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Samford University DePaul Augustana University of Alabama at Birmingham Berry College Loyola North Central College Springhill AUM Beloit College Carthage University of Montevallo| Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | ||
| Location | Birmingham, AL | Lake Forest, IL | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 731 | 1,818 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #273 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bsc.edu | lakeforest.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $21,500 | $53,300 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $21,500 | $53,300 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,300 | $12,480 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $24,170 | $29,894 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $14,223 | $38,424 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,987 | 4,811 | ||
| Admitted | 2,071 | 2,858 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 51.9% | 59.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 7.1% | 14.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.72 | 3.62 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 28/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1150/1340 | 1170/1365 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 62% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,000 | $53,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 75% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,850 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $279 |
Diversity |
Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 79% | 58% | ||
| % Black | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 2% | 17% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 61% | 41% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 38% | 36% | ||
Campus |
Birmingham Southern College | Lake Forest College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Lake Forest College is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,818 students vs. 731 students)
Birmingham Southern College vs. Lake Forest College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Birmingham Southern College or Lake Forest College?
- Lake Forest College is 147.9% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $21,500.00)
- Out of state tuition is 147.9% higher at Lake Forest College than Birmingham Southern College ($53,300.00 vs. $21,500.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Lake Forest College ($24,170 vs. $29,894)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 14.6% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($12,480 vs. $14,300)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Lake Forest College (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 170.2% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($38,424 vs. $14,223)
Birmingham Southern College vs. Lake Forest College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Birmingham Southern College or Lake Forest College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lake Forest College or Birmingham Southern College .
- Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
- Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than Birmingham Southern College (51.9%)
Birmingham Southern College vs. Lake Forest College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or Lake Forest College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Lake Forest College and Birmingham Southern College.
- The graduation rate at Lake Forest College is higher than Birmingham Southern College (68% vs. 62%)
- Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $2,800 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $51,000)
- Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($26,850 vs. $27,000)
- Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
- More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 75%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/