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Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley Southern Illinois University IIT ISU| Illinois State University | Lake Forest College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Lake Forest College | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Lake Forest, IL | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 1,753 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #267 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | lakeforest.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Lake Forest College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $52,000 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $52,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $11,898 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $27,839 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $37,907 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 100% |
Admission |
ISU | Lake Forest College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 4,665 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 2,786 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 59.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 16% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.62 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 1153/1340 | ||
| 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 | Apr 1, 2025 | Feb 15, 2025 |
Academics |
ISU | Lake Forest College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | Lake Forest College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $53,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $279 |
Diversity |
ISU | Lake Forest College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 41% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 59% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 58% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 17% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
ISU | Lake Forest College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 48% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 52% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Lake Forest College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Illinois State University is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,753 students)
ISU vs. Lake Forest College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Lake Forest College?
- Lake Forest College is 339.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $11,840.00)
- Out of state tuition is 119.6% higher at Lake Forest College than Illinois State University ($52,000.00 vs. $23,681.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Lake Forest College ($20,551 vs. $27,839)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 12.2% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($10,602 vs. $11,898)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 226.3% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($37,907 vs. $11,619)
ISU vs. Lake Forest College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU 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 ISU .
- Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)
ISU vs. Lake Forest College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Lake Forest College (71% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $4,800 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $49,000)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
- More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/