Lake Forest, IL
Lake Forest College is a private small school in Lake Forest, IL, enrolling about 1,813 undergraduates. Lake Forest College is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate near 57%. Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services graduates, especially in Finance and Financial Management Services, report the strongest earnings here: a median of $98,583/year. Most students arrange their own housing since on-campus living isn't required.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from Lake Forest College's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 11% submitted SAT scores, 8% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Decision I: Nov 1, 2026
- Early Action: Nov 1, 2026
- Early Decision II: Jan 15, 2027
- Regular Decision: Feb 15, 2027
Confirm on Lake Forest College's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against Lake Forest College's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow Lake Forest College weighs your application
From Lake Forest College's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Lake Forest College weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does Lake Forest College look for in applicants?
Per Lake Forest College's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates academic GPA, application essay, character/personal qualities, interview, extracurricular activities, talent/ability as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is Lake Forest College's acceptance rate?
Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IL admits approximately 57% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for Lake Forest College?
Per Lake Forest College's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1200–1370 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for Lake Forest College?
Per Lake Forest College's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 27–30 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does Lake Forest College cost?
Lake Forest College's total cost of attendance is reported at $70,655 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
When is the application deadline for Lake Forest College?
Lake Forest College's deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, 2026; Early Action Nov 1, 2026; Early Decision II Jan 15, 2027; Regular Decision Feb 15, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does Lake Forest College require students to live on campus?
No -- Lake Forest College doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.
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