WELCOME FROM THE DIRECTOR

Since its creation in 1834 as a small liberal arts college in eastern North Carolina, Wake Forest has been educating students from all walks of life. Many of the early students came from the region's small towns and farms, rich in faith and community but poor in hard currency. After the Civil War, most southern families had even less money, and finding a way to pay for college was a huge challenge. War veteran James Denmark (pictured) worked for six years in a flour mill before he entered Wake Forest in 1871. Concerned that fellow students could not afford to complete their degrees, he rallied faculty, students and Wake Forest townspeople to start a loan fund. Established by donations in 1875, the James W. Denmark Loan Fund is the oldest college loan program in the United States.

Now a highly ranked national university, Wake Forest is more committed than ever to helping families pay for college. 58% of the University's 4,400 undergraduates receive some type of financial assistance, and 35% receive need-based aid. For the current academic year, students with need are receiving average scholarship and grant funds of $20,100. With loans and a work-study job, a student with need can, on average, pay for over three-fifths of total costs with financial aid and summer savings. As one of twenty-nine need-blind schools using the same advanced method of determining need, Wake Forest is making special efforts to assure that students from a broad range of family incomes receive the assistance that they need. Special awards, such as the Heritage Scholarship, are made to students with significant need from small towns, who might not have otherwise considered Wake Forest.

The Wake Forest University Board of Trustees recently approved changes that will benefit freshmen entering Wake Forest this fall. Students from families with annual income of less than $40,000 will have their loans capped at $4,000 per year; other need will be met by grants, scholarships and work-study jobs.

The Office of Student Financial Aid exists to help you find the resources you need to attend Wake Forest. It is not hard to apply for financial aid. Read the information contained in these web pages, complete the application forms, and submit the supporting documentation. Call or write us if you have questions. Thanks to James Denmark and the generosity of many others, it's easier now than it was in 1871!

Best wishes,
Bill Wells
Director of Financial Aid