Pre-Orientation Programs & Registration

New Wake Forest first year students help build a house with Habitat for Humanity as part of their pre-orientation volunteer Service with the SPARC program.

Because sometimes you just can’t wait.

What’s even cooler than Orientation? Pre-orientation, of course. You can start your Wake Forest experience early with one of our optional pre-orientation programs. Make new friends out in the wild, get to know your new home through volunteer work with your classmates, learn about Wake Forest history and traditions or climb a mountain for worship and reflection.

These are just some of the options, so the choice is yours! Don’t wait too long to apply, as these tend to fill up fast. You’ll arrive a few days early, and when the program concludes, you’ll join the rest of your classmates for New Deac Week.

  • Students are encouraged to register for up to three program choices and will be asked to rank those choices. If you do not get into your first-choice program, you may be placed in one of your other choices. 
  • While we cannot guarantee you a spot in your program of choice, we can guarantee you a spot in one of the eleven programs.
  • The Medical Form for Pre-Orientation is in addition to the other required medical forms for the Student Health Service.

    NOTE on May 1: we are having a tech issue that we are trying to resolve. You can access the form as a PDF here. (Though it says 2022, it is the same form we will use for 2023). Once our tech issue is fixed, the Medical Form will be available in the menu bar of the Pre-Orientation registration website.

What’s Being Offered?

Program NameDateApplication Deadline
Connect@Wake (International Students)https://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/connect-at-wake/August 19-22June 30
Deacon Camp: An Insider’s Guide to Wake Foresthttps://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/deacon-camp/August 19-22June 30
Fresh in the Foresthttps://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/fresh-in-the-forest/August 19-23June 30
L.E.A.P.: Leadership, Ethics and Purposehttps://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/becoming-leaders-of-character/August 19-23June 30
Marching Band Pre-Season Traininghttps://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/marching-band-camp/Check your emailJune 30
R.E.C.https://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/rec/August 19-22June 30
S.P.A.R.C.https://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/sparc/August 19-22June 30
Summit: Christian Life at Wake Foresthttps://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/summit-christian-campus-ministry/August 19-23June 30
WakeABLEhttps://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/wakeable/August 19-23June 30
WakeWellhttps://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/wakewell/August 18–22June 30
Wilderness to Wakehttps://newstudents.wfu.edu/before-you-arrive/pre-orientation-programs/wilderness-to-wake/August 18-23June 30

Pre-Orientation Important Dates

June 5

  • Pre-Orientation Program status notifications begin (optional)

June 30

  • Pre-Orientation Program registration due (optional)

July 7

  • Final day for Pre-Orientation Program enrollment status notification (optional)

August 18 or 19*

  • Pre-Orientation Move-In*

* By participating in a Pre-Orientation program, you will arrive on campus on August 18th or 19th (prior to the official Move-In window). Students participating in Pre-Orientation programs will receive instructions (including your move-in date, which varies by program) directly from the Office of Residence Life and Housing.

Many 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 also enables families to participate in all family orientation activities if they are able.

Please indicate your need for financial assistance on the Pre-Orientation application.