Lake Forest College vs. Hobart William Smith Colleges

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

Lake Forest College Hobart William Smith Colleges
Location Lake Forest, IL Geneva, NY
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,818 1,669
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #133
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu hws.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Hobart William Smith Colleges
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $61,858
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $61,858
Room & Board $12,480 $17,334
Avg Net Price $29,894 $33,172
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $47,463
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Lake Forest College Hobart William Smith Colleges
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 5,560
Admitted 2,858 3,185
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 57.3%
Enrolled % 14.9% 14.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/31 26/32
SAT Range 1170/1365 1220/1360
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Lake Forest College Hobart William Smith Colleges
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (7%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Hobart William Smith Colleges
Graduation Rate 68% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $60,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Lake Forest College Hobart William Smith Colleges
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 1% 2%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 71%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 17% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

Lake Forest College Hobart William Smith Colleges
% In-State 41% 41%
% Out-of-State 36% 55%

Campus

Lake Forest College Hobart William Smith Colleges
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 Hobart William Smith Colleges based on total student enrollment (1,818 students vs. 1,669 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Hobart William Smith Colleges Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or Hobart William Smith Colleges?

  • Hobart William Smith Colleges is 16.1% more expensive to attend than Lake Forest College for in-state tuition ($61,858.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.1% higher at Hobart William Smith Colleges than Lake Forest College ($61,858.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Forest College than Hobart William Smith Colleges ($29,894 vs. $33,172)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 38.9% lower than costs at Hobart William Smith Colleges ($12,480 vs. $17,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Hobart William Smith Colleges (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hobart William Smith Colleges students is 23.5% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($47,463 vs. $38,424)

Lake Forest College vs. Hobart William Smith Colleges Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lake Forest College or Hobart William Smith Colleges? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Hobart William Smith Colleges 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 Hobart William Smith Colleges (3.55)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than Hobart William Smith Colleges (57.3%)

Lake Forest College vs. Hobart William Smith Colleges Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Hobart William Smith Colleges? 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 Hobart William Smith Colleges and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Hobart William Smith Colleges is higher than Lake Forest College (75% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Hobart William Smith Colleges earn on average $6,400 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($60,200 vs. $53,800)
  • Hobart William Smith Colleges and Lake Forest College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Hobart William Smith Colleges and Lake Forest College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Hobart William Smith Colleges 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/