For parents and families of students who were accepted via Early Decision and have enrolled in the Class of 2028, we are eager to welcome your student to Wake Forest in August 2024!

This page will share preliminary information for families of the Class of 2028. Our New Students website will be updated on May 1, 2024, and that will be your resource until move-in. (Note that the information on the New Students website right now was for the Class of 2027).


Getting Started as a Wake Forest Family Member

There are a few things we encourage you to do as a new Wake Forest family member:

Verify your Family Record

Once your student’s deposit is received and processed.

Note: if you have another student currently enrolled at Wake Forest and have previously verified your Family Record, you can skip this step, unless you have new contact information (e.g., phone number, email address, physical address, etc.).

Verifying your family record with us ensures we have your correct contact information in our system. In order to do this, you will need to log into Wake Network and provide the following:

  • Your student’s 8-digit WFU ID that was provided in their acceptance letter
  • See instructions on first time login to Wake Network here

Once we have your preferred email address in Wake Network, we will begin including you on invitations to events in your home area, and will send you the monthly Wake Parents & Families email newsletter; see archives here.

Note: Most of the communications to new families will begin in Spring of 2024: we will include new families in our monthly Wake Parents & Families e-newsletter starting in January.

Subscribe to the Daily Deac

The Daily Deac is a blog that shares important news, offers advice about supporting your students, and covers a variety of WFU activities and events to help you get a sense of campus life.

Follow official WFU social media accounts

Follow us on our official Parents and Families Facebook page and check out our other University social media accounts.

Learn why Our Motto Means More

Translated as “For Humanity,” our motto of Pro Humanitate calls upon the entire University community to engage in the fundamental questions about what it means to be human. It invites us to use our ideas, knowledge, talents and compassion on behalf of humanity in all its difference and diversity — in short, to be catalysts for good. Learn more.

Understand college terms and processes

Refer to our A-Z of WFU: A Glossary of Terms page to familiarize yourself with terms commonly used within higher education and at Wake Forest.

Learn about how we partner with families

Read our best advice on how we can work together towards our shared goal: your student’s success.

Opt in to security alerts

Families should opt in to receive Campus Safety Alerts through the WakeSafe app (you can subscribe now, or by the summer, as you choose):

  • Search for and download the WakeSafe app on your mobile device in the app store
  • You will see a popup asking you to Allow Notifications. Tap Allow.

Wake Safe app showing screen on allowing sounds and notifications (say yes to this)


Once you have downloaded WakeSafe and enabled notifications, If a campus alert is issued, you will receive a notice on your mobile device.

How to verify you are correctly set up to receive alerts on your mobile phone

In your Settings, go to WakeSafe and ensure that you have selected Allow Notifications (we encourage you to select Immediate notifications and to allow both Sounds and Badges).


What’s Next?

May 1, 2024

  • The New Students website is published for the Class of 2028.
    • Note: The current info on this site is for the Class of 2027; the 2028 site is currently being updated on a pre-production site (i.e., not viewable to the public) until all details are confirmed.

August 2024

  • Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17 – Pre-Orientation Move-In
    • Students accepted to Pre-Orientation programs will receive their move-in instructions (including their assigned date and time frame) in mid-July after program enrollment from Residence Life and Housing. Please note:
      • If you will be flying to campus for move-in, we encourage you to wait on firm travel plans until your student decides whether they want to do a Pre-Orientation program. If you make travel plans prior to notification of Pre-Orientation program acceptance, consider booking options that are flexible or easily changed if needed.
      • Some families choose to send their students to campus with the bare necessities for Pre-Orientation and then bring students’ remaining belongings on Move-In Day (this enables families to participate in all family orientation activities if they are able). You can also fully move in your student on their assigned move in day (and spend a few days in Winston-Salem or other parts of NC then return for family orientation) or go home after you move your student in, as meets your family’s needs.
  • Wednesday, August 21 – New Student Move-In
    • Check-In and Move-In Assistance will be available from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
      • Note: All students must be moved in by 1 p.m. 
    • Students will see their suggested move-in windows in late July 2024 when they receive their housing assignments via the Housing Portal. 
  • Wednesday, August 21 thru Thursday, August 22 – Orientation activities for parents and families. Families should plan to depart Thursday evening or Friday morning.
    • Note that most of our student Orientation (i.e. New Deac Week) activities are on a separate track from parent and family orientation; student Orientation continues through Friday, August 23.

Commonly Asked Questions

Upcoming Events for P’28 Families

Fall 2024 New Student Move-In

August 16-17: Move-in for Pre-Orientation participants (date assigned by program)

August 21: Move-in for all new students


2024 Family Weekend

September 27-29