History
The roots of Lake Forest College can be found in the mid-1800’s when a group of Presbyterian ministers and leaders boarded a northbound train in Chicago. Their goal was to identify a suitable location to construct a new community. Lake Forest University, later renamed Lake Forest College, was founded in 1857.
Education
The College has 32 majors, plus minors and special programs. Students can declare up to two majors and one minor, or one major and two minors.The year includes two 15-week semesters and three four-week terms in the summer session.
Research
Lake Forest professors regularly include undergraduates in their primary research and supervise independent research projects.They receive fellowships and grants from such notable organizations as the Fulbright Program, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Endowment for the Humanities, Freeman Foundation, Mellon Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Getty Trust, Goldsmith Foundation, and Kemper Foundation.
Career
What happens at a place named by The Chronicle of Higher Education as a “national model?”
- Students are assigned a career advisor when they begin at the College, and join one or more Career Pathways as they complete Career Milestones.
- Each Career Pathway is guided and supported by a Career Pathway Leader from the CAC and a Leadership Team.
- All students are required to complete an experiential learning opportunity, such as an internship, summer fellowship, or senior thesis, allowing them to apply their liberal arts skills through a substantive experience outside the classroom.
- 99 percent of our students had jobs or enrolled in graduate school within six months after graduation
Distance Learning Courses
Student services
With a spirit that values the individual, the Office of Business Affairs at Lake Forest College serves the economic needs of the College community. We do so by anticipating concerns, providing timely information, and seeking innovative solutions. We take pride in achieving these goals courteously, fairly, and efficiently, and invite and encourage those involved to become partners with us in the process.
Housing services
Most of our students live on campus, although some commuter students come from the suburbs and Chicago. Lake Forest is a small city where students use their College IDs to get discounts at stores and restaurants.
Library services
Anyone may use the Donnelley and Lee Library at Lake Forest College for study, research, and in-house use of the general collections, magazines and journals, government documents collection (including electronic government documents and public workstations), and special collections and archives.
ICT services
The Help Desk team works closely together to assess and channel requests to the right person to help. Some of the basic assistance they offer includes:
- fixing computers/printers/hardware that are not working properly
- fixing network/email access problems
- resetting passwords
- installing computers and helping you configure them
- answering basic MS Office and Outlook questions
Medical services
You and our Nurse Practitioner will explore the best referral for you, or whether an educational session will provide you the information you need.
All full-time students are required to complete the following forms on the Lake Forest Student Health Portal: medical history, immunization history, TB questionnaire and Consent to Treat.
Campus life
Campus is located 30 miles north of downtown Chicago in the historic suburb of Lake Forest. Wooded ravines connect North, Middle, and South Campus, and the beach along Lake Michigan is a short distance away. It’s largely a walking (or biking, or sometimes skateboarding) campus.
Sports facilities
When not working or in class, students and faculty alike can be found playing pool or ping-pong in the Mohr Student Center, checking email or studying at the Donnelley and Lee Library, or working out in the new Sports and Rec Center. The College also has an art gallery that features professional art work as well as student pieces for public viewing.
Student clubs
Student organizations offer Foresters fun, personal, and professional opportunities outside of the classroom that build life skills. To find activities and clubs of interest to you, visit our student life hub.
Cultural clubs, Greek organizations, athletic programs and just about everyone else lines up so new students can see the variety of activities they can choose to be a part of. There’s something for everyone!
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) formally notified Lake Forest College that its accreditation has been reaffirmed.