Lake Forest sits at the higher end as an exclusive North Shore suburb. One-bedroom apartments often run around $1,500-$1,900 a month, so most students split a larger unit or look to nearby Highwood and Highland Park to bring the per-person number down.

The walkable core around campus and Market Square is the obvious pick, and East Lake Forest toward the lake is the most polished. Neighboring Highwood and Highland Park offer more rental variety a short ride away.

It helps. The town is spread out, so a car makes grocery runs and North Shore trips easier. Campus and downtown are walkable, though, and Metra handles the Chicago commute without driving.

Quite close. The blocks around Lake Forest College and the downtown Market Square area put you within a short walk of class, and the Metra stations are nearby for anyone living a little further out.

Lake Forest is one of the calmest, most established suburbs in the region, and the student areas are very safe. Standard common sense applies, but security isn't a typical concern here.

Start three to four months ahead of a fall move-in. The walkable units near campus are limited in a small suburb, so early roommate planning gives you the best shot at the closest options.

Twelve-month leases are standard, usually aligned with the school year. Expect a security deposit, and note that some of the older buildings near downtown include heat in the lease.

Plan on roughly $80-$170 a month per person for electricity, gas, and internet, with winter heating driving the high end. Older buildings that bundle heat into the lease will run lower.

Yes, though the small market means it pays to start early. Sharing a larger unit is the common move here, and summer sublets appear when students leave. Confirm subletting is allowed before signing.

The setting. You get Lake Michigan beaches, forest preserves, the historic Market Square, and a quiet small-college feel, with two Metra lines making Chicago an easy day trip.