UIC admission path rewards state’s top high school grads

The Admission Via Excellence initiative rewards Illinois high school graduates who rank in the top 4 percent of their class or who have a GPA of 3.9 or higher.

A new admissions pathway at UIC is rewarding Illinois students with immediate acceptance to the UIC college of their choice if they rank in the top 4 percent of their high school graduating class or have a 3.9 GPA or higher.

The initiative, dubbed the “Admission Via Excellence” pathway, is for first-year applicants who are Illinois residents. To qualify, the students must be in the top 4 percent of their class at an accredited Illinois high school with more than 25 students. Students from schools that do not give a class rank must have an unweighted GPA of 3.9 or higher.

The program does not apply to UIC’s Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions Initiative or the UIC Honors College.

“The Admission Via Excellence initiative ensures that academically talented and prepared Illinois high school students from all over the state have the opportunity to be admitted and join UIC as a member of the freshman class,” said Kevin Browne, vice provost for academic and enrollment services.

While UIC recognizes that prospective students can demonstrate excellence in a variety of ways, high school performance is the key predictor, he said.

The initiative began for the Fall 2017 admissions class, and students from that cohort have already benefited from the program, according to UIC officials.

Applicants to UIC will be admitted “test-score-blind” if they meet the requirements of the initiative. But UIC will continue to require test scores as part of the application process, because they are used for course placement and merit-based scholarship consideration.