Earning admission to an elite college is more challenging today than ever before. Few institutions better encapsulates this trend toward unprecedented competitiveness than Wake Forest University. This private research university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is not (yet!) among the most highly selective institutions in the nation, but with the downward trajectory that acceptance rates have been on over the last few decades, we at Ivy Coach won’t be surprised if it joins the ranks of schools that admit fewer than 1 in 5 students in the near future. Let’s take a look at the Early Decision acceptance rate and overall acceptance rate at Wake Forest over the last 15+ years using data compiled by the Common Data Set:

Wake Forest’s Early and Overall Acceptance Rates over 16 Years

Admissions Cycle	Wake Forest University Graduating Class	Early Decision Acceptance Rate	Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
2024-2025	Class of 2029	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Released
2023-24	Class of 2028	Not Yet Published	22%
2022-23	Class of 2027	Not Yet Published	21%
2021-22	Class of 2026	Not Yet Published	25%
2020-21	Class of 2025	34%	32%
2019-20	Class of 2024	31%	30%
2018-19	Class of 2023	41%	29%
2017-18	Class of 2022	44%	28%
2016-17	Class of 2021	39%	30%
2015-16	Class of 2020	44%	29%
2014-15	Class of 2019	48%	34%
2013-14	Class of 2018	46%	35%
2012-13	Class of 2017	43%	34%
2011-12	Class of 2016	42%	40%
2010-11	Class of 2015	39%	40%
2009-10	Class of 2014	42%	38%
2008-09	Class of 2013	51%	38%
2007-08	Class of 2012	59%	42%

The earliest data at our disposal reflects a time when nearly one in two Wake Forest applicants could expect to be admitted. But 2007 is far behind us, and this romantic picture of a less competitive time in college admissions is nothing but a daydream. Between then and now, the acceptance rate has dwindled by roughly 50%, with only 22% of applicants making it into the Wake Forest Class of 2028. 

The most dramatic declines in acceptance occurred in the last four years. While 32% were admitted to the Class of 2025 — a number that was likely inflated due to a pandemic-related decline in students willing to hunker down for remote classes — in three short years, that figure would shrink to a record-low 21%, suggesting that admissions competitiveness at Wake Forest grows exponentially with each cycle.

Breaking down this data, we find that, unsurprisingly, Early Decision applicants to Wake Forest have fared better over the last 16 years than those who waited to apply in the Regular Decision round. This is because admissions officers prefer to curate their incoming class from the pool of students ready to commit to Wake Forest wholeheartedly. Once on campus, students who applied Early will likely arrive with a game plan for engaging with all of the resources and opportunities that Wake Forest offers. That’s why, for the record, all of Ivy Coach’s package clients apply to Wake Forest in the Early round. They take advantage of this admissions boost because there’s no sense in wasting a golden opportunity to secure admission to a top school!

Ivy Coach’s Help with Wake Forest Admissions Amid Low Acceptance Rates

Given this trend, in which students must work harder than ever to secure their spot at schools that their parents had no trouble getting into, you mustn’t enter the college admissions process alone. A lot has changed since the glory days of 40% acceptance rates. Namely, the well-rounded approach no longer works! So what’s the alternative? Our team of former elite college admissions officers knows what Wake Forest admissions officers are looking for: students who have distinguished themselves with a singular hook. 

Turning to Ivy Coach to help your child optimize their odds of admission to Wake Forest allows you to rest assured that your child’s future is in good hands. To get started, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch with an outline of our services.