Before we begin, I want to be clear about one thing: this article will not tell you whether Lake Forest College is the right school for your child. That depends on three pieces that have to come together: what the college really is and offers, what your child wants and has accomplished, and what your family can and is willing to pay. Here, we are only going to examine the first piece in depth. But understanding it thoroughly is already real progress, and that is the purpose of this article.
Who this school is and where it is located
Lake Forest College is a private, nonprofit, four-year baccalaureate college focused on arts and sciences. It is in the city of Lake Forest, in Lake County, Illinois, within the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area, although that does not mean the campus is in the heart of the city. Its census code places it in a suburb: within the urbanized area but outside the principal city. You will only know what living there feels like by going to see it. If your child plans to live at home while attending college, I recommend something very simple: drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the time your child's classes would take place. The actual travel time is almost never what the map promises.
Official classifications describe it as a small, highly residential, four-year school: in the year used for that classification, at least half of its undergraduate students lived in housing owned by or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time. That same system also places it among institutions that enroll many transfer students and, separately, based on the degrees it awarded, places it at the master's level rather than the research-doctorate level. If your child were to come here after studying at another institution, ask in writing which courses will be accepted and which will not. The "many transfer students" label does not say how many credits students arrive with or how many they lose along the way.
IPEDS, the federal system that collects these data, reports the master's degree as the highest level the institution says it offers and classifies it as a school that primarily offers bachelor's degrees or higher. None of these data tells you whether the exact program your child is interested in exists today or whether it connects undergraduate and graduate study. That must be asked program by program, not school by school.
One point worth making clear from the beginning: Lake Forest College is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. These are three different designations with different histories, and of the 3,012 institutions in this federal census, 138 have at least one of the three. Not appearing on that list says nothing about which communities the college serves or how your child would feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations are available, and better yet, speak with someone who already attends the college.
The size of the community and who makes it up
Lake Forest College had 1,818 enrolled students in the most recent official count: a medium-sized institution, neither among the largest nor the smallest in its comparison group. Of that total, 1,796 are undergraduates and only 22 are graduate students. Above all, it is an undergraduate institution, not a graduate school.
Within that community, 18 out of every 100 undergraduate students identified as Hispanic or Latino. They are not the majority, but they are not uncommon either: compared with 941 similar selective private schools, that proportion places Lake Forest College in the top quarter. There are more women than men—57 out of every 100—and there are almost no adult students: only 3 out of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old. And there is something worth keeping in mind if your family lives outside Illinois: fewer than half of first-time students, 41 out of every 100, had a reported permanent residence in the school's state. The rest come from other states or countries, or their residence was not specified. This figure does not measure distance or travel costs, but if your child would have to travel far, it is a sign that you should begin calculating the costs of flights, moving, and visits.
Being a medium-sized school guarantees nothing by itself. "Large" does not necessarily mean more options, and "small" does not necessarily mean more attention for your child. What truly matters must be asked by major, not inferred from the institution's overall size.
How the academic year is structured
Lake Forest College organizes its calendar into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. It accepts credit for AP exams but did not indicate that it accepts credit for life experience. And here is something many families assume without verifying: accepting AP does not mean the college awards credit for every exam or every score. These data do not tell us what scores are required or whether those credits count toward your child's specific major. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling, and do not subtract those potential savings from your budget until you have it in hand.
As for the academic offerings: in the most recently reported year, the school awarded 360 bachelor's degrees across 18 fields of study. The field awarding the most degrees was business and management, with 20 out of every 100 degrees—no other area surpassed it, but it does not dominate the total either. The offerings are broad and distributed, not concentrated in two or three paths. Even so, 18 active fields do not mean 18 specific majors: each field groups several programs, so you should ask for the exact name of the program your child is interested in, not just the general area.
Regarding the relationship between students and faculty: the official ratio is 12 students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. Compared with similar schools, it is above the median—that is, some similar schools have an even lower ratio—although it is still considered low on the overall scale. Both things are true at the same time, and neither tells you the actual size of a classroom. That information is not included in this report.
The institution also reports structured pathways worth keeping on your radar if they interest your child: study abroad, undergraduate research outside the classroom, and teacher-certification pathways, including the possibility of completing part of that preparation at another institution.
The entrance process: how admission works and who gets in
This is where many families feel the most anxiety, so let's proceed carefully.
Lake Forest College does not have open admission. It reviews specific components before saying yes. Of the nine admission considerations it reports—not counting standardized tests or legacy status—it requires six: the complete high school record, grade point average, completion of the college-preparatory coursework the institution requires, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and an English-proficiency exam for those who need one. It also considers, although it does not require, your child's class rank, work experience, and whether a family member attended the college. Your child cannot change that last factor. If it does not apply, do not spend energy on it: spend that energy on what is within your child's control. And something that eases the financial burden from the first step: the published undergraduate application fee is $0.
In the most recent cycle, 4,811 students applied for first-time admission. Of those, 2,858 were offered a place: 59 out of every 100. Compared with similar selective private schools, that figure places it on the more demanding side: seven out of ten similar schools accepted a higher percentage of their applicants. Admission is neither guaranteed nor a lottery. The application is reviewed thoroughly.
But here is a distinction that changes how everything above should be read. Being admitted is not the same as enrolling. At Lake Forest College, of every 100 students admitted, only 15 ultimately enrolled. Put another way: of every 7 young people who received a yes, about one ended up accepting the place. The other six already had a place here and decided to go elsewhere. Compared with similar schools, that figure is among the most common: neither particularly high nor particularly low.
Do not read this as a stain on the school. The federal record does not explain why each family made its decision. What you need to do is wait for your own letter showing the net price—what the year would actually cost your family—before deciding whether this school stays on the list. What other families did does not predict what yours will be offered.
As for tests: the SAT and ACT are optional. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application still receives full consideration. Of the students who enrolled, only 16 out of every 100 submitted an SAT score, and among them, the middle half scored between 590 and 685 in reading and writing and between 580 and 680 in mathematics. That range describes students who had already enrolled and chose to submit their scores, not all applicants, and it does not confirm that the score was used to make anyone's admission decision. It is neither a minimum your child must reach nor a guarantee if your child reaches it.
And regarding transfers: of a cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor's degree here, 23 out of every 100 transferred without completing the degree at Lake Forest College and enrolled at another institution. Compared with similar schools, this is a common proportion, just slightly above the midpoint of the group. Transferring is not failing. But if that possibility exists, your child should know in advance how to request the documents needed to transfer, in case they become necessary.
What it costs and what students actually pay
At Lake Forest College, among 57 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $19,067. Among 52 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $23,694; among 146 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $34,614. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents' income with their own.
There is a difference of $15,547 between the average for the lowest-income band (57 students) and the average for the highest-income band (146 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family's price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $29,894.
$19,067 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth requesting the financial-aid letter.
Because the price varies so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The financial-aid letter you receive is what matters.
How students pay: grants, loans, and what that means
At Lake Forest College, 100% of degree- or certificate-seeking students received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. That does not mean everyone received the same amount: among those who received it, the average was $42,539 per year, a figure that includes both those who received much more and those who received considerably less. And 35 out of every 100 students received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families.
That average grant amount of $42,539 is real money, but it is not a price. What determines how much it will actually cost is the amount left after aid is subtracted, and you only get that figure from your own letter.
Now, the part you should examine with your eyes wide open: 71 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan, and those who borrowed took out an average of $6,965 that year. Compared with similar schools, that proportion of students with loans is on the high side: seven out of ten similar schools had a lower proportion. Financing college with debt is common here. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the program's four years, the total would be around $27,860, excluding interest and not including Parent PLUS loans, bank debt, or credit-card debt.
That figure is not set in stone for your child. It depends on your child's own financial-aid letter and the difference between the net price and what your family can contribute. But if debt appears in the offer, ask for an estimated monthly payment before signing anything. That calculation should be done before the first signature, not afterward.
Campus life, athletics, and support
Lake Forest College has its own housing and meal plans, although it does not require all first-time students to live there. IPEDS reports capacity for 1,335 students in institution-controlled housing. The existence of rooms does not guarantee an available bed: ask in writing for the current year's rate, the housing application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a place or placed on a waiting list.
The school competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported membership in football, basketball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child's plan depends on an athletic scholarship, write directly to the coach for that sport: membership applies to the institution and does not guarantee a place on a specific team.
No ROTC opportunity was reported—neither the general option nor any of its branches—while 926 of 1,786 four-year institutions in this guide marked at least one. That does not prove there is no nearby option: if this matters to your family, ask the admission office directly before ruling it out.
As for distance education: the school offers online courses at the undergraduate level, but in the most recent count, no student was taking an entire course load through distance education, and the institution reported that it does not offer a complete program that can be completed entirely online. If this interests your child, confirm it in writing for the specific major.
The library has employed staff, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary lending, with annual spending above the $100,000 threshold recorded by the federal government. That is only the floor: it does not guarantee specific databases for your child's major. In addition, the institution reports combined academic and career counseling, employment services, placement services for program completers, and participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans.
Who stays and who finishes
For many families, this is the question that truly matters: if your child enrolls, will your child stay? Will your child finish?
Of the cohort that entered in the fall of 2022, 86 out of every 100 met the official retention criterion: they were still enrolled there or had already completed their bachelor's degree one year later. Compared with similar selective private schools, that figure places Lake Forest College near the top of the group. It is a strong sign, although it does not distinguish between those who were still studying and those who had already graduated so quickly, nor does it say what happened to the remaining 14%.
As for graduation: of a cohort of 355 full-time students who entered in 2017, 250 had their degrees in hand six years later. That is 70 out of every 100. At four years, the figure had already reached 64 out of every 100—just 6 points below the final six-year result, suggesting that most of those who graduate do so close to the expected time. Compared with similar schools, this rate is in the upper half of the group.
It is worth reviewing the full breakdown of that same cohort of 355: 250 completed a bachelor's degree here; none completed a shorter program; 83 transferred to another institution without finishing here; 1 student remained enrolled without completing; and 21 were classified as "no longer enrolled," a category that does not explain why and may include people who finished after the measured period.
A high figure is not a promise for your child in particular. It is what happened to that specific cohort. What is within your control is making sure your child enters with all credits in order, knows from the first semester who the academic advisor is, and knows when to register for courses in the major.
There is also a longer-term view: following a cohort that entered between 2015 and 2016—which combines first-time students with those who already had prior college experience—by the eight-year mark, 76 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 74 out of every 100, just 3 points below the rest. Compared with similar schools, this proportion places Lake Forest College in the top quarter of the group. This is an earlier cohort, and it does not determine whether your child will graduate or how long it will take. The most useful thing you can do with this information is ask about the program's current support services and the outcomes of more recent cohorts.
What you now know and what remains yours to decide
You now know Lake Forest College in greater depth than you did when you began reading. You know that nearly three-quarters of its students graduate on time and that most finance their education with federal loans.
None of this tells you whether it is the right school for your child. That depends on what your child wants to study, what your child has accomplished so far, how far from home your child is willing to live, and what your family can and wants to pay. Your child's part is the effort, the essay, the grades, and the decision about which major to pursue. Your part is the money, the paperwork, the deadlines, and providing support without carrying alone a system that you are also just learning to navigate.
Bring this piece together with the other two. From that combination—what the college is, what your child wants, and what the family can pay—a real plan emerges.
Note on sources: The information in this article comes from official data reported to IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Lake Forest College or the United States government; this article is for informational purposes only.