First-Year Application Requirements

First-year students can apply for free using the Lake Forest First-Year Application or the Common Application.

Most students applying to the College have taken a college preparatory curriculum including honors, AP, and IB courses. We look at your transcript within the context of your high school, knowing that all schools offer different academic programs. You can receive college credit for both AP and IB classes based on exam scores. Learn more about these below.

Our minimum requirements are:

• 4 years of English
• 3 or more years of mathematics(minimum requirement is through algebra II/trigonometry)
• 3 or more years of natural science, including 2 years with laboratory sections
• 3 or more years of social science
• 2 or more years of a foreign language(recommended, but not required)

We require a letter of recommendation from a teacher and/or a college counselor. Though not required, you may also submit one additional reference from an athletic coach, scout leader, community service coordinator, or work supervisor.

Almost every applicant is interviewed either on or off-campus, and we truly enjoy getting to know our prospective students. We see the interview as an opportunity to “lift yourself off the page” and get beyond just the statistics and test scores. You have a counselor specifically assigned to you and should feel free to contact them to set up an interview or ask a question.

We accept both the ACT (Code: 1054) and the SAT (Code 1392), and take the best sub-scores to compile a composite score. You may choose not to submit your scores as part of our test-optional admissions policy. If you make use of this opportunity, you must have a personal interview with an admission counselor. This can be done via phone or in-person and you should take the initiative to set-up this interview as soon as possible. You may find your counselor and their associated virtual interview availability here. International students are required to submit Duolingo, TOEFL, or IELTS scores. Students who ultimately enroll at the College will be asked to submit test scores for advising and College research.

Students who have successfully completed Advanced Placement courses and the appropriate examinations provided by the College Entrance Examination Board may apply for college credit for this work.

Scores of 4 or 5 on the examinations may entitle students to at least one course credit; scores of 1, 2 or, in most cases, 3, are not granted credit. A score of 4 or better on both the microeconomics and macroeconomics exams is required for one course credit in economics.

Each department determines the specific amount of credit to be awarded. Credit will not be granted for both Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate program examinations in the same department. 

Advanced Placement Credit Table

Students who have successfully completed International Baccalaureate courses and taken the higher-level examinations provided by the IB Program may apply for college credit for this work.

Grades of 4, 5, 6, or 7 on the examinations entitle students to at least one course credit; grades of 1, 2, and 3 are not granted credit. Each department determines the specific amount of credit to be awarded. Credit will not be granted for both Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate program examinations in the same department.

International Baccalaureate Credit Table