Summer 2020 Parent Testimony
If this were a Broadway show, I would say “If you are going to see ONE class this summer, make it at Wake Forest!” My son attended the Wake Forest Summer Immersion (Law) Program in 2020 and we cannot say enough about how wonderful this experience was on all fronts. Moreover, it really helped my son decide if a career in law might be for him. After looking at so many of the summer programs offered at many schools, Wake Forest was heads and shoulders above 90% of most schools. I am an attorney and former prosecutor so I wanted a substantive class where my son could be exposed to different types of law. I was stunned by the lack of quality offered in most programs and the astronomical cost. For example, the law course at [other universities] was not taught by a law professor, lawyer, or even a law student, the fee was over $5,000, and it did not even offer insight into different areas of law like the Wake Forest Program. My son also took a Leadership in Business course at [another university] last summer that was a huge waste of money and time. It was so poorly run that my son and many other students could not even access the class or the materials virtually for the first 2 1/2 days of the 10-day course and they would not offer any partial refund for the inaccessible days. How these summer programs for high school students operate offers a lot of insight into their ethos and many are simply entitled.
What I learned in our Tale of Two Summer Courses last year is that you can pay any school for a summer course, but you cannot pay a school to care that their students are truly learning and about their well-being.
Fear not! There is a light at the end of this long, dark, scary tunnel where all one can see are the hands of colleges grabbing at your wallets. That bright light is Wake Forest’s Summer Immersion Programs! First, the cost is fair compared to other universities but especially for the quality of the program. Second, there is an application process so the students who are accepted are interested, motivated, and serious students. Third, the academic leader who runs the class is an experienced and practicing attorney, Mr. John Chinuntdet, who put a tremendous amount of time and effort into making this course so great for these students.
Here are just some examples of why he is so wonderful. Prior to the course starting, he sent the students a survey asking them a lot of in-depth questions about their interest in different fields and what some of their perceptions about lawyers were, like how much they earn. He asked about what they hoped to learn in the class and what areas were of specific interest. This program has only dedicated educators who go above and beyond to make sure these high school students learn what they came here to learn. Fifth, the course exposes students to so many different types of law that I feel it would be a useful course for incoming law students as well. Sixth, the quality of every speaker was exceptional. Each was passionate about their field of law and was an engaging speaker. Seventh, a law student taught one of the classes using the Socratic method as is used in law school. The students prepped on their own as homework and then experienced what an actual law class is like. The law student was really great with the class and gave them great feedback while boosting their confidence in the areas where they showed strength. Studying law and practicing law are very different and it is really important for students to know that before embarking on a career in law. Eighth, after the course was completed both the student AND the parent were sent separate surveys concerning our experience and thoughts about the course. Finally, for the grand finale, a Dean from Admissions spoke with the students and answered any questions they had about the application process. This was so impressive. It was not expected, was very gracious and showed a lot of respect for these students who have been stuck in a virtual, stressful, pandemic world. Simply put, it was kind. With this school’s reputation and competitive admissions rate, they too could have acted entitled and it was the exact opposite.
There is a light at the end of this long, dark, scary tunnel where all one can see are the hands of colleges grabbing at your wallets. That bright light is Wake Forest’s Summer Immersion Programs!
The application for the summer program asked “do you have any intention of applying to Wake Forest?” My son answered no because we live in an NYC suburb and there are plenty of good schools closer to home. Well, his experience in the Summer Immersion program changed that answer to an emphatic yes! He came out of each day’s classes excited, talking about the speakers, sharing funny stories, and with even more curiosity about the field of law. What I learned in our Tale of Two Summer Courses last year is that you can pay any school for a summer course, but you cannot pay a school to care that their students are truly learning and about their well-being. Thank you all for your time, caring and dedication to educating.
– Parent of a 2020 Law Institute Student