DD is a freshman at WFU. We are fairly liberal Independent/Democrats from the South.
She told me last month that she was surprised how conservative much of the student body was in their political views. I attribute much of that to the parental economic level of a preponderence of the student body. However, the political climate has not been oppressive and she has had no problem finding like minded, diverse, and liberal friends there. Her professors have been apolitical or similar to her in their political views.
We have been on campus five times over the last three years, and have never detected much political bias one way or the other. DD’s second choice was Smith College, where politics were front and center, a little in your face, and fairly far to the left. The buttoned down, sober academic climate of Wake was a better fit for her in the end, although she didn’t make up her mind until the last day. She loves Wake Forest and has been happy there in every way.
Generally, the students we have met are polite, gentle, bright, considerate and academically focused. DD’s friends are nonreligious, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian; they are geographically and racially diverse as well.
I don’t think Wake is a hotbed of political activism on either side the spectrum. Given the academic workload, I don’t think they have the time for it.