Lake Forest Academy hosted its annual College Night on Sept. 29, bringing in more than 100 college representatives from around the globe. The event gave students the opportunity to connect with the admissions officers and ask questions about moving through the college admissions process. Attendance was mandatory for LFA juniors and seniors, while parents and high school students from across the North Shore were also invited.
This year, multiple colleges gave individual presentations instead of setting up booths. These colleges included the University of Michigan, New York University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Southern California, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University. They took different classrooms across LFA’s campus to provide general information about their schools and admissions, answering individual questions from students. These sessions, held five times for each school, were very popular with the students, and multiple lines formed outside Northwestern’s classroom.
Dean of the College Counseling Office Andrew Poska described the event as an “opportunity for the students to expose themselves to a wide variety of colleges.” Poska understands that many students are concerned about “how selective an institution is,” but he highlighted the importance of staying “open-minded to different colleges.” As a college counsellor, he considers an applicant’s biggest concern to be the prestige, tuition and employment after graduation. He hopes students have found answers during College Night but reminded them that the College Counseling Office is always open for questions. For juniors who are just starting their college admissions journey, he highlighted how “nothing can replace doing good in class,” encouraging students to continue their hard work.
This event is not new to LFA. For more than 30 years, LFA has hosted College Night, with 120 to 130 colleges on average. The College Counseling Office chooses schools considering LFA students’ interests and enrollments in previous years. They emphasize the importance of face-to-face interactions and connections made when having genuine conversations.
Outside of the specific event, more than 200 college admissions officers visit Lake Forest Academy during the fall semester. Students can sign up for different sessions through Scoir—the college readiness platform primarily used by LFA—and may be excused from class to attend.
College Night provided different experiences according to the needs of different students. While seniors walk in to finalize their college list and ask specific questions, juniors may be beginning to understand what they want from colleges. LFA junior Will Kennedy ‘28 was surprised by commitments with others. He was satisfied that he could “ask questions directly to the colleges,” and it helped “clear confusion both for my parents and me.” The best part of his night was attending the University of Michigan’s presentation.
“Asking questions in person and receiving physical brochures are a different experience than clicking links on the internet,” Kennedy said. In the future, he is looking forward to seeking similar opportunities where he can learn and connect with colleges.
Although College Night only lasts a few hours, the event is one part of a longer college admissions process. It may be key to new opportunities for some, while it can be the final step in narrowing down college choices for others. Either way, LFA’s 2026 College Night provided an opportunity for anyone who wants to know more.