sheltered.

Yes, interviews are an optional part of the admissions process at Wake, and are in high demand, the slots usually are all filled by early October. Also ED1 applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so many kids strive to have their applications complete in August, so they can get an admissions decision by the end of September.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just toured Wake and it seemed like a school for over-protective parents in a way--curious if that actually rings true? We were surprised at the high level of security with entry gates closing at 10pm and only students allowed to swipe into buildings. Is Winston-Salem dangerous? It seemed fine to us.

Also thought it was a bit odd how dressed up the parents were for a tour (it was really hot). Are there interview opportunities tied into tours? We've toured a bunch of other schools and none were this dressy--especially during the summer.

We like a lot about the school, but want to make sure college is a growth experience and not sure if Wake comes across as too sheltered.

Winston Salem has a really high crime rate: https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nc/winston-salem/crime

High level of security makes a lot of sense...

No more dangerous than Chapel Hill or Durham according to this map.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just toured Wake and it seemed like a school for over-protective parents in a way--curious if that actually rings true? We were surprised at the high level of security with entry gates closing at 10pm and only students allowed to swipe into buildings. Is Winston-Salem dangerous? It seemed fine to us.

Also thought it was a bit odd how dressed up the parents were for a tour (it was really hot). Are there interview opportunities tied into tours? We've toured a bunch of other schools and none were this dressy--especially during the summer.

We like a lot about the school, but want to make sure college is a growth experience and not sure if Wake comes across as too sheltered.

Winston Salem has a really high crime rate: https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nc/winston-salem/crime

High level of security makes a lot of sense...

No more dangerous than Chapel Hill or Durham according to this map.

Are you looking at the same data? It's not even close to Chapel Hill. Durham is a bit safer, too. https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nc/chapel-hill/crime

[Anonymous]

I can speak to the gates and cards as I was there when that happened (mid-90s). It wasn't about Winston in general.

There was a horrible incident on campus where a student was taken hostage at gunpoint and raped by a drug dealer (from off campus) who was there to see another student who had not paid him.

Administration decided to tighten security at that point. And honestly, with everything that happens in this world, I was glad for it. Not sure what the current situation is with the gate and building access times, but the gates didn't actually get closed until midnight.

I don't know why people who aren't students or faculty/staff should have access to dorm buildings anyway? Every campus we have visited has some sort of system for key card access.

[Anonymous]

sorry, just read 10 pm in the post - I think that is fine

Is it a bit sheltered? Yes. But some kids are looking for that. I know I liked campuses that felt like a little oasis from the world outside.

We have visited Meredith, Randolph, Radford and Shenandoah with our daughter and those had similar feels. Not too far from things, but also a little bit secluded where you pull into campus and that is your safe space.

I loved my time at Wake. I very rarely felt unsafe. I had a part-time job at the law library that was close to the gates and the only times I called for a ride back to my dorm was when I worked late at night (I sometimes had the 10-midnight shift) I definitely felt no fear walking across the quad at like 3 in the morning.

[Anonymous]

The list of medium sized, private universities that have some (or a lot of) good students and cater to rich people, but aren’t impossible to get into, is fairly short.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wealthy, white, high achieving, social kids.

VERY wealthy, preppy population, still fairly Southern. There’s not much to do off-campus, and they cracked down on alcohol on campus so now all the kids drive off campus to get wasted. Not good. Even the fraternities are off-campus.

I went there years ago and having all the students and parties on campus was so much fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wake has had a heavy NJ/NY contingent for a long time, not just recently.

My friends there were from many places, not just the south.

Why did our tour guide talk so much about the chapel as the center of school? He kept making it seem like a religious school or something…

It is the most prominent and recognizable building on campus.

Wake cut ties with the Baptist Church years ago, but it did start that way-where do you think Deacons comes from?

That said, the Chapel is mostly used for large school gatherings. I saw Maya Angelou speak there. I saw a night line episode shot there. They have used it as the site of presidential debates. Shoot, Dave Matthews Band played in there while I was a student!

Fwiw, I did find the student body a little more churchy than I expected in the 90s. That said, other than the one required religion class, that was the only thing that was unavoidable.

They did still use the chapel for a Sunday service back then, but I assure you that there isn’t pressure to participate. Most kids are sleeping off their hangover on Sunday morning

I was at that same Dave Matthews concert in the chapel!! So fun and i think there was a "big" concert in the chapel every year, Toad the Wet Sprocket come to mind.
It has now become a school of the "haves" and "have nots". Rich kids who can afford it and poor kids who qualify for financial aid. The kids in the middle have been left out and the school isn't really doing anything to combat that, sadly. Also LOTS Of emphasis on trying to attract diversity and attracting kids from overseas who are full pay.

Is the campus very socially segregated racially? Seems like a sizable low income Afam population/financial aid recipients and a sizable wealthy white pop and the 2 do not mix?

Why would you say there “seems like a sizable, low income, African-American population, financial aid recipients”? How could you even tell – unless you ask them how much money they made, or whether they were all financial aid? Do they look a certain way, do they dress a certain way,?

Maybe you have more info than me, but all 3 of the black students I know there are from wealthy private school families. And at least one is dating someone from a similar Socio economic background.

I do know they offered great merit aid, which is why my full-pay AA relative chose it over Brown. also they said their kid loved the weather and the sports aspect there as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wake has had a heavy NJ/NY contingent for a long time, not just recently.

My friends there were from many places, not just the south.

Why did our tour guide talk so much about the chapel as the center of school? He kept making it seem like a religious school or something…

It is the most prominent and recognizable building on campus.

Wake cut ties with the Baptist Church years ago, but it did start that way-where do you think Deacons comes from?

That said, the Chapel is mostly used for large school gatherings. I saw Maya Angelou speak there. I saw a night line episode shot there. They have used it as the site of presidential debates. Shoot, Dave Matthews Band played in there while I was a student!

Fwiw, I did find the student body a little more churchy than I expected in the 90s. That said, other than the one required religion class, that was the only thing that was unavoidable.

They did still use the chapel for a Sunday service back then, but I assure you that there isn’t pressure to participate. Most kids are sleeping off their hangover on Sunday morning

I was at that same Dave Matthews concert in the chapel!! So fun and i think there was a "big" concert in the chapel every year, Toad the Wet Sprocket come to mind.
It has now become a school of the "haves" and "have nots". Rich kids who can afford it and poor kids who qualify for financial aid. The kids in the middle have been left out and the school isn't really doing anything to combat that, sadly. Also LOTS Of emphasis on trying to attract diversity and attracting kids from overseas who are full pay.

Is the campus very socially segregated racially? Seems like a sizable low income Afam population/financial aid recipients and a sizable wealthy white pop and the 2 do not mix?

Why would you say there “seems like a sizable, low income, African-American population, financial aid recipients”? How could you even tell – unless you ask them how much money they made, or whether they were all financial aid? Do they look a certain way, do they dress a certain way,?

Maybe you have more info than me, but all 3 of the black students I know there are from wealthy private school families. And at least one is dating someone from a similar Socio economic background.

I do know they offered great merit aid, which is why my full-pay AA relative chose it over Brown. also they said their kid loved the weather and the sports aspect there as well.

That's interesting because that is the thing people get most frustrated about at wake - lack of merit aid. I only knew a couple kids there on academic scholarships in my time, and I heard they have gotten even stingier over time