Here goes everything.

Wake Forest Admissions is here to help you navigate the process of choosing your college home. We want to make this a smooth experience, as we get to know each other.

Why Wake?

Here’s what you probably won’t hear at college recruiting fairs: When it comes to education, you get what you give. At the risk of sounding dramatic, how you approach this truth means everything.

We’re called Work Forest for a reason. In many ways, you are about to trade comfort for trepidation, familiarity for the unknown. It’s going to be hard. And fun. That’s entirely the point. Our end of the bargain is to put everything we have into an experience and environment designed to challenge you completely. Yours is to give nothing less than your all.

If you find yourself excited by the thought of joining a community of new people and ideas, endless challenge and a chance to see exactly what you’re made of, you just might be a Deac.

The application process

First-year applicants (high-school seniors) may apply for Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision. Early Decision is a binding agreement to enroll if you are admitted.

Early Decision I

Deadline to apply: November 15

Early Decision I is for those who know Wake Forest is their first choice and are ready to commit. You will hear back from us on a rolling basis.

Early Action

Deadline to apply: November 15

Early Action for First-Generation College Students gives first-generation college students an admissions decision by January 15. Unlike Early Decision admissions, the Early Action decision is non-binding. Admitted first-generation students have until May 1 to decide if they will enroll at Wake Forest.

Early Decision II

Deadline to apply: January 1

Early Decision II gives you another opportunity to show your strong interest in Wake Forest and to hear an admissions decision from us on February 15.

Regular Decision

Deadline to apply: January 1

We’ve designed our application to allow you to show how you’ve challenged yourself through your high-school years, both in and out of the classroom. You will hear an admissions decision from us around April 1.

What do I need to include with my application for admission?

A complete list of items that you will need to include as part of your application for admission are included on our Apply page.

When should I apply?

Early Decision, Early Decision II, Regular Decision: so much jargon, and what does it all mean?! Thank goodness Senior Associate Dean of Admissions Dawn Calhoun stopped by local TV station WGHP to explain it all.

Interviews

Virtual interviews and video essay submissions are a great way for us to get to know one another better. Both are completely optional and will not impact your application for admission to the university.

The deadline for virtual-interview requests is November 17, 2023.

Video interview submissions are due by January 8, 2024.

Only seniors who have applied for the Fall 2024 semester are eligible for a virtual interview or video submission.

Need-based aid applications

Need-based aid applications are due by the same time as your preferred application deadline.

Early Decision I,
Early Action

Deadline to apply: November 15

Early Decision I and Early Action applicants who meet this deadline will receive an award notification as early as December 1.

Early Decision II

Deadline to apply: January 1

Early Decision II applicants who meet this deadline will receive an award notification as early as February 15.

Regular Decision

Deadline to apply: January 1

Regular decision applicants who meet this deadline will receive an award notification as early as April 1.

Scholarships

Wake Forest offers merit-based scholarships, which are very selective, and we encourage you to learn more about them to see if you’re a good fit.

November 15

When you apply to Wake Forest by this date, you are automatically considered for most of the university’s merit-based scholarships.

November 15

Twenty renewable scholarships of $16,000 each are awarded annually to students admitted to Wake Forest who possess exceptional talents in art, dance, debate, music, and theatre.

Information for the William Louis Poteat Scholarship may be found on the financial aid website.

The Wake Way

Regular admission as a first-year student normally requires graduation from an accredited secondary school with a minimum of 16 units of high school credit. These should include at least four units in English, three in mathematics, two in history and social studies, two in a single foreign language and one in the natural sciences. Most admitted students will have pursued a challenging curriculum of Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses. Candidates for admission must furnish evidence of maturity and educational achievement, plus evidence of character and motivation for study in the College of Arts and Sciences. High school curriculum and classroom performance, combined with the student’s writing ability, extracurricular activities, and evidence of character and talent, are the most important criteria for admission.

Apply Now

Ready to apply? Let’s get started!

Updates for First-Year Applicants

  • Today’s the Day for ED II!
    Later this evening, we will make admissions decisions available for those students with complete Early Decision II applications. As a […]
  • We have released Early Action decisions!
    This is an important time, as we just sent acceptance decisions to the inaugural group of students in our unique […]
An aerial view of the Z. Smith Reynolds Library, on the campus of Wake Forest University

Plan Your Visit

It’s a wonderful experience to walk the Magnolia Quad, visit Wait Chapel, and speak with the faculty, staff, and students who make Wake the special community that it is.