Winston-Salem, NC:After a week of campus tours and information sessions atseven colleges (that week is still a blur in my mind), Wake Forest Universitystands out. A private university in the city of Winston-Salem, midway betweenWashington, D.C. and Atlanta, I learned of it through the U.S. News & WorldReport's Guide, which ranks it as one of America's best colleges. The schoolearned its reputation with small classes, a low student-faculty ratio (10:1),high graduation and retention rates, financial resources and its alumni givingrate.

Wake Forest has a student body of over 6,000 and a small butbeautiful campus with Georgian architecture and huge trees. The generalatmosphere was very friendly and inviting. The students we saw walking orstudying seemed happy, which was encouraging. The tour guide, a freshman,admitted that Wake Forest is not an easy school; she and her friends findthemslves studying at least four hours a night. This seemed a little rough,though she assured us they do have fun on weekends. The campus, including thedorms, seemed like a good study environment with libraries open 24 hours a day,and study lounges in the dorms.

Wake Forest, with all it has to offer,does not come cheap. One year costs more than $29,000, but tuition includes alaptop computer. About 70 percent of students receive some financial aid.

So, if you are willing to pay the price for a beautiful campus, greatacademics, and the technological resources of a larger institution, you shoulddefinitely consider Wake Forest University.


Reviewed in 2001