Lake Forest College: the complete school report for parents

What does Lake Forest College actually weigh in admissions?

Lake Forest College rates 6 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA, the essay, extracurricular activities, personal qualities, talent, the interview. It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Lake Forest College's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

52% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.74 on a 4 scale, reported for 100% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

What is the Lake Forest College waitlist really like?

Lake Forest College offered a place on its waiting list to 48 applicants and 38 accepted one. 27 were ultimately admitted. That is 71.1% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Lake Forest College admitted 48.9% of 313 transfer applicants, against 53.6% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.5.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Lake Forest College reports its early rounds below.

What does my child need to take in high school?

Lake Forest College requires 19 academic units and recommends 23. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will Lake Forest College actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $28,673 a year at Lake Forest College after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $60,204. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 92% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 67 merit awards averaging $37,100 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

46% of Lake Forest College graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $37,595 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $277 a month in repayment. Lake Forest College’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Lake Forest College pay off?

Graduates earn a median $61,825 ten years after entering, and $51,324 at six years. 81% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 77% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

$84,573 to $49,254, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Lake Forest College:

College Scorecard, by field of study.

Will my child actually graduate?

89% of first-years return for a second year. 66% graduate within four years and 73% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 80.4% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 66.3% of everyone else, a gap of -14.1 points.

How big are the classes?

48% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 13:1, and 100% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.

What is life at Lake Forest College like?

1,786 undergraduates, 39.7% of first-years from out of state. 82.5% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 70.1% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 6% of men join a fraternity and 8% of women a sorority. 25% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $84,677.

What this means for your student

• 52% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.74. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 27 of 38 who waited were admitted, about 71%.
• Its highest-earning major returns $84,573 five years out against $49,254 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about Lake Forest College

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