Lake Forest College vs. Simpson College

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

Lake Forest College Simpson College
Location Lake Forest, IL Indianola, IA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,753 1,151
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #267 #412
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $44,202
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $44,202
Room & Board $11,898 $9,654
Avg Net Price $27,839 $23,185
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $35,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Lake Forest College Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 1,569
Admitted 2,786 1,398
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 89.1%
Enrolled % 16% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 20/27
SAT Range 1153/1340 890/1280
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College Simpson College
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 (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Simpson College
Graduation Rate 68% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Lake Forest College Simpson College
% Men 41% 48%
% Women 59% 52%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 88%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 17% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 8% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Lake Forest College Simpson College
% In-State 48% 67%
% Out-of-State 52% 32%

Campus

Lake Forest College Simpson College
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

  • Lake Forest College is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (1,753 students vs. 1,151 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 17.6% more expensive to attend than Simpson College for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $44,202.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.6% higher at Lake Forest College than Simpson College ($52,000.00 vs. $44,202.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Lake Forest College ($23,185 vs. $27,839)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 23.2% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($9,654 vs. $11,898)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College as Simpson College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 5.6% larger than aid received Simpson College ($37,907 vs. $35,898)

Lake Forest College vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.62) as students at Simpson College (3.62)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Lake Forest College (69% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $5,800 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $48,000)
  • Simpson College and Lake Forest College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Simpson College and Lake Forest College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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