Lake Forest College vs Principia College
Lake Forest College and Principia College, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Lake Forest College, a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois, boasts an acceptance rate of 68%, while Principia College, a private Christian college in Elsah, Illinois, has a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 56%. Both colleges offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with popular majors at Lake Forest College including Business Administration, Psychology, and Biology, and popular majors at Principia College including Business Administration, Elementary Education, and Psychology. While Lake Forest College's student body is predominantly White (73%) and female (58%), Principia College's student body is more diverse, with a significant proportion of international students (17%) and a more balanced gender ratio (51% male, 49% female). With graduation rates of 75% and 68% respectively, both colleges demonstrate a
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![]() Lake Forest College |
![]() Principia College |
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Overview |
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Location | Lake Forest, Illinois | Elsah, Illinois |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | Rural: Fringe |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 87.0% | 81.0% |
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Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 64.4% | 84.1% |
Application fees | $50 | |
SAT range | 1130 - 1345 | 1028 - 1193 |
ACT range | 26 - 31 | 21 - 28 |
Students submitting SAT score | 26.0% | 30.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 15.0% | 13.0% |
Total number of applicants | 4,358 | 138 |
Total number of admissions given out | 2,808 | 116 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 417 | 79 |
Yield rate | 14.9% | 68.1% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Not required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $66,400 | $42,820 |
Average net price | $25,126 | $19,816 |
Tuition | $50,100 | $29,970 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$5,540
Meal plan:
$5,958
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Room/dormitory:
$5,810
Meal plan:
$6,460
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
100.0%
Average amount $38,182 |
94.0%
Average amount $25,174 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
43.0%
Average amount $5,895 |
0.0%
Average amount $0 |
Students taking out private loans |
4.0%
Average amount $15,800 |
94.0%
Average amount $2,016 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,661
Men 41.7% Women 58.3% |
321
Men 53.0% Women 47.0% |
Graduate students |
29
Men 34.5% Women 65.5% |
N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Low
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Out-of-state students | 45.4% | 92.7% |
International students | 15.7% | 24.3% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | Rural: Fringe |
Dormitory capacity | 1,236 | 585 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Illinois Arizona California Colorado Minnesota | Missouri California Texas Illinois Ohio |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 12:1 | 5:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 73.0% | 85.9% |
Dropout rate | 4.8% | 14.1% |
Transferred out | 22.2% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
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N/A |
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