UNC is not elite.

Anonymous wrote:Emory and Wake offer different types of college experiences but academically they’re the same. Duke and Vanderbilt are on a different level re: selectivity/brand.

If the delusion makes you feel better. Wake will NEVER be what Emory is. Vandy says Emory is a peer, not wake.

Duke has nothing in common with Emory.

Wake attracts kids in the same category as UMiami, Tulane, URichmond. Usually full pay families.

Anonymous wrote:Wake is for those who want the “south,” but can’t cut it at Vandy, Emory, Duke, UNC, and UVA. It is like Lehigh. Meh.

Funny, Emory and Vandy were in those shadows not all that long ago.

Duke is several layers above Wake. Always was and gap has widened imo. Agree that Wake culture is like Duke prior to mid 1990s. Most in our Duke grad circles are not happy with the current Duke vibe and very few contribute to annual fund- not unique to Duke as Princeton and Dartmouth are experiencing alumni displeasure. People vote with their pocketbooks.

Anonymous wrote:Duke grad from the 90s. I had earmarked Wake for DD who is in high school b/c it does feel very similar to my own college experience at Duke. But, I’m concerned it’s going to be too Greek and country club-esque for her. Can anyone talk about their experience socially?

NP. I’m interested in this, too. Any very recent experience?

Anonymous wrote:Duke grad from the 90s. I had earmarked Wake for DD who is in high school b/c it does feel very similar to my own college experience at Duke. But, I’m concerned it’s going to be too Greek and country club-esque for her. Can anyone talk about their experience socially?

Wake is still very greek. From what I hear life is much easier on independent women than on independent men (depending on interests). Women generally get a bid somewhere (it may not be their first or second choice, though) and even if they choose to be independent they won't have any trouble going to parties. Will they feel left out sometimes if they are independent? Yes, most likely. Will they be social outcasts? No, absolutely not (unless they're weird, etc.).

As to men, being independent will be a tougher experience because greek men tend to drive the social scene and fraternities tend to exclude people who aren't in their/a fraternity. So an independent man who is into the party scene is going to have a tougher time. Independent men can still definitely have a social life at Wake but it will be a very different experience than those in a fraternity.

And of course like every school what fraternity/sorority you are in will impact what your social life is like, the kind of people you are around, etc.

Wake Forest is a very appealing school these days. It's not Vanderbilt or Duke, but it attracts students who want a similar kind of school - strong academics, nice campus, D1 sports, students who are friendly and social. I suspect a lot of Wake Forest students also applied to Davidson, Boston College, UVA, and UNC-Chapel Hill.

Duke grad from the 90s. I had earmarked Wake for DD who is in high school b/c it does feel very similar to my own college experience at Duke. But, I’m concerned it’s going to be too Greek and country club-esque for her. Can anyone talk about their experience socially?

Same poster as above. None of that is to say that Carolina is not a great school. It is nowhere near the level of Duke though in terms of intellectual horsepower of students. And I would argue one would get a much better education at Wake if you can afford it.

Good school, yes. But it is not the shining city on the hill people think it is.

Anonymous wrote:Wake was traditionally where upper crust Carolina families sent flunkies who could not get into Duke or UNC. It has become a desired oos option for similar families outside the Carolinas. So much so that they actually want in state applicants and offer great aid to those who quality in state.

Maybe as to Duke but not UNC. I'm from North Carolina. UNC is a much easier admit in-state than Wake Forest. Carolina was my safety school. People think UNC is a tough admit because it's so hard to get into out of state.

Honestly, if you are reasonably intelligent, you can just coast at Carolina. Of course this depends on major and everything. I have friends that went to Carolina that were not at all impressive and did just fine.

Emory and Wake offer different types of college experiences but academically they’re the same. Duke and Vanderbilt are on a different level re: selectivity/brand.

Anonymous wrote:Wake was traditionally where upper crust Carolina families sent flunkies who could not get into Duke or UNC. It has become a desired oos option for similar families outside the Carolinas. So much so that they actually want in state applicants and offer great aid to those who quality in state.

UNC and Duke are elite. Not being able to get into them does not make one a "flunky." Please remove yourself from your elitist bubble - a truly elite person would not say such things.

Hugs and Kisses,

A Duke alum with a lot of respect for Wake and similar schools

People are so obsessed with the handful of schools that have single-digit admit rates that they think a school with a 20% acceptance rate and a 1470 average SAT isn't strong academically. (Even though this was Duke's average SAT score about a decade ago)