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Lake Forest , IL
Lake Forest College is a private liberal arts college located in Lake Forest, Illinois, just north of Chicago. Established in 1857, the college offers undergraduate programs to over 1,500 students. Lake Forest College has gained a reputation for its strong emphasis on a personalized education, small class sizes, and close-knit community. The college offers more than 80 areas of study, including the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and business, providing students with a well-rounded education.
One of the main highlights of Lake Forest College is its commitment to providing a personalized educational experience for its students. With an average class size of 17, students have the opportunity to engage in lively discussions and receive individual attention from their professors. Additionally, Lake Forest College offers abundant research and internship opportunities, allowing students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world settings. The college also maintains strong partnerships with local businesses and organizations, further enhancing students' practical learning experiences.
Lake Forest College also prides itself on its vibrant and inclusive community. The college encourages students to get involved in extracurricular activities and offers numerous clubs, organizations, and sports teams for students to join. The campus is known for its picturesque location and historical architecture, providing a serene and inspiring environment for its students. Lake Forest College also values diversity and ensures that students from all backgrounds feel welcome and supported.
Overall, Lake Forest College offers a well-rounded education paired with personalized attention, making it an ideal choice for students seeking a close-knit community and a strong academic foundation. With its beautiful campus, extensive academic offerings, and focus on experiential learning, Lake Forest College provides students with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed both personally and professionally.
Lake Forest College is a private upper-level higher education institution with graduate programs located in Lake Forest, IL and set in a suburban environment. This school uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 56%. The freshman retention rate at Lake Forest College is 89.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 78%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is February 15. Explore this school's profile to find out all the essential things about Lake Forest College.
Quick Facts
1,814
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$58,000
Tuition
13:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
78%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Learn some relevant information about admission at Lake Forest College.
According to the newest information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 3,044 in 2025. Lake Forest College has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores for the applicants who choose to submit them.
Test Scores
Out of the number of students who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 16% and ACT scores 10%. 28.36% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 50.75% between 1,200 and 1,399 and 20.89% between 1,000 and 1,199. The percent of freshman students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 53.65, 36.58 between 24-29 and 9.7 in the range between 18-23.
The average ACT score for all the admitted students in 2025 was 29 and the average GPA was 3.78. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Lake Forest College; the same goes for your ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 656 and an average SAT Math score of 643.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by February 15.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is defined as the percentage of first-year students who return for their sophomore year at a college or university. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
The freshman retention rate for Lake Forest College was 89.9% in 2025, a reflection of the high standards and excellent educational experience at this school.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 78%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Picking a school that is the best fit for you is not a simple task. Having a better insight into a school's student body helps you learn more about its culture and life.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution enrolled 1,837 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 38% for that year. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 1,814, 358 of which were foreign students. The school admitted a total of 90 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 781 male and 1,029 female full-time students in 2025. There were 2 full-time graduate male and 11 full-time graduate female students at this school.
Student Population Diversity
In order to enhance a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of Asian students was 113, while the number of Black American students was 47. 328 students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 66 identified with more than one race. There were also 49 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
One of the most crucial things to take into consideration when applying to any college or university is the financial component. Here are some details you should know about the expenses at Lake Forest College that the majority of students face.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition fees for this university.
As a full-time domestic student, you were required to pay tuition of $58,000 in 2025. Lake Forest College is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students totaled $902 in 2025.
Books and Supplies
The approximate price of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into account as another significant financial element. Most students have to allocate about $1,290 for books and supplies during their time at Lake Forest College.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at schools?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Lake Forest College was $13,050 in 2025. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 amounted to $6,325 for one academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was also $6,325.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 58,000 |
| Room and Board | $ 13,050 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,290 |
| Total Expense | $ 72,340 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial support: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. If you want to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Lake Forest College, here are some recent data you should consider.
According to the most recent data, 340 freshmen were awarded financial aid. Students of this school received an average of $55,850 in financial help.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
1,398 students were granted some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Lake Forest College is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need ended up being 1,398. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution summed up to $4,457,740, and state $4,049,360. The students of Lake Forest College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $50,217,571, and external in the amount of $13,505,490.
$32,850
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $13,846,125. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $485,914 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
Majors
Faculty
13:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
In 2025, this ratio at Lake Forest College was 13:1. That means that there were 13 times more students than teachers at this school. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 213. This number included 105 male and 106 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Lake Forest College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Lake Forest College: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some details about social life at Lake Forest College.
Student Organizations
Engaging with a variety of student organizations can enrich your educational experience and make it more rewarding.
This number includes sororities and fraternities. The percentage of male students who are members of organizations is 6 and female students 7. For those interested in acting, there is a drama club you can become part of. Interested in media and communication? Lake Forest College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Lake Forest College, there are many amenities required for a comfortable and safe life on campus.
There are 24-hour emergency phone and alarm devices. The school's dormitory entrances are operated electronically. There is a security patrol that operates 24 hours a day. The after-hours transportation/escort service is available.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. All in all, campus life at Lake Forest College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Lake Forest College.
Career Counselling
At Lake Forest College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
Job Placement
Finding out some information about the expected post-graduation salary can help you decide if a particular school suits your career objectives.
The average annual salary for graduates employed six months after graduation from this institution is 54,498 USD.
$54,498
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
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Lake Forest College is located in Lake Forest, IL.
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Lake Forest College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, the tuition for Lake Forest College is 58,000 USD a year.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Lake Forest College is 56%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Lake Forest College is 89.9%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.