Lake Forest College enrolled a record 1,794 students this fall, the largest student body in the school's 169-year history.

President Michael J. Sosulski detailed the milestone in a Chicago Tribune interview published Monday, Sept. 7. The story, by freelance reporter Andis Robeznieks, also ran in print in the Lake Forester. A college recap of the interview highlighted Sosulski's framing of the growth.

"I think the headline is 'The Secret is Out,'" Sosulski told the Tribune.

The fall class includes 423 first-year students and 116 transfers. In fall 2025, the college enrolled 394 freshmen and 89 transfers. Fall 2024 brought 422 freshmen and 92 transfers.

Sosulski credited post-graduate outcomes as a key factor. He said 97% of graduates land career-type jobs or enroll in graduate school within six months. U.S. News & World Report puts the median alumni salary at $51,324 six years after graduation, with a four-year graduation rate of 70%, according to the Tribune report.

The Princeton Review ranked Lake Forest College No. 14 nationally for career services in its 2026 Best 391 Colleges guide. The college also earned a spot on the review's "best value colleges" list, according to the college's rankings page. Separately, Niche's 2027 rankings placed the college No. 9 in Illinois.

Transfer students are a growing share of enrollment. Sosulski said the college has removed barriers for students coming from the College of Lake County and the College of DuPage, allowing associate's degree holders to transfer with nearly all their credits.

Sosulski said new academic programs have attracted students. Majors in neuroscience and artificial intelligence set Lake Forest apart from traditional liberal arts schools, he said. Economics, business and finance remain the most popular fields. The college's health professions program, which includes an affiliation with Rosalind Franklin University Medical School, provides pathways into healthcare administration, nursing and public health.

Sosulski declined to predict more enrollment records but said the college expects continued growth in applications.