Established in 1888, Lake Forest Country Day School provides two-year-old through eighth-grade students with an exceptional education grounded in academics, arts, and athletics. Families from over 30 communities make up the vibrant and diverse school community. The curriculum is specifically designed to inspire and challenge individual students at the top of their abilities, according to their needs. Two important beliefs are at the heart of our teaching philosophy: social and emotional development is inextricably linked with academic achievement; and experiential learning creates a foundation for deeper understanding.

The LFCDS experience, highlighted by a better than 7:1 student/faculty ratio and class sizes in the 12-15 student range, features caring and enthusiastic teachers who are free to inspire students to think critically and take intellectual risks. Our qualified and experienced faculty are experts in their field and have an average length of service of 11 years and more than 70% hold a master’s degree or higher.

The campus is situated on more than thirty acres and includes three athletic fields, three playgrounds, and a seven-acre outdoor classroom. The LFCDS grounds host three art classrooms, a greenhouse, band and choral rooms, a performing arts center, a library, and four state-of-the art science innovation labs to encourage critical thinking and hands-on learning. LFCDS compliments its spacious academic environment with an advanced technology platform that supports interactive, multimedia learning and includes 1:1 computing in grades 4 through 8 and iPads and laptops in preschool through grade 3.

An LFCDS education sets the stage for bright futures in secondary school and beyond, with 20% of LFCDS graduates attending colleges and universities ranked in the top 20 by US News and World Report. Recent graduates are currently enrolled at colleges including: 

Stanford University                     Claremont McKenna College

Princeton University                    Boston College

Dartmouth College                      University of Pennsylvania

Columbia University                    Emory University

University of Chicago                  Georgetown University

Cornell University                       University of Notre Dame

Duke University                          Northwestern University

Admission to LFCDS is need blind and financial assistance is available. Please contact Alex Sheridan, Director of Enrollment, Marketing, & Financial Aid at (847) 615-6118 or admission@lfcds.org for more information.