Lake Forest College vs. Wisconsin

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

Lake Forest College Wisconsin
Location Lake Forest, IL Madison, WI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,753 48,956
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #267 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $37,904
Room & Board $11,898 $12,894
Avg Net Price $27,839 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 47%

Admission

Lake Forest College Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 60,214
Admitted 2,786 29,539
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 49.1%
Enrolled % 16% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.88
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/31 26/32
SAT Range 1153/1340 1340/1510
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 15, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 68% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $230

Diversity

Lake Forest College Wisconsin
% Men 41% 47%
% Women 59% 53%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 76%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 17% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 8% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Lake Forest College Wisconsin
% In-State 48% 43%
% Out-of-State 52% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin Madison is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 1,753 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 460.8% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.2% higher at Lake Forest College than University of Wisconsin Madison ($52,000.00 vs. $37,904.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than Lake Forest College ($13,376 vs. $27,839)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 8.4% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($11,898 vs. $12,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than University of Wisconsin Madison (100% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 239.3% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($37,907 vs. $11,171)

Lake Forest College vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than Wisconsin (49.1%)

Lake Forest College vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than Lake Forest College (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $11,000 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $53,800)
  • University of Wisconsin Madison students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($22,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Wisconsin graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)

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