Lake Forest College continues to achieve high marks in national rankings
Lake Forest College has experienced a consistent upward trend in national rankings over the past several years, reflecting the College’s continued focus on providing a rigorous undergraduate education that prepares students for meaningful and rewarding careers.
• U.S. News & World Report ranked Lake Forest College #1 in the nation for Social Mobility in its latest ranking released on September 24, 2024. This marks the second consecutive year that Lake Forest earned the top ranking, this time sharing the honor with Spelman College in Atlanta. It’s also the fourth consecutive year U.S. News ranked the College among the top three in the nation in this important category, which indicates that Lake Forest is better than most colleges at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students.
U.S. News also rated Lake Forest College as the #13 Best Value national liberal arts college—maintaining the same position as last year—in its “2025 Best Colleges” ranking.
Overall, Lake Forest College ranked #77 on U.S. News’ list of Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, tying with Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. This represents a significant improvement over the last 14 years, with the College rising from #105 in 2011 to #77 today.
• The Princeton Review included Lake Forest on its 2024 Best Value Colleges list. The 208 schools named to this important list report excellent academics, affordable cost, and strong career prospects for graduates.
• The Wall Street Journal rated Lake Forest College as the top liberal-arts college in the Midwest in a ranking released December 18, 2023.
This ranking is based on three factors: student outcomes such as graduation rates, graduates’ salaries, and how those salaries offset the cost of attaining an undergraduate degree at each school; students’ evaluations of their school’s learning facilities, learning opportunities, and ability to prepare them for a career, as well as how strongly they would recommend the school; and the diversity of a school’s students and faculty.
The Wall Street Journal also ranked Lake Forest College #27 among all colleges nationwide. In addition, the Journal ranked Lake Forest College #22 for Student Experience, #23 for Social Mobility, and #75 for Salary Impact.
This year the Journal based its rankings on how much each school improves on-time graduation for its students and the impact a degree from each school has on graduates’ salaries.
The newspaper updated its ranking methodology, noting that “colleges aren’t just rewarded for their raw performance in traditional metrics; rather, they’re also evaluated against a benchmark that shows how the schools improve the trajectories of their students’ careers.”
Facts and Figures
Location
Lake Forest College is located in the suburban town of Lake Forest, a half mile from Lake Michigan and 30 miles north of downtown Chicago. The College’s 107 acres are spread out across three campuses that are divided by wooded ravines. It is home to more than 250 species of naturalized plants and 187 bird species.
With classic 19th and 20th Century architecture, mature oak trees, and numerous green spaces, the College has been and remains a popular place to film movies.
Student Body
| Total undergraduates | 1,796 |
| Women | 1,029 |
| Men | 767 |
| International students (including dual citizens) | 326 |
- Our students come from 43 states, Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 120 countries.
- 32% of domestic students identify as students of color
- 18% are international students
- More than 40 languages are spoken on campus
Faculty
Lake Forest professors regularly include undergraduates in their primary research and supervise independent research projects.
| Teaching faculty | 181 |
| Full-time professors holding the PhD or equivalent | 96% |
| Student–faculty ratio | 12:1 |
| Average class size | 19 |
They receive fellowships and grants from such notable organizations as the Fulbright Program, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Endowment for the Humanities, Freeman Foundation, Mellon Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Getty Trust, Goldsmith Foundation, and Kemper Foundation.
Areas of Study
The College has 32 majors, plus minors and special programs. Students can declare up to two majors and one minor, or one major and two minors.
Academic Year
The year includes two 15-week semesters and three four-week terms in the summer session.
Off-Campus Study
Participating in an off-campus program, whether to study, intern, research, or volunteer, can be a life-changing experience and is highly encouraged at Lake Forest. Students may participate for credit in a total of two semester-long programs chosen from our list of 200+ programs in 70 countries. The programs on this list may be sponsored by Lake Forest College, the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, or one of several trusted program providers.
Internships
The College was ranked #14 on The Princeton Review’s list of Top 20 Schools for Internships (Private Schools) in The Best 387 Colleges: 2022 Edition, based on students’ ratings of accessibility of internship placement at their school. In recent years, students have held internships with such organizations as The Art Institute of Chicago, Abbott Laboratories, the American Writers Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden, CDW, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Goldman Sachs, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Morgan Stanley, Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, the Shedd Aquarium, StarCom, Stout Advisory, University of Chicago Medicine, University of Chicago Press, and WNBA Chicago Sky.
Community Education
The College serves adults living in the region through the Office of Community Education. The College currently offers a Master of Liberal Studies (M/LS) program and Master’s of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program.
Center for Chicago Programs
The Center for Chicago Programs connects Lake Forest students to the educational and cultural riches of Chicago both on campus and in the city. The Center is an integral part of the student and faculty experience at the College.
Athletics
Lake Forest has 25 Division III teams, including 12 women’s (basketball, cross country, distance indoor track, distance outdoor track, golf, handball, ice hockey, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, volleyball, and lacrosse) and 11 men’s (basketball, cross country, distance indoor track, distance outdoor track, football, golf, handball, ice hockey, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and lacrosse). Many students are also involved in club or intramural sports.
Team name: Foresters
School mascot: Boomer the Bear
School colors: Red and black
Alumni
The College and its Alumni Board host events around the country. More than 13,000 alumni, in 63 countries and all 50 states, participate in student mentor programs, assist with internships, and support the College through donations.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Lake Forest College admits students regardless of their ability to pay, so that qualified students from all economic backgrounds have the opportunity to pursue their academic goals. Lake Forest is committed to meeting as much of a student’s demonstrated financial need as possible, which may include a combination of federal/state/college grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. The College offers several merit-based scholarships, recognizing academic achievement, talent, and community engagement.