Wake Forest requires a 100-word "Why Wake?" answer, now in the supplemental questions section. Beyond that, applicants may share their voice in writing, on video or both; those who write answer just one of four prompts this year: five books that intrigued you, what piques your intellectual curiosity, a Maya Angelou quote, or a Top Ten list.
Wake Forest says none of the optional ways to share your voice is required, expected or gives an advantage. If you write one, make it show something your application does not.
Wake Forest's questions at a glance
| Question | Limit | Who answers it | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why Wake? | 100 words | Required | Why this college |
| Five books that intrigued you | no set limit | Optional: answer up to 1 of 4 | List |
| What piques your intellectual curiosity | 150 words | Optional: answer up to 1 of 4 | Intellectual curiosity |
| A Maya Angelou quote | 300 words | Optional: answer up to 1 of 4 | Background and identity |
| Your Top Ten List | no set limit | Optional: answer up to 1 of 4 | List |
How to plan the Wake Forest supplement
- 1Write "Why Wake?" with one or two specific reasons; 100 words leaves no room for more.
- 2If you write an optional piece, choose the format that fits you: a list for collectors, the curiosity prompt for thinkers, the Angelou quote for a personal story.
1. Why Wake?
Wake Forest's wording · 100 words · Required“Why Wake?”
What it is really asking. Why Wake Forest, in 100 words.
How to approach it
- 1Lead with your strongest specific reason.
- 2Tie it to something you have done.
- 3Stop at 100 words; do not list.
Mistakes to avoid
- Size, campus and weather as the reasons.
Full guide: How to Write the 100-Word "Why Wake?" Essay
Optional written supplement: if you choose to write, respond to just one of the following four prompts.
2. Five books that intrigued you
Wake Forest's wording · no set limit · Optional: answer up to 1 of 4“List five books you’ve read that have intrigued you.”
What it is really asking. Five books you have read that intrigued you (150 characters per title).
How to approach it
- 1Five varied, specific titles that say something about your mind.
Mistakes to avoid
- Only assigned classics.
More on this kind of question: How to write short answer and list questions
3. What piques your intellectual curiosity
Wake Forest's wording · 150 words · Optional: answer up to 1 of 4“Tell us what piques your intellectual curiosity or has helped you understand the world’s complexity. This can include a work you’ve read, a project you’ve completed for a class, and even co-curricular activities in which you have been involved.”
What it is really asking. What piques your intellectual curiosity or helped you understand the world's complexity, in 150 words.
How to approach it
- 1One work, project or activity and the question it opened.
Mistakes to avoid
- A list of interests.
More on this kind of question: Writing about a topic that captivates you
4. A Maya Angelou quote
Wake Forest's wording · 300 words · Optional: answer up to 1 of 4“Dr. Maya Angelou, renowned author, poet, civil-rights activist, and former Wake Forest University Reynolds Professor of American Studies, inspired others to celebrate their identities and to honor each person’s dignity. Choose one of Dr. Angelou’s powerful quotes. How does this quote relate to your lived experience or reflect how you plan to contribute to the Wake Forest community?”
What it is really asking. One of Dr. Maya Angelou's quotes and how it relates to your lived experience or to how you would contribute to Wake Forest.
How to approach it
- 1Quote it accurately and briefly.
- 2Spend the words on your experience, not on the quote.
- 3Connect to Wake Forest's community.
Mistakes to avoid
- Explaining the quote instead of your life.
Full guide: How to Write Wake Forest's Maya Angelou Essay
5. Your Top Ten List
Wake Forest's wording · no set limit · Optional: answer up to 1 of 4“Give us your Top Ten List. (The choice of theme is yours.)”
What it is really asking. Your Top Ten list on a theme of your choice (100 characters per line).
How to approach it
- 1Pick a theme that reveals you; make each line specific.
Mistakes to avoid
- Ten generic items.
More on this kind of question: How to write short answer and list questions
What our grader checks in your Wake Forest answers
Every answer is judged against a checklist for its kind of question plus one check written for Wake Forest's own wording. Each area comes back Met, Partly or Missing, and those verdicts (with the word limit) set the answer's readiness: Ready, Nearly there or Needs work. There is no score out of 100.
| Question | Wake Forest's own check |
|---|---|
| Why Wake? | In 100 words, names what about Wake Forest specifically draws the applicant. |
| Five books that intrigued you | It does every part of what Wake Forest's question asks, in the college's own terms. |
| What piques your intellectual curiosity | It does every part of what Wake Forest's question asks, in the college's own terms. |
| A Maya Angelou quote | Names the Maya Angelou quote and ties it to lived experience or a contribution to Wake Forest. |
| Your Top Ten List | It does every part of what Wake Forest's question asks, in the college's own terms. |
The type checklists are on the supplemental essay grader page.
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