The question of how well college prepares students for the "real world" is one that many consider to be at the top of the list when comparing schools. The university has been selected to participate in a survey conducted by a private organization to measure students' ideal campus lifestyle and compare it to their existing campus lifestyles.

Miller-Williams Inc. selected the university as one of 35 schools from across the country to participate in the Ideal Campus Life survey. Criterion in the selection process included finding schools that portray a diverse group including large, small, public and private institutions. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was also selected from this state.

"The student body as a whole benefits from the survey," said Suzanne McCoy, Market Research Coordinator at Miller-Williams Inc. "It provides a way for individuals to positively express their opinions in a study independent from the Wake Forest administration."

The survey poses questions about drinking, campus housing, job placement and safety. While examining attitude and behavior trends on campus, how well our administration is doing in meeting student expectations and how campus life affects students after graduation, the Ideal Campus Life project aims to improve campus life across the nation. It also gives this information to corporations to improve sales, marketing and service.

The Ideal Campus Life project will be finished in about eight weeks and each campus will receive the research results. Each student who takes the survey will also be eligible for a trip for two to Cancun, Mexico, or one of five cash prizes.

"The results will be very valuable to student interest groups as well as your elected student decision makers," McCoy said. "They will highlight student behaviors and attitudes on your campus and compare that with students at other participating universities."

Ken Zick, Vice President of student life and instructional resources, said, "It is important to understand the validity of this study's methodology, he said. "Accuracy is a function of many factors. In our campus studies, we prefer to use standardized national instruments or surveys developed by faculty. Sometimes, we use surveys prepared and administered by independent consultants. We have found that such surveys are usually better adapted to specifically identify opinions at Wake Forest."

Miller-Williams conducts the Ideal Campus Life Project twice each year. This is the second year of the project and they hope to expand the project to include participants from every school in the country within the next few years.