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Georgetown Northwestern Vanderbilt Villanova Michigan Purdue Duke WUSTL Harvard BC USC Emory| Lake Forest College | University of Notre Dame | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Lake Forest College | Notre Dame | ||
| Location | Lake Forest, IL | Notre Dame, IN | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 1,818 | 13,174 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #273 | #31 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | lakeforest.edu | nd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Lake Forest College | Notre Dame | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $53,300 | $62,186 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $53,300 | $62,186 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,480 | $17,378 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $29,894 | $29,083 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $38,424 | $51,128 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 59% |
Admission |
Lake Forest College | Notre Dame | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 4,811 | 28,353 | ||
| Admitted | 2,858 | 3,510 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 59.4% | 12.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.9% | 59.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.62 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 28/31 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1170/1365 | 1440/1540 | ||
| 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 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Lake Forest College | Notre Dame | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Lake Forest College | Notre Dame | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,800 | $89,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 92% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $222 |
Diversity |
Lake Forest College | Notre Dame | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 18% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 14% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 17% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
Lake Forest College | Notre Dame | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 41% | 6% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 36% | 83% | ||
Campus |
Lake Forest College | Notre Dame | ||
| 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
- University of Notre Dame is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (13,174 students vs. 1,818 students)
Lake Forest College vs. Notre Dame Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or Notre Dame ?
- University of Notre Dame is 16.7% more expensive to attend than Lake Forest College for in-state tuition ($62,186.00 vs. $53,300.00)
- Out of state tuition is 16.7% higher at Notre Dame than Lake Forest College ($62,186.00 vs. $53,300.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Notre Dame than Lake Forest College ($29,083 vs. $29,894)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 39.2% lower than costs at University of Notre Dame ($12,480 vs. $17,378)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than University of Notre Dame (100% vs. 59%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Notre Dame students is 33.1% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($51,128 vs. $38,424)
Lake Forest College vs. Notre Dame Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Lake Forest College or Notre Dame ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Notre Dame or Lake Forest College .
- Accepted freshman Notre Dame students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
- Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than Notre Dame (12.4%)
Lake Forest College vs. Notre Dame Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Lake Forest College or Notre Dame ? 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 Notre Dame and Lake Forest College.
- The graduation rate at Notre Dame is higher than Lake Forest College (96% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of Notre Dame earn on average $36,000 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $53,800)
- University of Notre Dame students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
- Notre Dame graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
- More Notre Dame graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/