Lake Forest College

It was great to get back to Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois, an hour north of Chicago, and minutes from Lake Michigan. So many students want to be near a major city, and Chicago is beautiful, offering world-class culture, arts, and opportunities for internships and jobs. In fact, Lake Forest considers Chicago a laboratory for its students, and offers two different semester-long residential programs in Chicago for juniors and seniors, which involve both internships and coursework.

Accolades from Princeton Review include #2 Best Science Lab Facilities, #2 Best Health Services, #6 Best Student Support and Counseling Services, #14 Best Career Services, #14 Best Town-Gown Relations, and #19 Most Politically Moderate Students. One of Lake Forest’s greatest strengths is its size: as a small, liberal arts college, undergraduate teaching is the primary focus of its faculty. During a dinner with faculty, one professor introduced himself and said, “I guess I’ll talk to you about the best part of my job: teaching students.” I just love that. All students, in fact, take a first-year studies class taught by their advisor. If a student is struggling in any class, it gets back to the advisor. They don’t fall through the cracks.

The all-in price is about $74K, and merit scholarships can be as high as $37K, which makes it a bargain. The situation is not quite as rosy for students with demonstrated financial need, as Lake Forest meets about 75% of need. The new president, who came from Kalamazoo – and plays saxophone in the jazz band - told us that the endowment is currently about $150 million, but he has plans for a $170 million capital campaign entirely devoted to supporting scholarships, which is great. However, the campus feels faded, and I can’t help but wonder why they’re not prioritizing renovating dorms or building some new facilities. With the prime location and strong undergraduate teaching, a campus makeover would really put Lake Forest in a great position.

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.