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Lake Forest College

Name: Campus Tour
Start: 2026-04-17T14:00:00
Location: Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois 60045-2338

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Campus Vibe

Sciences-focusedTight-knitSuburbanGreek lifeInternational

Known for business

Lake Forest College is a private institution in Lake Forest with particular strength in business and biology. With an average SAT of 1309, the school attracts a broad applicant pool.

A small campus of 1.8K undergraduates with a 12:1 student-faculty ratio. The suburban location offers a balance of campus life and nearby amenities.

70% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $61,825 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $27,499.

Established

1857

Motto

Et veritas liberabit vos

Mascot

Boomer the Bear

Type

Private liberal arts college

Conference

NCAA Division III (except handball) and offers 23 varsity sports

Division

Division III

Campus Visits

114 upcoming visits · Next: Mon, Apr 13 · Campus Tour

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59%Acceptance

1309SAT Avg

1,782Students

12:1Student:Faculty

70%Grad Rate

$61,825Earnings 10yr

$27,499Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

Lake Forest College Launches New Data Science Minor

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tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

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Admissions

Acceptance Rate59.4%

SAT Score Ranges

Average: 1309

Reading & WritingMid: 618

590685

MathMid: 620

580680

ACT Score Range

CompositeMid: 29

2831

Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

59.4%

Trend

SAT Avg

1309

Yield Rate

35.0%

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Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$54,202

Room & Board$12,480

Books & Supplies$1,350

Total Cost of Attendance$68,191

Average Net Price$27,499

Median Debt at Graduation$26,158

Monthly Payment (10yr)$277

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$19,067

$30–48K$19,086

$48–75K$23,694

$75–110K$28,799

$110K+$34,614

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$27,499

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

2900.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$21,500

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Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

Peer Average

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

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Programs (36)

Student Life

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Student Body

Undergrads

1,782

Gender Split

58% / 42%

Women / Men

First Generation

25%

Pell Grant Recipients

35%

Race & Ethnicity

White 47%

Black 3%

Hispanic 19%

Asian 6%

Two+ 3%

Int'l 18%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate70.4%

Freshman Retention86.3%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$51,324

8 Years$58,610

10 Years$61,825

10-Year Earnings by Gender

Women

$51,400

Men

$61,100

Rankings

U.S. News

#45

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Forbes

#52

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Niche

#38

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More About This School

History & Fun Facts

•History Brown Hall, the tallest building in the city of Lake Forest, houses most of the humanities departments on campus Lake Forest College was founded in 1857 by Reverend Robert W.
•Lake Forest Academy, a boys' preparatory school, began offering classes in 1858; collegiate-level courses began in 1860.
•By the mid-1860s, a small New England–style village had been established with an academy building, a Presbyterian church, and several homes.
•In 1865, the name became Lake Forest University.
•In 1869 Ferry Hall, a girls' preparatory school and junior college, opened as a division of the university led by Fannie Ruth Robinson.

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Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

100Average

Estimated from IL state average + suburban adjustment

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Chicagopop. 2.7M

28 mi(49 min)

Milwaukeepop. 570K

55 mi(95 min)

Indianapolispop. 880K

192 mi(333 min)

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Getting There

Nearest Airports

ORD Chicago O'Hare19 mi

MKE Milwaukee48 mi

IND Indianapolis192 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA856 mi · ~24h 44m drive

New York, NY722 mi · ~20h 51m drive

Hartford, CT778 mi · ~22h 29m drive

Providence, RI842 mi · ~24h 19m drive

Albany, NY717 mi · ~20h 43m drive

Syracuse, NY596 mi · ~17h 13m drive

Rochester, NY522 mi · ~15h 5m drive

Buffalo, NY457 mi · ~13h 12m drive

Philadelphia, PA677 mi · ~19h 33m drive

Pittsburgh, PA425 mi · ~12h 17m drive

Harrisburg, PA584 mi · ~16h 52m drive

Newark, NJ714 mi · ~20h 38m drive

Washington, DC611 mi · ~17h 39m drive

Baltimore, MD621 mi · ~17h 56m drive

Atlanta, GA616 mi · ~17h 48m drive

Charlotte, NC614 mi · ~17h 44m drive

Raleigh, NC665 mi · ~19h 13m drive

Miami, FL1219 mi · ~35h 13m drive

Orlando, FL1014 mi · ~29h 18m drive

Tampa, FL1033 mi · ~29h 51m drive

Nashville, TN424 mi · ~12h 15m drive

New Orleans, LA859 mi · ~24h 49m drive

Richmond, VA639 mi · ~18h 28m drive

Chicago, IL28 mi · ~49 min drive

Detroit, MI244 mi · ~7h 3m drive

Minneapolis, MN331 mi · ~9h 34m drive

St. Louis, MO280 mi · ~8h 5m drive

Kansas City, MO415 mi · ~11h 59m drive

Indianapolis, IN192 mi · ~5h 33m drive

Columbus, OH297 mi · ~8h 35m drive

Cleveland, OH320 mi · ~9h 15m drive

Milwaukee, WI55 mi · ~1h 35m drive

Dallas, TX818 mi · ~23h 38m drive

Houston, TX959 mi · ~27h 42m drive

Austin, TX994 mi · ~28h 43m drive

San Antonio, TX1067 mi · ~30h 49m drive

Los Angeles, CA1736 mi · ~50h 9m drive

San Francisco, CA1844 mi · ~53h 16m drive

San Diego, CA1727 mi · ~49h 53m drive

Seattle, WA1713 mi · ~49h 29m drive

Portland, OR1736 mi · ~50h 9m drive

Denver, CO910 mi · ~26h 17m drive

Phoenix, AZ1449 mi · ~41h 52m drive

Salt Lake City, UT1245 mi · ~35h 58m drive

Honolulu, HI4237 mi · ~122h 24m drive

Upper Midwest / Northeast (cold winters, warm summers)

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Visit Planning

Suggested Itinerary

9:00 AMArrive & park

Visitor parking lot

Free parking with visitor pass

9:30 AMCheck in at Admissions

Admissions Office

10:00 AMInformation session

Welcome Center

45 minutes

11:00 AMCampus tour

Starts at Welcome Center

75 minutes, student-led

12:30 PMLunch

Main Dining Hall

Visitor meal passes available

1:30 PMDepartment visit

Academic buildings

Schedule with department directly

2:30 PMExplore campus independently

Library, student center, residence halls

Nearby Hotels

Mid-Range

Check nearby hotels

$100-180/night

< 5 mi

Airport Transit

Chicago O'Hare (ORD)19 miles

Rental car

29 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

38 min$23-38

Milwaukee (MKE)48 miles

Rental car

72 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

96 min$58-96

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Deadline Calendar

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Lake Forest College Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

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Official High School Transcript

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School Report + Counselor Recommendation

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Two Teacher Recommendations

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SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

Check current test policy

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Lake Forest College Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

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CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

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Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

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Interview (recommended)Optional

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Decision Notifications

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SAT Range	Avg Award	Note
1400-1600	$25,000	Academic merit scholarship
1200-1399	$15,000	Dean's scholarship
1000-1199	$8,000	Achievement award