Bill Ayers grew up in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Glen Ellyn is just outside Chicago. He went to public schools there until his second year of high school. After this he started going to Lake Forest Academy. It is a smaller prep school. Ayers received a B.A. from the University of Michigan in American studies in 1968. He is the son of Thomas G. Ayers. His father used to be chairman and CEO of Commonwealth Edison.