Readmission

Students should complete all of the below steps.

Please read important notes at the bottom of this page before completing an application.

Step One:

1. Complete and submit a readmission application including the essay questions. 
2. The essay questions address the following three topics:
   1. The reasons and circumstances for your departure from Lake Forest College.
   2. Your activities since leaving Lake Forest College, focusing on employment (include the names and addresses of your employers) and college-level academic work (an official transcript of such work must be sent to us before your application will be reviewed).
   3. Your plans for future study at Lake Forest College. Please indicate what changes have occurred that have prepared you to  resume your undergraduate program of study.

Step Two:

• Students who are presently enrolled in another institution are required to submit a complete official transcript from that institution at the time of application. The transcript should be sent to the Office of Admissions at admissions@lakeforest.edu. 
• If applying for financial aid, please contact Adriana Rodriguez at  rodriguez@lakeforest.edu.

Please Note:

• Students on an Official Leave of Absence do not need to complete an application for readmission. Contact Cindy Orr at orr@lakeforest.edu for assistance in returning to the College. 
• All student accounts must be paid in full before an application for readmission will be considered. 
• Students with a medical withdrawal must submit medical documentation as outlined in the withdrawal letter and will be required to meet with the Director of Health and Wellness.
• In cases of suspension for academic reasons, students are not eligible for readmission for at least six calendar months.
• In cases of suspension for disciplinary reasons, eligibility for readmission is stated at the time of suspension.

Return from Personal or Medical Leave of Absence
Students on a Personal or Medical Leave of Absence do not need to complete an application for readmission, but should follow the procedures outlined below when planning to return to Lake Forest College. 

Personal Leave

A Personal Leave is a non-academic, one-semester departure from the College. Without exception, a Personal Leave must be requested by the student, in writing, and approved by the Dean of Students Office prior to the first day of class for the semester in which a student is requesting a leave. Only one Personal Leave may be granted to a student in a 12-month period (180 days per federal regulations); on occasion, exceptions for international students with military service obligations can be requested. Students who are currently on Medical Leave, Suspension, Dismissal, or who are Withdrawn from the College cannot be awarded a Personal Leave for the following semester.

A student who is granted a Personal Leave is afforded the following privileges and must comply with the following expectations:

• The student remains enrolled at the College and thus may not take courses at other colleges/universities while on a Personal Leave.
• The student remains in an “in-school status” for federal student loan repayment purposes. That is, repayment of a federal student loan would be in deferment.
• The Lake Forest College financial aid package would continue when the student returns, without re-evaluation.
• The student should participate in the College’s course registration processes to ensure a schedule is established for the following semester.
• The student will reserve their place in any College courses for which they are registered in the following semester, provided they have completed the necessary pre-requirements for the course(es).
• The student retains their academic advisor, unless the advisor is unavailable for reasons outside of the College’s control.
• The student retains their Lake Forest College email and must comply with the Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources Policy.
• If the student is enrolled in the College’s student insurance plan, the student relinquishes their insurance plan (unless they are departing before the spring semester and had already paid in full for the academic year).
• The student can register for summer courses at the College.
• Any room assignments (if applicable) will be cancelled and not reserved.
• The student can participate in the room selection process for the following semester.
• The hiatus from the College is not listed on the student’s transcript unless the student requests the relevant notation from the Office of the Registrar.
• The student does not need to make a new deposit to return to the College.

To request a Personal Leave, the student must email the Dean of Students Office with the reason for the request. The Dean of Students (or designee) may schedule a meeting or phone call to clarify the request before approval. Students requesting a Personal Leave should also:

1. Check with the Financial Aid Office to protect future eligibility of scholarships, grants, and/or student loans.
2. Clear Business Office account to ensure a smooth return to campus.
3. Return any College keys to Residence Life staff or Facilities Management, as applicable.
4. Resident students must submit a housing cancellation form and – in advance of the upcoming semester residence hall opening – be officially checked out of the residence hall by a member of the Residence Life staff. No storage is available on campus.
5. International students must discuss any proposed leave of absence with the Office of Intercultural Relations prior to the start of the leave.

If a Personal Leave is approved, the student will receive email notification from the Dean of Students Office. The student’s parents/guardians, academic advisor, and other relevant campus departments will also be notified.

If the student does not return for the semester immediately following an approved Personal Leave, the student must either a) request and receive approval for a Medical Leave for the subsequent semester (see “Medical Leave” below) or b) the student will automatically be Withdrawn from the College, with the withdrawal date specified as the last day the student attended classes. See below for the characteristics of a Withdrawal and the relevant readmission processes.

Medical Leave

A student may request a Medical Leave prior to – or during – a semester. The last date for a Medical Leave to be requested during an active semester is the last day of classes (before reading day(s) and the final exam period). A Medical Leave is allowed only where the Dean of Students’ designee (typically the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Health and Wellness) judges that serious illness has inhibited the student’s ability to continue enrollment in their classes and requires the student to leave the College for proper treatment. Students who are currently on Suspension, Dismissal, or who are Withdrawn from the College cannot be awarded a Medical Leave for the following semester.

The Medical Leave is granted by the College when the student intends for the departure to be temporary, with a return to Lake Forest College as soon as is possible (see the process for returning below). However, the federal government classifies a Medical Leave as analogous to a Withdrawal from the College, which means that certain privileges and expectations differ from the Personal Leave outlined above. In contrast to a Personal Leave, a Medical Leave can extend beyond one semester for any duration.

A student who is granted a Medical Leave is afforded the following privileges and must comply with the following expectations:

• The student is considered unenrolled from the College.
• The student must begin repayment of federal student loans immediately.
• The Lake Forest College financial aid package would continue without re-evaluation, but the student must file a FAFSA per the deadline to maintain federal financial aid (if applicable).
• The student may apply federal financial aid funds toward courses at other colleges/universities.
• The student may take courses at other colleges/universities while on Medical Leave, and (with approval) transfer them back in to Lake Forest College.
• The student cannot hold their place in any College courses for which they are registered in future semesters.
• The student retains their academic advisor, unless the advisor is unavailable for reasons outside of the College’s control.
• The student retains their Lake Forest College email and must comply with the Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources Policy.
• If the student is enrolled in the College’s student insurance plan, the student relinquishes their insurance plan (unless they are departing before the spring semester and had already paid in full for the academic year).
• The student is eligible to register for summer courses at the College, if the process of requesting to return has been completed and approved in advance.
• Any room assignments (if applicable) will be cancelled and not reserved.
• The student cannot participate in the room selection process for the following semester.
• The student cannot participate in the course registration process for the following semester.
• The hiatus from the College is not listed on the student’s transcript unless the student requests the relevant notation from the Office of the Registrar.
• The student will receive a “W” notation on the transcript for any courses in progress at the time of the Medical Leave.
• The student does not need to make a new deposit to return to the College.

To request a Medical Leave, the student should submit a written request to the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Health and Wellness. The letter should explain the reason for Medical Leave, the anticipated treatment that the student will seek while away, and the student’s desired date of return, if known at the time of request. Then, the student must meet with the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Health and Wellness for an individualized assessment of the student’s request for a Medical Leave. In some instances, the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Health and Wellness will exercise their right to request documentation from a licensed medical provider detailing the reasons for the Medical Leave; all medical documentation is confidential and is kept in a secure file in the Health and Wellness Center.

Students requesting a Medical Leave should also:

1. Check with the Financial Aid Office to protect future eligibility of scholarships, grants, and/or student loans.
2. Clear Business Office account. College refund policies apply for departures during the semester and the refund schedule is published online. Resident students will be charged on a pro-rated basis for any room and board usage.
3. Return all College keys to Residence Life staff or Facilities Management, as applicable.
4. Resident students must submit a housing cancellation form and be officially checked out of the residence hall by a member of the Residence Life staff within 48 hours of their leave being processed. No storage is available on campus.
5. International students must discuss any proposed leave of absence with the Office of Intercultural Relations prior to the start of the leave.

If a Medical Leave is approved, the student will receive email notification from the Dean of Students Office. The student’s parents/guardians, academic advisor, and other relevant campus departments will also be notified.

Students who wish to return to the College after a Medical Leave when they are well enough to resume their studies must make a request to return via e-mail to the Dean of Students Office at least four weeks prior to the semester in which the student would like to return. The request to return includes two components:

1. The student should ask their off-campus, licensed, medical provider to provide documentation in support of the student’s return to the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Health and Wellness. This medical documentation should answer the following questions:
   • Is the student able to return to campus and independently manage their condition?
   • Is the student able to live independently in a residence hall environment?
   • What recommendations does the medical provider offer with respect to issues such as course load, residence hall assignment, and continued treatment, in order to support the student’s successful return to his or her academic program?
2. The student should meet in person or via telephone with the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Health and Wellness in order for the College to conduct an individualized assessment of the student’s readiness to return to degree-seeking student status. In some instances, the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Health and Wellness may request additional documentation from a medical professional beyond what has been submitted, and/or ask the student to sign a release to allow communication with the outside provider, in order to make a more informed decision