Lake Forest College enrolled 539 new students in August, the largest incoming class in the school's 169-year history.

The growth has a direct benefit for local families. The college's Forester Flagship Program covers 100 percent of tuition through grants and scholarships for qualified Illinois first-year and transfer students for all four years. Across the student body, 99 percent receive some form of financial aid, according to the college. U.S. News & World Report named Lake Forest College a "best value" in 2026 and ranked it No. 3 nationally as a Top Performer on Social Mobility for five consecutive years.

The class includes 423 first-year students and 116 transfers. Vice President for Enrollment Chris Ellertson pointed to five drivers: brand-building, expanded donor-funded financial aid, more regional admissions representatives, international recruitment and new Division III athletic programs, Lake Forest Love first reported on Sept. 20.

The athletics expansion added men's volleyball, dance and cheer teams. But the college's most effective recruiting tool, measured by yield rate, was the Foresters Scholars Weekend. The invite-only event brings high-achieving prospects to campus to compete for a full-tuition scholarship by taking a mock course taught by college faculty. Students stay overnight with upperclassmen.

Among all accepted students, 14 percent enroll at Lake Forest College, Ellertson said. The Scholars Weekend produced a far higher rate.

"The fact that [Scholars Weekend] brings in the very top band academically and had a 52 percent yield of 240 people is amazing," Ellertson said.

The growth comes as small liberal arts colleges nationally are shrinking or closing. Hampshire College in Massachusetts announced closure after its enrollment fell to about 625 students, roughly half its early-2000s level. The Lake Forest Love article noted a Wall Street Journal report describing a "flight-to-quality" trend in which well-known schools draw record applicants while smaller institutions lose ground.

Ellertson said the college has expanded its brand internationally and used donor support to meet demonstrated financial need for local students. In fall 2025, 97 percent of the college's 482 new students received an institutional scholarship, a baseline the school built on this year.

Transfer students made up a significant share of the record class. Interim Vice President and Dean of Students Tony Tyler said transfers are drawn to individualized attention at a small liberal arts school in what he called a safe community.

First-year international student Bhoomi Achotani said she chose the college after seeing friends' campus involvement during video calls. Tyler said the incoming class was already engaging with campus organizations over the summer, before classes began.

Family Weekend is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 25.