Lake Forest College vs. Hope College

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

Lake Forest College Hope College
Location Lake Forest, IL Holland, MI
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,753 3,251
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #267 #275
Religious Affiliation - Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu hope.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Hope College
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $37,990
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $37,990
Room & Board $11,898 $11,900
Avg Net Price $27,839 $25,800
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $24,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Lake Forest College Hope College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 5,152
Admitted 2,786 4,145
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 80.5%
Enrolled % 16% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 24/31
SAT Range 1153/1340 1090/1330
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 Hope College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Hope College
Graduation Rate 68% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Lake Forest College Hope College
% Men 41% 39%
% Women 59% 61%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 84%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 17% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Lake Forest College Hope College
% In-State 48% 68%
% Out-of-State 52% 32%

Campus

Lake Forest College Hope 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

  • Hope College is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (3,251 students vs. 1,753 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Hope College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 36.9% more expensive to attend than Hope College for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $37,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.9% higher at Lake Forest College than Hope College ($52,000.00 vs. $37,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hope College than Lake Forest College ($25,800 vs. $27,839)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 0% lower than costs at Hope College ($11,898 vs. $11,900)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College as Hope College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 52.4% larger than aid received Hope College ($37,907 vs. $24,880)

Lake Forest College vs. Hope College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Hope College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Hope College has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. Hope College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Hope College is higher than Lake Forest College (79% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $6,300 more per year than Hope College graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $47,500)
  • Hope College and Lake Forest College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Hope College and Lake Forest College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Hope College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

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