Lake Forest College vs. Northwestern

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

Lake Forest College Northwestern
Location Lake Forest, IL Evanston, IL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,818 23,203
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $64,887
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $64,887
Room & Board $12,480 $20,334
Avg Net Price $29,894 $23,341
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $64,463
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 52%

Admission

Lake Forest College Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 51,769
Admitted 2,858 3,703
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 7.2%
Enrolled % 14.9% 57%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.92
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 28/31 33/35
SAT Range 1170/1365 1490/1560
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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Northwestern
Graduation Rate 68% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $89,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,378
Median Loan Payment $279 $200

Diversity

Lake Forest College Northwestern
% Men 0% 27%
% Women 1% 33%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 50%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 17% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Lake Forest College Northwestern
% In-State 41% 22%
% Out-of-State 36% 67%

Campus

Lake Forest College Northwestern
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (23,203 students vs. 1,818 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

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

  • Northwestern University is 21.7% more expensive to attend than Lake Forest College for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.7% higher at Northwestern than Lake Forest College ($64,887.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Lake Forest College ($23,341 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 62.9% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($12,480 vs. $20,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Northwestern University (100% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 67.8% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($64,463 vs. $38,424)

Lake Forest College vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Lake Forest College vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Lake Forest College (94% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $36,000 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $53,800)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $7,622 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($19,378 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($200 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)

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