Frequently Asked Questions

Every incoming first-year or transfer student will be assigned a lower-division adviser (a faculty or staff member), along with student adviser. Student advisers are continuing students who have been successful throughout their first year(s) of college and wish to share their knowledge with incoming students. Incoming students will receive support and outreach from their lower-division and student advisers within the first semester to ensure that they are adjusting to campus life at Wake Forest.

Once a student declares a major, s/he will be assigned to an academic adviser within that department.

Students must meet with their advisers each semester to discuss the current term, future course selection, and obtain their PIN for registration. We encourage all students to meet with their assigned advisers throughout the year for academic advice or concerns and for everyday guidance in navigating college.

Appointments can be made with the Office of Academic Advising either in person in Reynolda 125 or by phone at 336.758.3320.

General questions or concerns can be directed to the Office of Academic Advising via email at undergraduateadvising@wfu.edu, and we hold walk-in hours for quick, 5-10 minute meetings on Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

View the Undergraduate Bulletin

The Undergraduate Bulletin will provide updated academic policies, course descriptions, prerequisites and co-requisites, program and department information, as requirements for major and minor tracks.

All Undergraduate Bulletins (PDF) from 2004-05 along with the Graduate School and School of Divinity Bulletins may be found at the academic bulletins link.

Information regarding AP and IB credit is found on the University Registrar’s webpage.

The full list of courses that satisfy the aforementioned requirements can be found in our Course Completion Checklist. You will also see notations for courses that satisfy divisional (D), cultural diversity (CD), and quantitative reasoning (QR) requirements at the end of course descriptions in the Undergraduate Bulletin (see link above).

• List of available WRI 111 sections
• List of available FYS 100 sections

A brief overview of the most current curriculum requirements can be found on the New Student Website or in Forestry 101. It may also be helpful to consult the Undergraduate Bulletin and Course Completion Checklist.

Information on how to add or drop a course, as well as how to request permission to take more than 17 hours, can be found on the Add/Drop Policy page.

Your foreign language placement will be determined by your AP/IB scores or your score on the FLP Test(s) that you should complete prior to registration.

• More information about Foreign Language Placement

Permission of Instructor (POI) begins a few days into each semester and is required throughout the entire term, even for second part-of-term courses. If a professor decides to permit you to enter their class or research/independent study, then they will administer a POI number. You must then follow a 2-step process located here.

Available on-campus resources can be found in our list of Student Support Services.

Information on the disability services and accommodations offered at Wake Forest can be found on the Learning Assistance Center & Disability Services’ webpage. Accommodations are handled jointly by Student Health Service and the Learning Assistance Center.

Visit the Student Health Serviceon the ground floor of the Reynolds Gymnasium, Wellbeing Center. Once there, make an appointment or wait to be seen.

If you are diagnosed with an ailment, especially one that will result in missed classes, you should ask that Student Health Services communicate directly with the Office of Academic Advising, who can then reach out to your professors to notify them of your situation.

Your are responsible for communicating with your professors about adhering to what’s outlined in the syllabus (e.g. attendance, missed work, deadlines, exams, etc.).

If you cannot be seen at Student Health Services and choose to visit an off-campus provider, you should request that said provider communicate with Student Health Services about your condition (e.g. have the provider fax over information, etc.).

If this is a current life-threatening emergency, dial *911 or campus police at 336-758-5911 immediately. For mental health crises, you may contact our University Counseling Center at 336-758-5273.

If you are admitted to the hospital or emergency department, please contact the Student Health Service at 336-758-5218 or the Office of the Chaplain at 336-758-5210.

Visit our pages on personal emergencies and hardships and family and medical emergencies for advice on how to proceed.

For mental health crises, ongoing depression, and other continuous needs, such a depression, you should visit our University Counseling Center in 117 Reynolda Hall, or call them at 336-758-5273 to set up an appointment.

You may also contact the Office of the Chaplain at 336-758-5210 or the Campus Ministry Office at 336-758-5248.

Students are always welcome to drop in the Office of Academic Advising in 125 Reynolda Hall for a walk-in appointment and one of our academic counselors would be happy to meet with you and discuss available resources.

The Office of the University Registrar has detailed information on how to make sure that all of your Taking Courses Elsewhere.

You should also consult the Undergraduate Bulletin’s section on transfer credit regarding the number of hours permitted to be transferred in and for related policies and procedures.

A list of the available pre-professional programs, their websites, and contact person(s) can be found on the Pre-Professional Advising page.

We understand that your collegiate experience is a holistic one and extends beyond the classroom. Office of Student Engagement can help you explore your options and find your place here at Wake Forest.

Most combinations a student can pursue at Wake Forest University result in 120 degree hours; there are two options which require students to complete 135 hours.

The average number of hours a student takes every semester is 15; however, this may vary from student to student pending things such as AP credit, transfer credit, studying abroad, taking a rigorous course load, choosing to overload beyond 17 hours.

Monitor your DegreeWorks regularly and consistently communicate with your academic adviser. It is also recommended to visit the Office of Academic Advising to schedule an academic planning meeting.