Lake Forest Academy
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.
Alumni Reviews Review School
- Review Description
- 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. . .
- 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. . .
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Lake Forest Academy is listed among the top 10 schools with > 400 students (out of 101 schools) for:
- Category Attribute
- Student Attention Small average class sizes
| Definition of Terms | 2020 School Data | Lake Forest Academy | Boarding School Avg. |
| School Focus | College Prep | College Preparatory |
| Grades Offered | 9-12, PG | 9-12 |
| School Type | Co-ed | Co-ed |
| Religious Affiliation | Non-denominational | Non-denominational |
| Year Founded | 1857 | 1907 |
| Campus Size | 150 acres | 125 acres |
Student Body
| Enrollment | 435 students | 306 students |
| % Students of Color | 34% | 25% |
| % International Students | 25% | 20% |
| % Students Boarding | 48% | 70% |
| Average SAT Score | n/a | * National Avg. »View |
| Average ACT score | 30 | *National Avg. » View |
| Offers Post-Grad Year | Yes | No |
Academics and Faculty
| Saturday Classes | No | No |
| Classroom Dress Code | Formal | Casual |
| Average Class Size | 12 students | 12 *National School Avg. » 20 |
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 6:1 | 7:1 |
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 22 | 18 |
| ESL Courses Offered | Yes | Yes |
| % Faculty with Advanced Degree | 75% | 70% |
| Summer Program Offered | No | Yes |
Finances
| Endowment Size | $30 million | $23 million |
| Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students) | $61,500 | $58,935 |
| Yearly Tuition (Day Students) | $45,950 | $32,900 |
| Tuition international students | $2,250 | $53,975 |
| % Students on Financial Aid | 33% | 40% |
| Merit Scholarships Offered | Yes | No |
Admission
| Application Deadline | Jan. 15 / rolling | Jan. 15 |
| SSAT Required | Yes | Yes |
| Acceptance Rate | 31% | 57% |
| Director of Admissions | Carolyn Gorowski | |
| Associate Director of Admissions | Caroline Pugliese | |
Course Listings
| List of Courses Offered | Link to List of Courses |
AP / Advanced Courses
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 22 | 18 |
| 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
| # Interscholastic Sports Offered | 21 | 16 |
| Sports | Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Cheering, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Cycling, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Sailing, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Track and Field, Volleyball | |
Extracurriculars
| Total Extracurricular Organizations | 37 | 24 |
| Extracurriculars | African American Heritage Choir, Honors Choir, Horticulture, Library Club (TALK), Mah Jong Club, Mock Trial Club, Newspaper, Politics & Debate Club, Sailing, Salsa, Sculpture, Spring Musical, Student/Faculty Rock Band, The Madrigals (Choir), Theatre Production, Traditional Photography, Unidos, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Web Journalism Club or Organization: Book Nook Club, Clearlakes Chorale, Friends of Rachel, History of Film Club, Literary Magazine (Lit Mag), Model-Building, Photography Club, Pops Orchestra, Private Tuition, Radio Controlled Vehicles (RC) Club, Recreational Badminton, Ski Club, Visual Arts Foundation, Visual Arts Portfolio, Yearbook Arts and Music Programs: Musical Theatre Recreational Athletic Programs: School Magazine, Yoga | |
College Matriculation
| Year: 2010 - 2013 | 10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled) | |
| University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign | 23 | |
| New York University | 9 | |
| University of California Los Angeles | 8 | |
| Cornell University | 7 | |
| George Washington University | 7 | |
| University of Michigan | 7 | |
| Washington University in St. Louis | 7 | |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 6 | |
| Colorado College | 6 | |
| University of Pennsylvania | 6 | |
| Link to Matriculation Data | ||
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
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