Lake Forest Academy

1500 West Kennedy Road
Lake Forest, IL 60045
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Lake Forest Academy Photo #1 - Lake Forest Academy's 435 students are from 15 states and 35 countries. LFA is commited to diversity and inclusion; our student body includes 25% international students, 34% domestic students of color, and 33% of students receive financial aid.
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Lake Forest Academy Photo #1 - Lake Forest Academy's 435 students are from 15 states and 35 countries. LFA is commited to diversity and inclusion; our student body includes 25% international students, 34% domestic students of color, and 33% of students receive financial aid.
Lake Forest Academy Photo #2 - LFA offers a variety of performing arts opportunities through courses, extra-curricular groups and the Arts Concentration. Some of the musical groups include Coax (rock band), VOX (musical theater), choir, orchestra, and jazz band. Students also have several individual and small group performance opportunities throughout the year.
Lake Forest Academy Photo #3 - The Lake Forest Academy school year begins with the annual All-School Handshake, whereby everyone at the school - faculty, staff, and students - shake hands with everyone else. It is highlighted by the community as one of their favorite school traditions!
Lake Forest Academy Photo #4 - An average class size of 12 students and a faculty to student ratio of 7:1, LFA provides a personalized and engaging learning environment.
Lake Forest Academy Photo #5 - LFA offers 27 sports during the three athletic seasons in addition to PE options such as yoga, cycling, ultimate frisbee, and fitness.
Lake Forest Academy Photo #6 - 100% of our graduating seniors are college bound, and they often have their choice of the best colleges in the nation. The college counselor to student ratio is 27:1.
Lake Forest Academy Photo #7 - Everyone at LFA (students, faculty, and staff) belongs to one of four houses - Bird, Lewis, Sargent, or Welch. The four Houses compete in a series of mini competitions throughout the year and the House that earns the most points WINS!
Lake Forest Academy Photo #8 - LFA has developed an innovative class schedule that rotates classes and allows for non-class time within each student's school day. This schedule adds an energizing twist to each student's school day and offers free periods to get a head start on homework, attend a club meeting, get extra help from a teacher or just hang out with friends.
Lake Forest Academy Photo #9 - About half of the student body lives on campus in one of five dormitories. Over 80% of faculty live on campus and serve as dorm parents, building strong relationships with students inside and outside of the classroom. LFA offers an extensive weekend activity schedule so students can relax with their friends both on and off campus.
Lake Forest Academy Photo #10 - The Cowart Media Commons includes a Mac computer lab, color printer, 3-D printer, small recording studio, and a large collection of DVDs and video games for students to check-out. The Media Commons is open for students to use throughout the day as well as during Study Hours from 7:30-10:00pm.
Lake Forest Academy is an independent, co-educational, 9-12 college-preparatory school for boarding and day students located on 150 acres in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest.
Lake Forest Academy strives to embody in its practices and to cultivate in its students excellence of character, scholarship, citizenship, and responsibility.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Grades: (Boarding) 9-12, PG
  • Enrollment: 435 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $61,500
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $45,950
  • Acceptance rate: 31%
  • Average class size: 12 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 15 / rolling
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Lake Forest Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 289 schools) for:

Category
Attribute
Student Test Scores

School Overview

Definition of Terms | 2023 School Data
Lake Forest Academy
Boarding School Avg.
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)
9-12, PG
8-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Religious Affiliation
Non-denominational
Year Founded
1857
1907
Campus Size
150 acres
130 acres

Student Body

Enrollment
435 students
310 students
% Students of Color
34%
25%
% International Students
25%
20%
% Students Boarding
48%
67%
Average ACT score
30
*National Avg. »View
Offers Post-Grad Year
Yes
No

Academics and Faculty

Saturday Classes
No
No
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Average Class Size
12 students
12
* National Avg. »18
Student : Teacher Ratio
6:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
22
17
ESL Courses Offered
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
75%
71%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes

Tuition Cost

Endowment Size
$60 million
$25 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
$61,500
$64,000
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
$45,950
$35,000
Tuition international students
$2,250
$55,200
% Students on Financial Aid
33%
40%
Merit Scholarships Offered
No

Acceptance Rate

Application Deadline
Jan. 15 / rolling
Jan. 15
SSAT Required
Yes
Yes
Acceptance Rate
31%
60%
Director of Admissions
Carolyn Gorowski
Associate Director of Admissions
Caroline Pugliese

AP / Advanced Courses

# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
22
17
Courses
AP Art History, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP Computer Science, AP Economics, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature, AP Environmental Science, AP French Language, AP Music Theory, AP Physics C, AP Psychology, AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature, AP Statistics, AP U.S. History, AP World History, Formal Logic, Multivariable Calculus

Sports

Extracurriculars

Total Extracurricular Organizations
12
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Amnesty International, Newspaper, Photography Club, Politics & Debate Club, Sailing, Unidos, Yearbook

Arts and Music Programs:
Spring Musical, Student/Faculty Rock Band, Theatre Production, Traditional Photography

Recreational Athletic Programs:
Yoga

College Matriculation

Year: 2018 - 2021
10 Most Popular College Choices  (# Enrolled)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
19
Northwestern University
12
Boston University
10
Duke University
10
New York University
10
University of Michigan
9
Elon University
8
Tufts University
8
University of California (Berkeley)
8
Wake Forest University
7

School Notes

  • Lake Forest Academy is located on a beautiful 150 acre wooded campus in the northern Chicago suburb of Lake Forest. The campus features academic buildings, residence halls, a gymnasium and ice hockey rink, playing fields and faculty homes.
  • LFA's mascot is the Caxy, which is ancient Greek for the croaking sound made by a frog.
  • 82% of the Faculty live on campus and 75% of our faculty members have a Master's degree or higher
  • Lake Forest Academy offers 22 Advanced Placement courses, 27 varsity sports, and a wide range of artistic options.
  • 100% of our graduating seniors matriculate to college.
  • LFA graduates attend the best colleges in the country, including Babson, Bowdoin, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, George Washington, Northwestern, Stanford, University of Chicago, UCLA, University of Michigan, Williams, as well as many other excellent colleges and universities.
  • Many extracurricular opportunities are offered, including student-run clubs, newspaper, yearbook, student dances, and many trips off campus to places like Chicago and Milwaukee.
  • Lake Forest Academy is a diverse community - we have students from all corners of the globe. 26% of our students come from outside the United States.
  • The LFA student body represents 16 states and 33 countries.
  • We are committed to making this education affordable. 31 percent of the student body receives financial aid..
  • Important Traditions at LFA:
  • Move-Up Day
  • Move-Up Day began as a tradition at Ferry Hall in 1906, originally called Ivy Day, commemorating the annual planting of Ivy at the base of Smith Hall. Over time, this tradition evolved into its current form, usually being held the day before Graduation. Departmental awards and speeches are given, and at the end of the ceremony, each class is invited to "move up" and literally take the place that they will occupy the next year: seniors move to sit with the alumni, juniors take the former spots of the seniors, and so on.
  • All-School Handshake
  • At the beginning of each year every student, faculty member, and administrator gathers in the formal gardens and participates in the all school handshake. The entire school arranges themselves in a line around the periphery of the Formal Gardens and the Head of School begins by shaking the person's hand next to him. As he moves down the line the next person shakes his hand, and the next, and the next. The procession behind the Head Master snakes around until every member of the school shakes the hand of everyone else.
  • The House Cup
  • The House Cup Competition was established under Dean Colley Bell in 2004. The students are divided up into four houses (Lewis, Sargent, Welch, and Bird) and compete in various events throughout the year. The house with the most event points at the end of the year gets their name inscribed on a trophy that is located in Reid Hall, and the colors of their team are used in the student handbook.
  • Lake Forest Academy accreditations: The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
  • Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
    • Jean Harlow - Actress
    • Bix Biederbecke - Jazz cornet player
    • Bradley Russell Weinberger, - Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
    • Bill Ayers - Political activist and professor at the University of Chicago
    • David Bradley - Film director
    • Bill Schulz - Panelist, writer, and producer on Fox News Channel's late night show, Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld
    • Judy Baar Topinka - Former Illinois State Treasurer
    • Frances Perkins - First female Secretary of Labor
Source: Verified school update

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Lake Forest Academy cost?
Lake Forest Academy's tuition is approximately $61,500 for boarding students and $45,950 for day students.
What is the acceptance rate of Lake Forest Academy?
The acceptance rate of Lake Forest Academy is 31%, which is lower than the boarding school average of 60%.
Who are famous alumni from Lake Forest Academy?
Lake Forest Academy famous alumni include: Jean Harlow, Bix Biederbecke, Bradley Russell Weinberger,, Bill Ayers, David Bradley, Bill Schulz, Judy Baar Topinka and Frances Perkins.
What sports does Lake Forest Academy offer?
Lake Forest Academy offers 20 interscholastic sports: Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Cycling, Dance, Field Hockey, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Sailing, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Track and Field and Volleyball.
What is Lake Forest Academy's ranking?
Lake Forest Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for High ACT scores.
When is the application deadline for Lake Forest Academy?
The application deadline for Lake Forest Academy is Jan. 15 / rolling (applications are due on Jan. 15 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review
Description

Class of 2011
5.00
University of California, Irvine
One of the most unique things about Lake Forest Academy are the state of the art facilities. Many buildings have been added and renovated since my time attending, and the campus truly is remarkable now. . .

Class of 2003
5.00
Northwestern University
Lake Forest Academy is a caring and nuturing place to learn. Each student is assigned to an advisor. Students meet in advisories. Advisors serve as mentors to students, monitor students' academic progress as well as. . .
Submit Review for Lake Forest Academy
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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Grades: (Boarding) 9-12, PG
  • Enrollment: 435 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $61,500
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $45,950
  • Acceptance rate: 31%
  • Average class size: 12 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 15 / rolling
  • Source: Verified school update

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