Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
1834 Wake Forest Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
Wake Forest University is a private university in NC, founded in 1834 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 5,441, and the graduate enrollment is 3,348. Wake Forest University is a highly selective school, receiving 11,959 applications and accepting 32.0% of applicants. Wake Forest University’s athletics teams compete in the club, intramural, and varsity levels. Additionally, Wake Forest University employs 625 full-time instructional staff (93% of whom hold doctorate degrees) and has an 11:1 student to faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
81
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to Wake Forest University will apply through the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or the Wake Forest Online Application. Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application and will also be required to answer specific questions pertaining to the university.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Decision I Application Deadline
November 15th
Early Decision II Application Deadline
January 1st
Regular Application Deadline
January 1st
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Extracurricular Activities - Very Important
- Character/Personal Qualities - Very Important
- Application Essay - Very Important
- Academic GPA - Very Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
Average Acceptance Rate
32.00%
STUDENT LIFE
Wake Forest University’s home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, offers students a pleasant suburban setting in the state’s third-largest urban area. The WFU campus consists of 340-acres, including the main Reynolds Campus, where the undergraduate colleges are located. First-year students will find that most of their semester-based academic calendar happens mainly here and on the South Campus—home to first-year student housing, classrooms, and the Z. Smith Reynolds Library. First-year students can immerse themselves quickly and conveniently with the best academic and community life always nearby. That includes fitness and outdoor activities, student media, and many other organizations. WFU has also devoted personal and career development programs as an integral component of its undergraduate student experience. The Wake Forest University community also regularly celebrates numerous traditions that make student life memorable.
Housing
- 77% of students live on campus
- Guaranteed housing for freshmen
- Freshmen and sophomores required to live on campus
Wake Forest University students must live on campus for their first three years and be guaranteed housing for four years. As a result, 68% of students live on campus. First-year students live in the South Campus, reserved as first-year student housing. It’s the perfect opportunity for first-year students to fully embrace resident life to make a move from the known to the unknown, which, while never easy, can be positively transformative with WFU’s supportive residential community. The seven first-year residence halls are coeducational by floor, suite, or wing, so students can choose the environment they feel most safe in. More importantly, Wake Forest University guides first-year students to self-sufficiency by year’s end.
Life as a Student
Wake Forest University first-year students study, live, and play in a beautiful residential campus that offers them opportunities to get involved, whether academic, extracurricular, or social. With an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, WFU has a solid faculty engagement distinctive from small liberal arts colleges. Additionally, the school doesn’t limit campus life solely to studying with a broad range of activities outside of the classroom. WFU students maintain an active lifestyle thanks to on-campus fitness classes, like indoor cycling, yoga, and Pilates at Wake Forest Wellbeing Center. Students can also contribute to numerous student media outlets such as The Old Gold & Black school newspaper or participate in performing arts groups like The Theatre Department. While WFU students work extremely hard, the Wake Forest University campus is always bustling with extracurricular activities to maintain the perfect balance.
TOP MAJORS
Economics
Communications
Psychology
Political Science and Government
Finance
Business
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Golf
Soccer
Tennis
Track and Field
Cross-Country Running
Basketball
Field Hockey
Golf
Soccer
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Archery
Baseball
Cheerleading
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rugby
Skiing (Downhill)
Soccer
Water Polo
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Skiing (Cross-Country)
Archery
Cheerleading
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rugby
Skiing (Downhill)
Soccer
Softball
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Skiing (Cross-Country)
Intramural
Intramural
Bowling
Basketball
Football
Racquetball
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Bowling
Basketball
Racquetball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
Wake Forest University is committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need and additionally has provided over $87M in financial aid to its students and families.
* All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition and Fees - $62,128
- Housing - $10,448
- Meals - $6,204
- Personal Expenses - $1,632
- Transportation - $1,076
- Federal Direct Loan Average Fee - $66
- Books and Supplies - $1,500
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance - $83,054
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP / AFFILIATES
HISTORY
Wake Forest University (WFU) was founded in 1834 after the North Carolina Baptist State Convention purchased land north of Raleigh called Wake Forest, as they originally wanted to establish a school to instruct both Baptist ministers and laypeople. The school opened as the Wake Forest Manual Labor Institute in 1834, but by 1838, the institute was renamed Wake Forest College and offered a liberal arts education for prospective Baptist ministers. As with many schools of the time, Wake Forest closed during the Civil War. It reopened in 1866 to much success, growing steadily as a respectable liberal arts institution over the next four decades. It opened a School of Law in 1894 and a School of Medicine in 1902.
In 1946, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation provided significant financial support that enabled the entire college to move to Winston-Salem, the home of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Mary Reynolds Babcock, the daughter of R. J. Reynolds, donated land for the new campus, completed by 1956. In 1962, Wake Forest became the first major private university in the South to desegregate, admitting black undergraduate students to the school. Following the launch of a graduate studies program at Wake Forest in 1961, it became fully accredited and was renamed Wake Forest University by 1967. Additionally, another significant milestone in the university’s history was its separation from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in 1986 which loosened much of its century-old religious ties. As a result, Wake Forest University gained more freedom to guide its future.
Today, Wake Forest University is ranked #28 in National Universities by U.S. News Best Colleges and has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,441 and graduate enrollment of 3,348. With its 32% acceptance rate, the school is most selective. First-year students at WFU start their journey to leading lives of meaning and purpose, which is the school’s ultimate goal. To achieve its mission, Wake Forest University provides academic, athletic, and social activities beyond the classroom. The school’s intercollegiate athletic teams, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, compete at the (NCAA) Division I level and have won nine national championships. Wake Forest has produced four Marshall Scholars, 15 Truman Scholars, and 15 Rhodes Scholars throughout history. Noteworthy WFU alumni include NBA player Muggsy Bogues, legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, and actor Carroll O’Connor.