Lake Forest College

Lake Forest College, in the affluent Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois, is a small liberal arts college of about 1600 students. About 27% of students are recruited athletes, which is not surprising for a school this size, but it’s also notable that 25% of students are first generation. This institution used to be known for attracting the wealthy, but the student body no longer looks like it did a generation ago. In fact, US News & World Report Ranks Lake Forest #13 for Best Value College and #1 in the country for Social Mobility, and The New York Times places it at #13 for Greatest Economic Diversity.

The 107-acre campus, half a mile from Lake Michigan, is divided into three parts, with wooded areas dividing them. Students can walk a half-mile to the train station in town to get to Chicago, 30 miles away, for fun and internships.

All freshmen take a First-Year Studies course in their first semester. Interesting courses recently offered include, “the Science of Cooking,” “Theater in Chicago,” “Becoming Human in the Age of AI, and “Social Media Effects.” (Maybe these last two should be required by every college-bound kid??) These classes are small by design, encourage critical thinking, and meet students’ first-year writing requirement. The professor of the class also acts as the academic advisor for these students until they declare a major.

Majors include the ones you’d expect from a liberal arts college, but also some pre-professional ones including Business, Finance, Communication, Data Science, and Music Education. Interesting minors include Cinema Studies, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Media Design, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Journalism, Museum Studies, and Public Policy.

Tuition, room, board, and fees at Lake forest add up to $72K per year, and there’s a very clear and transparent merit scholarship grid on their website. Students with a 4.5 or a 1450 on the SAT or a 33 on the ACT qualify for the maximum scholarship: $36,000 per year. With an admit rate of about 59%, Lake Forest is approachable for many students, and is a great option for those looking for a very small school just outside a fabulous city.