Lake Forest College vs. Sweet Briar College

Should I go to Lake Forest College or Sweet Briar College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lake Forest College or Sweet Briar 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. Sweet Briar College comparison
Lake Forest College Sweet Briar College College 3 College 4
Lake Forest College
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Overview

Lake Forest College Sweet Briar College
Location Lake Forest, IL Sweet Briar, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,753 460
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #267
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu sbc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Sweet Briar College
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $22,620
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $22,620
Room & Board $11,898 $14,250
Avg Net Price $27,839 $28,408
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $12,254
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Lake Forest College Sweet Briar College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 1,204
Admitted 2,786 912
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 75.7%
Enrolled % 16% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 22/30
SAT Range 1153/1340 1020/1360
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, 2025

Academics

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

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Sweet Briar College
Graduation Rate 68% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Lake Forest College Sweet Briar College
% Men 41% 0%
% Women 59% 100%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 71%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 17% 9%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Lake Forest College Sweet Briar College
% In-State 48% 43%
% Out-of-State 52% 49%

Campus

Lake Forest College Sweet Briar 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

  • Lake Forest College is larger than than Sweet Briar College based on total student enrollment (1,753 students vs. 460 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Sweet Briar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or Sweet Briar College?

  • Lake Forest College is 129.9% more expensive to attend than Sweet Briar College for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $22,620.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 129.9% higher at Lake Forest College than Sweet Briar College ($52,000.00 vs. $22,620.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Forest College than Sweet Briar College ($27,839 vs. $28,408)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 19.8% lower than costs at Sweet Briar College ($11,898 vs. $14,250)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Sweet Briar College (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 209.3% larger than aid received Sweet Briar College ($37,907 vs. $12,254)

Lake Forest College vs. Sweet Briar College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Sweet Briar College (3.54)
  • Sweet Briar College has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. Sweet Briar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Sweet Briar 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 Sweet Briar College and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Sweet Briar College is higher than Lake Forest College (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $12,100 more per year than Sweet Briar College graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $41,700)
  • Sweet Briar College and Lake Forest College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Sweet Briar 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 Sweet Briar College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 72%)

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