Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The Reynolda Campus, the university’s main campus, is located north of downtown Winston-Salem, after the university moved there in 1956.
In the 2009 U.S. News America’s Best Colleges report, Wake Forest tied with Tufts University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at 28th overall among national universities. Additionally, the same report ranked Wake Forest University 11th overall in terms of Best Undergraduate Teaching among national universities.
In the 2009 BusinessWeek Undergraduate Business Schools Rankings, the Calloway School of Business and Accountancy was ranked 14th overall, and 1st in terms of Academic Quality.
Winston-Salem is, as many students would attest, decidedly mediocre. It does not quite have the resources to be considered an exciting place by any means, but it is not a cultural wasteland either. Salem College, Winston-Salem State, and the North Carolina School of the Arts have enough students along with Wake Forest to provide for a burgeoning music scene, spearheaded by the local bar, Ziggy’s, which hosts a diverse series of bands. The Millennium Center, a converted courthouse, is another great venue for live music and one of the few reasons students venture downtown.
While the downtown area is generally dead, the outlying areas feature enough restaurants and bars to keep students content. Hanes Mall, the largest mall in the Carolinas, is just a few miles away. While Winston’s athletic scene is generally dominated by the Demon Deacons, the area does feature a pair of minor league teams, baseball’s The Dash and ice hockey’s Parrots. Essentially, some fun can be found in Winston, but it may require some looking. Remember, if you are looking for a college town, UNC is not too far away, and most Wake students will likely end up there more than once over the course of four years.
Upon arrival at Wake Forest, the temperature should be well into the 80s, at the very worst. Keep in this mind: You are in the South, and it can get seriously hot. On the other side of the spectrum, remember that you are not in Miami. You also need to consider bringing a decent winter jacket, since it sometimes snows in February. Expect, on average, two or three days of snow per year. The late fall and early spring are pleasant, with relatively rain-free days featuring temperatures that often hover in the 60s.
The weather is erratic, and 20-degree swings in temperature from week to week are all too common, along with freak thunderstorms. You will certainly want to bring plenty of shorts and short-sleeve shirts, along with jeans, khakis, and a light jacket. Rain-resistant gear is a must due to the region’s abundance of rainfall. A winter coat is also required, in case of an extended cold snap.
| Institutional Control: | Private |
| Year founded: | 1834 |
| Religious affiliation: | N/A |
| Academic calendar: | semester |
| Total number of undergraduates: | 4,476 |
| Setting: | suburban |
| Endowment: | $1,253,673,000 |
| Application deadline: | 1/15 |
| Application fee: | $50 |
| Fall 2008 Acceptance rate: | 38.4% |
| Selectivity: | more selective |
| 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: | $38,622 |
Reynolda Campus
The Reynolda Campus is the main campus for Wake Forest University, housing the undergraduate colleges, three of the four graduate schools, and half the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The core of Reynolda campus is the two interlinked quads, separated by the main administrative building/main dining faciilty, Reynolda Hall, into North and South Campus.
North Campus consists of the T.K. Hearn Plaza, better known as “the quad,” which holds the six upperclassmen residential buildings, the UPS Store, Subway restaurant, book/office supply store, clothing/athletic store, and Wait Chapel. Wait Chapel serves multiple functions. Its auditorium serves as an area for prayer, ceremonies, concerts, and certain guest speakers. The classrooms at Wait Chapel house the offices and classrooms for the Divinity School and the Religion Department.
South Campus is the home of Manchester Quad (formerly known as the Magnolia Quad or Mag quad). It holds freshman housing, most of the classroom buildings, the Benson Center, and the Z. Smith Reynolds Library.
Bowman Gray Campus
Known as the Bowman Gray Campus, a large hospital and medical center are located away from the Reynolda Campus in the Ardmore neighborhood near downtown Winston-Salem. This combined facility is now known as the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, and is currently the largest employer in Forsyth County. The facility comprises the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, formerly known as the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, North Carolina Baptist Hospital, and Wake Forest University Physicians.
Bowman Gray Technical Center
In 2003, the Bowman Gray Technical Center (BGTC), a third, smaller, campus, opened near the main campus. This campus is the administrative base for the Wake Forest University Center for Structural Biology, and the physical location for seven of the 16 faculty members comprising the Center.
Charlotte campus
Wake Forest’s Babcock Graduate School of Management operates a satellite campus in the Morrocroft office complex in the SouthPark neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina. The Charlotte campus opened in 1995. Since the campus’ opening, the program has expanded to offering two MBA programs with over 170 students enrolled in the programs.
The campus was originally scheduled to relocate to the Duke Energy Center in Uptown Charlotte, but Wake Forest changed its plans about the relocation. Wake Forest is currently exploring options for relocation to another facility in Charlotte’s core business district.
Admission requirements:
Very important admission factors:
Important admission factors:
Considered:
| Living on-campus | Living at home | Commuting, not living at home | |
| In-state tuition and fees: | $39,970 | $39,970 | $39,970 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees: | $39,970 | $39,970 | $39,970 |
| Room and board: | $11,010 | $3,860 | $11,010 |
| Books and supplies: | $930 | $930 | $930 |
| Estimated personal expenses: | $1,540 | $967 | $1,450 |
| Transportation expense: | $775 | $388 | $775 |
| Cost per credit hour: | $1,640 |
The rooms at Wake’s freshman halls are about 14 feet by nine feet. Every room includes a microwave and mini-fridge. Collins, Bostwick, and Johnson are decent, and they are set up in a communal hall. The bathrooms are shared by roughly 30 students.
Guys and girls live in opposite wings of the buildings, usually separated into A and B sides, but generally use the same common areas. Johnson Hall, in particular, consists exclusively of students who select the “substance-free” option on their housing form. So, by checking that, you’re sure to end up there. Piccolo and Palmer are generally similar, but are isolated from other, dorms and both quads. Babcock is a step up from the others with sinks in the larger rooms. Luter is widely regarded as the best of the bunch, being the only freshman dorm that utilizes a suite-like setup with bathrooms as a connective buffer between adjacent rooms.
The academic buildings at Wake Forest are, for the most part, excellent. Built into each seat in nearly all classrooms are Ethernet connections and power outlets. The university also has an excellent library.
Wake’s athletic facilities are excellent. The athletic center features an impressive variety of weight and cardio machines, as well as free weights, for a relatively small school. The older Reynolds Gym houses several basketball courts, which are supplemented by a few outdoor courts scattered around campus. These courts may be more than enough at most comparably-sized schools, but at basketball crazed Wake Forest, you’ll often find that the courts are in high demand. Wake even has a nine-hole golf course on campus, contributing to the country-club-like feel of the campus
The following are informal views expressed by students
Best Things
Worst Things
Students unquestionably agree that a Wake Forest education is rewarding. Most attribute their college decision to Wake Forest’s reputation as an academically demanding institution that has an excellent track record of graduate school and job placement. Known as “Work Forest” the school’s challenging curriculum provides a valuable well-rounded education that not only prepares students for a career, but teaches them to think in a novel and resourceful manner. Students never cease to be impressed by their idyllic campus and top-notch facilities, as well as the excellent fusion of athletics and academics that seem to be injected into the soul of the school. However, students do have a fair share of gripes.
Wake’s academic reputation is certainly warranted, and students often claim the excessive, and often obscene, amount of work required is nearly insufferable at times. This can often cripple the overall social vitality of the school. Winston-Salem’s general lack of entertaining options does nothing to alleviate this concern. Finally, the poor diversity on campus is assuredly the most common concern, and, while efforts are being made to improve the ethnic diversity at Wake Forest, as things stand, diversity is certainly sub-par. The majority of students will openly profess their love for Wake Forest, and many say that choosing Wake was the best decision they’ve ever made. For an intense and ultimately rewarding education, this is a great choice. But if you are looking for a party school, you’d be better off giving someplace else a shot.
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