Application Guide

UIC is a part of the Common Application for Undergraduate Admission! In order to apply to the GPPA programs, all applicants must complete the Common Application, complete the UIC First Year Supplement which includes the GPPA Application and the Honors College Application (where required for GPPA), and submit two letters of recommendation.

UIC IS TEST OPTIONAL

UIC has implemented a test optional policy for first year applicants. Our review process will be modified to measure an applicant’s preparation for UIC through additional attention to the information submitted as part of the application. In the General Questions of the UIC portion fo the Common Application, applicants will select their Preferred Testing Plan. This allows applicants to indicate if they would like ACT or SAT test scores to be included in their UIC application or not. Applicants are encouraged to submit their ACT and SAT test scores if available; however, test scores are not required for admission to GPPA.  Any ACT, SAT, AP or IB scores will be reviewed if provided.

DEADLINES FOR APPLICANTS

• November 1st – Application deadline for all GPPA programs
• May 1st – Intent to Enroll deadline for student acceptance of UIC and GPPA

Applications must be completed and all materials must be received by the stated deadline.  The application deadline is 12:00 midnight Eastern Time (11:00 Central Time). Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials well in advance of the deadline. Submitting applications during business hours is also recommended so any technical issues can be addressed in a timely manner.

A complete application includes the materials submitted via the Common Application, transcripts, and official test scores (if selected as part of the Preferred Testing Plan). Letters of recommendation may be submitted via the Common Application or sent directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

It is preferred that letters of recommendation are submitted via the Common Application if possible. Recommenders may also email their letter directly to undergradmail@uic.edu as a PDF or Word document.

IMPORTANT DATES TO CONSIDER (Subject to Change) 

• August 1st – Applicants can begin applying to GPPA using the Common Application
• November 1st, – Application deadline for GPPA programs; all application materials must be received.
• November – February – Undergraduate Admissions decisions sent to applicants.
• November – February – Honors College admissions decisions sent to applicants.
• December – February – Interviews conducted by GPPA Dentistry and Medicine programs (by invitation)
• March 1st – GPPA Applicants will be informed of their admission decision on this date. Decisions will be sent by email, and will be visible in the UIC Portal.
• May 1st – Intent to Enroll deadline for student acceptance of UIC and GPPA

THE GPPA APPLICATION

A complete GPPA Application consists of three parts:

• COMMON APPLICATION – Submit a completed Common Application along with the UIC Supplement. Official standardized test scores must also be received by the deadline if test scores are part of the applicant’s Preferred Testing Plan.
• GPPA & HONORS COLLEGE ESSAYS – In the “Questions” tab of the UIC Members page within the Common Application there is a “GPPA and Honors College” section where applications to GPPA and to the Honors College are submitted. Applicants submit essay(s) in this section.
  • For GPPA: Complete the GPPA Application Statement.  (400 – 500 word limit)
    • GPPA Statement Prompt: By applying to the GPPA programs, you are applying for a guaranteed seat in one of UIC’s graduate and professional programs earlier than students who apply in a traditional manner. The GPPA program seeks to understand why you have chosen your intended profession and a guaranteed path into it.  What makes you an ideal candidate for guaranteed admission rather than following a traditional path to your intended profession?  How would a guaranteed seat contribute to your goals as an undergraduate?
  • For programs that require Honors College membership (Accounting, Business Analytics, Dentistry, Law, Management Information Systems, Medicine, and Pharmacy) complete the Honors College Statements. All other programs highly recommend membership in the Honors College (400 – 500 word limit)
    • Honors College Statement Prompts:
      • Please describe in detail ways that you have sought out academic challenges and personal growth opportunities while in high school. Examples can include activities both inside or outside of your school.
      • How will your engagement with the Honors College foster your academic, personal, and professional growth?
• TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION – Submit two (2) letters of recommendation to UIC.
  • You are only required to submit two letters. The maximum is four, but you should prioritize quality over quantity and only ask those who genuinely know you.
  • Letters should be from people who can attest to the applicant’s academic and professional capabilities – family members are not acceptable sources.
  • Letters of recommendation can be submitted electronically via the Common Application system or directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
  • The same letters will be considered for both the Honors College and GPPA. The admission committees for both programs will have access to all parts of your UIC application and can therefore review the same letters.
  • Letters should address the following criteria for a candidate: “Please provide, using specific examples where possible, evidence of this student’s particular intellectual strengths and weaknesses. What distinguishes this student?”
  • The selection committees prefer that recommenders address the student’s experience in the following areas as observed: academic ability, motivation, intellectual curiosity, maturity, responsibility, written expression of ideas, and research aptitude.
  • School Counselor Evaluation forms may also be accepted as a letter of recommendation.

NOTES TO APPLICANTS

• You may only apply to one GPPA program.
• You must be a first year applicant.
  • This does exclude transfer applicants.
  • Selection to GPPA is competitive. The most successful applicants have a 28 ACT Composite or SAT Equivalent 1310 or higher. We do not ask for the writing sections of either test and we do not consider SAT Subject tests. Most successful applicants are in the top 15% of their high school class, but this is not required to apply.
• Two of the GPPA programs have residency requirements:
  • Applicants to the programs in Medicine and Dentistry must be residents of Illinois and US Citizens or Permanent Residents.
• All applicants to the Biomedical Visualization program must submit a portfolio. To determine what their portfolio should include, applicants should contact Leah Lebowitz at laklein2@uic.edu.
• International or domestic students with international credentials may be required to submit additional materials
• GPPA is a self-managed application process. The applicant is asked to collect and return all required materials. Please note that letters of recommendation will be accepted if mailed by the recommenders or school, but this is not the preferred method and can cause materials to arrive beyond the deadline. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the submission of all required application materials by the stated deadline.