Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) vs Lake Forest College
Envision yourself pursuing higher education at two distinct institutions: Illinois Wesleyan University and Lake Forest College. While both offer exceptional academic experiences, they possess unique characteristics that may influence your decision. Illinois Wesleyan, nestled in the vibrant city of Bloomington, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. Lake Forest, situated in the serene suburb of Lake Forest, maintains a more selective admissions process, resulting in a smaller, close-knit community. Explore the comparison table to delve into further details, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that will guide you toward the institution that best aligns with your aspirations and goals.
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![]() Illinois Wesleyan University |
![]() Lake Forest College |
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Overview |
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Location | Bloomington, Illinois | Lake Forest, Illinois |
Campus setting | City: Small | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | 4-1-4 | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 85.0% | 87.0% |
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Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 45.2% | 64.4% |
Application fees | $50 | |
SAT range | 1110 - 1310 | 1130 - 1345 |
ACT range | 24 - 29 | 26 - 31 |
Students submitting SAT score | 33.0% | 26.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 31.0% | 15.0% |
Total number of applicants | 4,543 | 4,358 |
Total number of admissions given out | 2,055 | 2,808 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 432 | 417 |
Yield rate | 21.0% | 14.9% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $67,124 | $66,400 |
Average net price | $30,610 | $25,126 |
Tuition | $52,308 | $50,100 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$7,584
Meal plan:
$4,528
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Room/dormitory:
$5,540
Meal plan:
$5,958
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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 $34,810 |
100.0%
Average amount $38,182 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
68.0%
Average amount $5,692 |
43.0%
Average amount $5,895 |
Students taking out private loans |
35.0%
Average amount $6,781 |
4.0%
Average amount $15,800 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,653
Men 49.4% Women 50.6% |
1,661
Men 41.7% Women 58.3% |
Graduate students | N/A |
29
Men 34.5% Women 65.5% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Low
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Out-of-state students | N/A | 45.4% |
International students | 3.4% | 15.7% |
Campus local/setting | City: Small | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 1,308 | 1,236 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | Illinois Arizona California Colorado Minnesota |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 12:1 | 12:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 81.1% | 73.0% |
Dropout rate | 18.7% | 4.8% |
Transferred out | N/A | 22.2% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
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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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