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 (2025)
- Grades: 9-12, PG
- Enrollment: 452 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $73,400
- Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $53,200
- Acceptance rate: 34%
- 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 281 schools) for:
School Overview
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1857
1907
Campus Size
150 acres
125 acres
Colors
Orange & black
Student Body
Enrollment
452 students
315 students
% Students of Color
39%
26%
% International Students
24%
21%
% Students Boarding
48%
70%
Offers Post-Grad Year
Yes
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Student : Teacher Ratio
7:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
24
18
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
78%
72%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$68.5 million
$30 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$73,400
$67,000
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
$53,200
$36,000
Tuition international students
$2,250
$59,000
% Students on Financial Aid
33%
40%
Admissions
Application Deadline
Jan. 15 / rolling
Jan. 15
SSAT Required
Yes
Yes
Acceptance Rate
34%
64%
Director of Admissions
Carolyn Gorowski
Associate Director of Admissions
Caroline Cosbey
Application URL
AP / Advanced Courses
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
24
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
17
16
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
18
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Arts and Music Programs:
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Amnesty International, Archive Club, Black Student Union, Math Team, Model United Nations, Newspaper, Photography Club, Politics & Debate Club, UNIDOS, Yearbook
Arts and Music Programs:
Choir, Fall Play, Orchestra, Student/Faculty Rock Band, Theatre Production, Traditional Photography, Winter Musical
Recreational Athletic Programs:
College Matriculation
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
- School Motto: Midwestern Heart. Global Mind.
- School Mascot: Frog (caxy)
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Lake Forest Academy cost?
Lake Forest Academy's tuition is approximately $73,400 for boarding students and $53,200 for day students.
What is the acceptance rate of Lake Forest Academy?
The acceptance rate of Lake Forest Academy is 34%, which is lower than the boarding school average of 64%.
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 17 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Dance, Field Hockey, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, 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 average SAT scores and 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
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. . .
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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People that viewed Lake Forest Academy also viewed these schools: Culver Academies, Deerfield Academy, Cranbrook Schools, Choate Rosemary Hall and Phillips Academy Andover.
The nearest boarding school to Lake Forest Academy is Wisconsin Lutheran High School (55.2 miles away)
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