Wake Forest University

Date: Aug 27 2003
Major: Business - Management and Administration (This Major's Salary over time)
In 1980 Wake did not believe in grade inflation i.e. it's student population's average performance was considered a "C". We were told often that there would be no "A's" in our classes and often they were true to their word. Consequently, especially in the business department, a grade of "B" was a badge of honor. Unfortunately, the world at large was not aware of this fact, and although I believe that raising the bar was, in the long run, a positive, it was detrimental to those who wished to go on to graduate school. I believe I graduated with a 2.85 with a BS in business and all the the requirements for a BA in French (although the University would not grant me 2 degrees) and I remember feeling fairly inadequate until I scored in the 91% on the GMAT…and many of my friends scored as well or better on the LSATS and MCATS. However, most of them were not granted admission to graduate school because of their GPA's. How unfortunate for such hard-working and talented people to have to post-phone theirs academic careers because of a grading policy that belied their true abilities. The President of the University, Dr. Scales, told me in a one on one interview that if two "A" students from the same high school each attended Duke and Wake at the end of their four years the Duke student's GPA would be a full grade point higher than the Wake's student. Which again would not be a terrible thing if this were well known—however, it is not and that is a crime. I must say though that my college experience at "Work" Forest (as the students still call it) made transition to the real world a piece of cake. My work ethic and determination to succeed allowed me to shine at from my very first job and beyond. While graduates from other schools were unable to learn and be productive and were eventually fired, I and my fellow graduates thrived and became valuable employees and citizens.