- Acceptance rate: 57% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 600–713 reading and writing, 590–680 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 28–32 composite
- Average net price: $29,894 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Online GPA calculator
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Lake Forest College reported: an acceptance rate of 57% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 28–32.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Lake Forest College reviews each application.
Lake Forest College GPA requirements
Lake Forest College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Lake Forest College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Lake Forest College acceptance rate
Lake Forest College admitted 3,043 of 5,356 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 57%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Lake Forest College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Lake Forest, Illinois, with 1,814 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Lake Forest College in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 600 | 670 | 713 |
| SAT Math | 590 | 650 | 680 |
| ACT Composite | 28 | 30 | 32 |
| ACT English | 28 | 30 | 34 |
| ACT Math | 23 | 26 | 30 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1343 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Lake Forest College looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
AP credit
Lake Forest College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $29,894 a year at Lake Forest College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have a chance at Lake Forest College with a 3.0 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Lake Forest College admitted 57% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
How important is GPA for getting into Lake Forest College?
A lot: Lake Forest College requires high school GPA, high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, test scores, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and demonstration of competencies. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to Lake Forest College?
Check Lake Forest College's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Lake Forest College was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 16% sent SAT scores and 10% sent ACT scores.
What GPA do you need to get into Lake Forest College?
Lake Forest College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
What SAT and ACT scores do Lake Forest College students have?
The middle 50% of Lake Forest College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 600–713 in reading and writing and 590–680 in math; ACT composite 28–32, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Is Lake Forest College hard to get into?
It's moderately accessible: more than half of applicants got in. Lake Forest College admitted 57% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How many applicants get into Lake Forest College?
Lake Forest College's acceptance rate was 57% for fall 2024: it admitted 3,043 of 5,356 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Does Lake Forest College give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Lake Forest College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
How much does Lake Forest College cost after financial aid?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $29,894 a year at Lake Forest College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Lake Forest College consider legacy status?
Yes. Lake Forest College considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Before you apply, check Lake Forest College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Lake Forest CollegeU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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