Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) vs Lake Forest College

Envision yourself pursuing higher education at two distinct institutions: Illinois Wesleyan University and Lake Forest College. While both offer exceptional academic experiences, they possess unique characteristics that may influence your decision. Illinois Wesleyan, nestled in the vibrant city of Bloomington, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. Lake Forest, situated in the serene suburb of Lake Forest, maintains a more selective admissions process, resulting in a smaller, close-knit community. Explore the comparison table to delve into further details, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that will guide you toward the institution that best aligns with your aspirations and goals.
Illinois Wesleyan University logo

Illinois Wesleyan University

Lake Forest College logo

Lake Forest College

Overview

Location Bloomington, Illinois Lake Forest, Illinois
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 85.0% 87.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 45.2% 64.4%
Application fees $50
SAT range 1110 - 1310 1130 - 1345
ACT range 24 - 29 26 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 33.0% 26.0%
Students submitting ACT score 31.0% 15.0%
Total number of applicants 4,543 4,358
Total number of admissions given out 2,055 2,808
Admitted students who chose to enroll 432 417
Yield rate 21.0% 14.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $67,124 $66,400
Average net price $30,610 $25,126
Tuition $52,308 $50,100
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,584

Meal plan: $4,528
Room/dormitory: $5,540

Meal plan: $5,958
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $34,810
100.0%
Average amount $38,182
Students receiving federal student loan 68.0%
Average amount $5,692
43.0%
Average amount $5,895
Students taking out private loans 35.0%
Average amount $6,781
4.0%
Average amount $15,800

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,653
Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
1,661
Men 41.7% Women 58.3%
Graduate students N/A 29
Men 34.5% Women 65.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 45.4%
International students 3.4% 15.7%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,308 1,236
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Illinois Arizona California Colorado Minnesota

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Psychology
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 81.1% 73.0%
Dropout rate 18.7% 4.8%
Transferred out N/A 22.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,305
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $77,743
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,838
  • Year 2: $62,792
  • Year 3: $73,001
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,460
  • Year 2: $62,775
  • Year 3: $69,764
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,302
  • Year 2: $50,356
  • Year 3: $56,336
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,739
  • Year 3: $46,139
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,272
  • Year 2: $31,314
  • Year 3: $39,988
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,075
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $30,321
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: N/A
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $27,439
  • Year 3: N/A
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $36,674
  • Year 3: N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,498
  • Year 2: $44,468
  • Year 3: $58,948
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,662
  • Year 2: $41,007
  • Year 3: $50,604
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,515
  • Year 2: $40,647
  • Year 3: $46,215
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,630
  • Year 2: $30,409
  • Year 3: $42,995
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,945
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $37,497
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,373
  • Year 2: $23,807
  • Year 3: $32,580
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,153
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,832
  • Year 3: N/A
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,544
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,197
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

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