Student Advising FAQs

A Residential Advisor (RA) is a very generalized advisor who lives nearby. They are a non-confidential resource to aid in the college transition and to make sure rules are being followed. Student Advisors, on the other hand, specialize in academic advising. SAs and RAs alike advise on much of the same information. However, the main purpose of a SA is to provide guidance individually and within small advising groups on general academic inquiries, class selection, building a social network, and connecting students with resources on and off campus that will aid in their overall experience at WFU. Working closely with lower-division advisors and the Office of Academic Advising, SAs develop and support academic plans built on the values, goals, and career aspirations of incoming students. 

Know yourself! Do you prefer to have classes clumped together (much like high school), or do you prefer breaks? Especially in your first few semesters, try and diversify your schedule as much as possible. Be wary of when you prefer to eat and socialize, and make sure you are planning around these times.

It is important to remind yourself that you are at Wake Forest, first-and-foremost, to learn. Sticking to a schedule and setting aside time to study/research/etc. is crucial to staying on top of your academics. It is also important in your first few months to pay attention to your habits and learn what works for you. Free time should be treated as just that, time to spend when everything else is complete.

Not in the slightest! Every Wake Forest student must complete them to graduate, and in many cases, taking these classes helps you decide on a major! That said, the earlier you complete your divisional courses, the more time you will have to capitalize on your interests in meaningful ways. Don’t forget that divisional courses also often count toward intended majors and minors!

Whether you want to dive deeper into a subject you studied in high school or trek into uncharted territory, divisionals are a great way to do both. We recommend planning divisionals around your interests, including potential majors you’d like to explore. For example, if you think you may want to be a Computer Science major, try taking CSC 111 to see if you like the subject. If you end up majoring in Computer Science, CSC 111 will satisfy half of DIV V and satisfy the first required course for your major. If you major in something different, at least you still satisfied half of DIV V! If you have no idea what you may want to major in, no worries at all; we suggest picking classes in subjects you enjoy and are curious about!

Beginning with hello always helps! Email your professor beforehand to let them know you will be attending and be prepared with questions. Be friendly and don’t be intimidated. Many professors speak fondly of office hours, highlighting them as a favorite part of their job.

Simply put, do not be a stranger to professors. Ask questions in class, attend office hours to further your learning outside of class, and email professors with updates and projects you are working on, etc. These actions may seem small, but they prevent you from falling behind and allow you to take full advantage of your tuition, whether your learning experience is in-person, blended, or fully online.

The ZSR Library is obviously the big one; however, residence halls are also popular. Classrooms are great to use during non-class hours, as are a multitude of lobbies in the academic buildings. You may even want to study outside when the weather’s nice!

Go to the course directory of the Undergraduate Bulletin: https://bulletin.wfu.edu/courses-az/.

Try your best to attend as many Wake events as possible! The big ones we recommend are Major/Minor fairs, the Involvement Fair, Project Pumpkin, Hit the Bricks, Wake-n-Shake, and a variety of sporting events.