Beyond at LFCDS

Known Here. Ready Anywhere.

PREPARED FOR WHAT'S NEXT

The goal of an LFCDS education isn't simply to prepare students for high school. It's to prepare them for life.

By the time our students leave, they know how to think critically, communicate confidently, advocate for themselves, and contribute meaningfully to every community they join. Because they've been deeply known, thoughtfully challenged, and consistently encouraged, they leave not only academically prepared, but ready for whatever comes next.

Group of seven children in school uniforms jumping and holding hands on a grassy field with trees in the background.

A Community for Life

The LFCDS experience doesn't end at graduation.

Many alumni return as parents, educators, mentors, and lifelong advocates for the school that helped shape them. The relationships built here continue across generations, creating a community that extends well beyond our campus.

A classroom scene with students in white shirts and ties, one boy with blonde hair resting his head on his hand and looking down, while others focus on their work.

Preparing Students for their next chapter

Secondary school placement at LFCDS is deeply personal because every student's path is different.

Beginning in seventh grade, families partner with our Director of Secondary School Placement to build a thoughtful school list, prepare applications, and navigate the process with confidence.  Every step is tailored to the individual student. Along the way, students meet admission representatives, attend our Boarding School Fair, and hear firsthand from recent alumni during our Young Alumni Secondary School Forum.

Recent Secondary School Acceptances

Ready for What Comes Next 

LFCDS graduates arrive on college campuses known for something: their curiosity, their voice, and their ability to use both in any room. Recent graduates have gone on to thrive at distinguished colleges and universities across the nation.

LFCDS ALUMNI HAVE GONE ON TO ATTEND:

  • Dartmouth official seal with a tree, building, and other elements, dated 1769, next to the word 'Dartmouth' in green.
  • Harvard University emblem with shield and black and orange colors.
  • Duke University logo with the word 'Duke' in large blue font and 'UNIVERSITY' in smaller font underneath.
  • Stanford University logo featuring a red octagon with a green tree and the text 'Stanford University' in red.
  • The logo of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill features a large light blue interlocked letter 'N' and 'C' on the left, with the university's name written in light blue text to the right.
  • Northwestern University logo with purple seal and text.
  • Vanderbilt University logo with a large gold letter V and black text
  • Logo of Georgetown University in dark blue serif font
  • University of Notre Dame logo with a shield emblem and text.
  • Logo of the University of Illinois Urban-Champaign with a large orange 'I' and navy blue text.
  • Harvard University logo with shield and open book symbol
See full list of recent college acceptances
  • A smiling young female basketball player sitting on stadium seats holding an orange basketball, wearing a red sweatshirt with a white logo and the words 'BASKETBALL' on it, empty rows of blue stadium seats around her.

    Simone Sawyer

    LFCDS '18, Stevenson High School '21, University of Pennsylvania '27

    A 2018 graduate of LFCDS, Simone went on to Stevenson High School and captained their girl's basketball team to an Illinois state title; she is the second all-time leading scorer in school history. Simone captains the women's basketball team at Penn, but her most prolific skills might be off the court, as the founder of her own mental health platform Mo Mind Matters.

  • Close-up of a man with brown hair and beard, wearing a suit and white shirt, smiling at a formal event with a graphic backdrop.

    Reid Carolin

    LFCDS '97, Lake Forest High School '01, Harvard '04

    A nationally acclaimed screenwriter and producer, Reid Carolin's name has appeared in the credits of movies like White House Down and 22 Jump Street. He credits LFCDS with developing a strong sense of independence at a young age: "Underneath the structure was an open and encouraging environment that allowed me to be a free thinker.

  • A smiling man with curly dark hair, glasses, and a mustache and beard, wearing a light blue button-up shirt, standing outdoors with greenery and a building in the background.

    Leo Rudberg

    LFCDS '08, Lake Forest Academy '12, University of Wisconsin-Madison '16

    A computer scientist and software engineer for Google, Leo's job requires a strong work ethic, analytical ingenuity, careful wording and the right attitude. He said, "At LFCDS, my early education built the framework to be able to have a good time learning."

The Journey Continues

The measure of an LFCDS education isn't simply where our students go next. It's how they show up once they get there.

Explore how an LFCDS education prepares students to lead with confidence, contribute with purpose, and thrive wherever life takes them.

Learn More