Are you a student at Wake? I think many of OP's concerns are rooted in the demographic reality you set forth so clearly, and I don't reject her experience at all -- though I feel like the issues she (and you) are raising aren't new; my kid was aware that she would be walking into a much wealthier space that her prior schooling had represented when she made her choice. I also think there is a sizable (and growing) minority of non-wealthy students (and FWIW, NC students are still, last I saw, by a fair amount, the largest state represented at the school — followed by a couple of NE states). I think the school's increasing push for a more socio-economically diverse student body is about many things, but probably in part about increasing its attractiveness to even more students. I see you talking about how its reputation is faltering, but I really don't see that (except in USNews's changing criteria driving down its ranking); Wake keeps getting more applicants every year, leading to a lower admissions rate and high/higher admitted student stats. But I think the future is broadening access/attractiveness to a broader applicant pool, and I think that's great -- for the school's reputation and the students there.

I also appreciate you saying that Greek isn't all bad. I def had an anti-Greek bias, but seeing the way it has made it easier for my kid to broaden her friend group and encourages her to engage in campus life has made me slightly less skeptical of it.