Lake Forest College vs. Aquinas College

Should I go to Lake Forest College or Aquinas College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lake Forest College or Aquinas College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Lake Forest College vs. Aquinas College comparison
Lake Forest College Aquinas College College 3 College 4
Lake Forest College Aquinas College
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Overview

Lake Forest College Aquinas College
Location Lake Forest, IL Nashville, TN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,818 342
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu aquinascollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $21,350
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $21,350
Room & Board $12,480 $8,850
Avg Net Price $29,894 $20,892
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $12,820
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Lake Forest College Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 245
Admitted 2,858 99
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 40.4%
Enrolled % 14.9% 33.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/31 21/28
SAT Range 1170/1365 1100/1370
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2026

Academics

Lake Forest College Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 0:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Health Professions (67%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (2%)
  • English and Literature (1%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 68% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $211

Diversity

Lake Forest College Aquinas College
% Men 0% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 69%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 17% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 2%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 8% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 9%

Students

Lake Forest College Aquinas College
% In-State 41% -
% Out-of-State 36% -

Campus

Lake Forest College Aquinas 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 Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (1,818 students vs. 342 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or Aquinas College?

  • Lake Forest College is 149.6% more expensive to attend than Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $21,350.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 149.6% higher at Lake Forest College than Aquinas College ($53,300.00 vs. $21,350.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Aquinas College than Lake Forest College ($20,892 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Aquinas College are 41% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($8,850 vs. $12,480)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College as Aquinas College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 199.7% larger than aid received Aquinas College ($38,424 vs. $12,820)

Lake Forest College vs. Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lake Forest College or Aquinas College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Aquinas College or Lake Forest College .

  • Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Aquinas College (3.55)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than Aquinas College (40.4%)

Lake Forest College vs. Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Aquinas 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 Aquinas College and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Lake Forest College is higher than Aquinas College (68% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $5,200 more per year than Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $48,600)
  • Aquinas College students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Aquinas College graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Aquinas College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 56%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/