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Lake Forest College is a small liberal arts college of about 1,580 students on a wooded campus in Lake Forest, a quiet lakefront suburb 30 miles north of Chicago. Wooded ravines thread between the north, middle, and south sections of campus, a Lake Michigan beach is a five-minute walk away, and biking and running trails wind through the surrounding neighborhoods. Downtown, anchored by the historic Market Square, is about a ten-minute walk, and the Metra station there runs trains straight into Chicago with no transfer, so the city's museums, Millennium Park, and lakefront are an easy day trip. The college even runs a semester program housing students in Chicago's South Loop. It's a walkable, train-connected setup, so plenty of students skip a car.
Lake Forest College has a three-year residency requirement, so first, second, and third-year students all live on campus in the residence halls or college apartments. Commuter students living with a parent or guardian within 30 miles of campus may qualify for an exemption, which you request through residence life rather than getting it automatically.
In practice most students stay on campus until senior year, when off-campus renting becomes an option. Lake Forest itself is an upscale, low-supply suburb, so the local rental process is formal, with landlords running credit and income checks and usually wanting a guarantor for students. Expect to provide first month plus a security deposit, and read carefully for any rules on the number of unrelated tenants per unit.
Leases typically run 12 months. Because options near campus are limited and competition comes from established residents, line up your paperwork early and confirm parking and utility responsibilities.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Lake Forest College before signing a lease.
Lake Forest is a tight, upscale rental market, not a churning college town, so seniors planning to move off campus should start early and be realistic about supply. Begin hunting in the winter or early spring before your lease year, since the limited apartments and rental homes near campus and downtown do not sit empty long. Aim to sign by spring.
Classes start in late August, so target a summer move-in. If close-in Lake Forest options run short or stretch your budget, look one or two Metra stops up or down the line, in towns like Lake Bluff or Highland Park, where you can still train to campus and into Chicago. Some seniors instead take the college's South Loop program for a semester in the city.
Late searchers have the fewest choices here, so do not count on a last-minute find. Lean on both online listings and word of mouth through campus and residence life. Widening to nearby Metra towns gives you the best shot if you start late.
Walkable, leafy, and close to Market Square and the Metra, but a tight, upscale area with few rentals.
A bit more to choose from and easier parking, usually a short drive or bus to campus.
A few Metra stops south, with noticeably more options and lighter on the wallet, plus a direct train to campus and Chicago.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Lake Forest is one of the pricier suburbs north of Chicago, so off-campus rent runs high. A room in a shared apartment or house near campus usually lands around $1,100-$1,800/month per person, with whole one-bedrooms well above that. You can pay less by sharing or looking a Metra stop or two away. Budget another $50-$150/month for utilities.