Lake Forest College vs. Drake

Should I go to Lake Forest College or Drake University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lake Forest College or Drake 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. Drake University comparison
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Lake Forest College Drake University
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Overview

Lake Forest College Drake
Location Lake Forest, IL Des Moines, IA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,753 4,685
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #267 #149
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu drake.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Drake
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $47,564
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $47,564
Room & Board $11,898 $11,570
Avg Net Price $27,839 $30,333
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $31,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Lake Forest College Drake
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 8,621
Admitted 2,786 5,796
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 67.2%
Enrolled % 16% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/31 25/30
SAT Range 1153/1340 1110/1340
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College Drake
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Drake
Graduation Rate 68% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $68,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

Lake Forest College Drake
% Men 41% 37%
% Women 59% 63%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 79%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 17% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Lake Forest College Drake
% In-State 48% 35%
% Out-of-State 52% 63%

Campus

Lake Forest College Drake
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

  • Drake University is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (4,685 students vs. 1,753 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Drake Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 9.3% more expensive to attend than Drake for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $47,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.3% higher at Lake Forest College than Drake University ($52,000.00 vs. $47,564.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Forest College than Drake ($27,839 vs. $30,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 2.8% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($11,570 vs. $11,898)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College as Drake University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 21.2% larger than aid received Drake University ($37,907 vs. $31,274)

Lake Forest College vs. Drake Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Drake students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Drake has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. Drake Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Drake? 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 Drake and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Drake is higher than Lake Forest College (75% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Drake University earn on average $14,700 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $53,800)
  • Drake University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Drake graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Drake graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)

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