Quad

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, ILQuad's selectivitySelective
Known forGenerous aidTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

6 in 10 applicants admitted

Lake Forest admits about 6 in 10 applicants (57%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 79% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

57%

57%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

5,356

Admitted

3,043

Yield

14%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1190–1393

10001600
ACT middle 50%

28–32

1836
Applications +55% since fall 2014 · admit rate 55% → 57%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,813 undergrads, where 32% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

1.8K

undergrads · larger than 54% of colleges

Diversity index

0.70

Pell Grant

32%

about the median

First generation

25%

below the median

Large suburbNCAA D-III · Midwest ConferenceStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.63 → 0.70 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business/Commerce, General (17% of graduates). 13 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 50% of colleges. 100% of faculty are full-time. Spends $11,874 a year on instruction per student.

13 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 50% of colleges

Most popular major

Business/Commerce, General

17% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Finance and Financial Management Services

$98.6K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

100%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$11.9K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $31,720 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $7.4K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $31,225 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $71,350.

56%

$31.7K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $7.4K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$71,350 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
30% · avg $34K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 56% of full price

Federal loans

67%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −5% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $61,825 ten years after enrolling, more than at 71% of colleges; 77% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.1 years of that salary.

77%

77%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$61.8K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$26.2K

≈ $277/month for 10 years

Retention

90%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 73% → 78% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 4% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 5%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 55% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 55% to 57%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −5% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +55%

  • Selectivity

    Steady

    admit rate 55% → 57%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.63 → 0.70

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Simmons University

70% admit · SAT 1305 · 1.7K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso private
Compare side-by-side

AdventHealth University

1.4K undergrads

Also private
Compare side-by-side

Illinois Institute of Technology

55% admit · SAT 1310 · 2.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresAlso Midwest
Compare side-by-side

University of Tulsa

62% admit · SAT 1377 · 2.8K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso private
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Lake Forest College (2026)

    Lake Forest College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 146481 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything