September 24, 2024
Linda Blaser
Lake Forest College shares #1 spot for Social Mobility in U.S. News rankings
U.S. News & World Report ranked Lake Forest College #1 in the nation for Social Mobility in its latest rankings. This marks the second consecutive year that Lake Forest earned the top spot, this time sharing the honor with Spelman College in Atlanta.
This marks the fourth consecutive year U.S. News ranked Lake Forest College among the top three 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 released on September 24, 2024.
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.
Ranking first in the nation in the Social Mobility on the designation is a particular point of pride for Lake Forest College, which has long emphasized its accessibility and affordability to highly motivated students from all backgrounds.
For its Best Value list, U.S. News evaluated a school’s academic quality and net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid.
Lake Forest College has experienced a consistent upward trend in national rankings over a number of years, reflecting the College’s continued focus on providing a rigorous undergraduate education that prepares students for meaningful and rewarding careers.