Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina · Private · 5,485 undergraduates · wfu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
21%
of 19,600 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1420 to 1490
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$105,880Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Wake Forest University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
21% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$105,880
a year in 2027-28, from a $105,880 sticker price
What to do with your 1450
Send your score
About 59% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1390, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Undergraduate Admissions Application 2027 · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov15Early Action · November 15, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov15Early Decision · November 15, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan1Early Decision II · January 1, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan1Regular Decision · January 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Source: Info for the Class of 2031
Who gets in
21%
of applicants were admitted: 4,068 of 19,600 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/15, hear by 1/15.
Early Decision
Binding.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 24% of them sent SAT scores and 22% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1420 to 1490
Reading and Writing 700 to 750
Math 700 to 760
ACT composite 32 to 34
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160077%
- 1200 to 139921%
- 1000 to 11991.4%
- 800 to 9990.3%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$105,880
a year
- Tuition$74,770
- Fees$1,330
- Food and housing$24,370
- Books and supplies$1,790
- Transportation and other$3,620
Wake Forest University published $101,800 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$6,242
- $30,001 to $48,000$6,576
- $48,001 to $75,000$14,876
- $75,001 to $110,000$13,571
- Over $110,000$65,247
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$71,567
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
3.7%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $23,168 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 1/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 1/1
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
34 of 34
Earn credit with a score of 3
11 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,480Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 111 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 111 |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | ART 103 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIO 111 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MTH 111 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | MTH 111 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 4 | MTH 112 and 111 (0 hours) |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 4 | MTH 111 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 7 | CHM 111/ Lab & CHM 280 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | CHI 102 | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | CHI 153 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | CHI 201 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POL 114 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CSC 111 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | CSC 101 |
| Drawing | 4 | 3 | ART 118 |
| European History | 4 | 3 | HST 102 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | FRH 154 | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | FRH 154 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | GER 153 | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | GER 153 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | GER 210 and 212 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | EDU 271 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | ITA 154 | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | ITA 154 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | JPN 102 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | JPN 153 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | JPN 201 |
| Latin | 3 | LAT 113 | |
| Latin | 4 | LAT 153 | |
| Latin | 5 | LAT 211 | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECN 150 - Students must take both AP tests in Economics and earn a combined score of 8 or higher to be awarded credit |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECN 150 - Students must take both AP tests in Economics and earn a combined score of 8 or higher to be awarded credit |
| Music Theory | 5 | 4 | MSC 131 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | PHY 110&110L |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 | PHY 111 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHY 114&114L |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHY 113&113L |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSY 151 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | SPA 154 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | SPA 154 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPA 212 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 3 | SPA 280 |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | STA 111 |
| United States Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POL 113 |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | HST 150 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | HST 103 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
90%
Come back for a second year
93%
Typical earnings
$104,443
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Wake Forest University$81,048
- All colleges$60,083
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 15 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Wake Forest University. The Wake Forest University logo is a trademark of the college.