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Guaranteed Admission Program continues to grow

November 6, 2017

The process of transferring is more seamless than ever thanks to a growing number of community colleges that have completed a guaranteed admissions agreement with NIU.

In recent months, Kishwaukee College, Sauk Valley Community College, College of Lake County and the Chicago City Colleges (Harold Washington College, Harry S. Truman College, Kennedy-King College, Malcom X. College, Olive Harvey College, Richard J. Daley College and Wilbur Wright College) have signed agreements to bring the number of participating community colleges to 21.

The Guaranteed Admissions Program (GAP) creates a transfer process that is as seamless and transparent as possible by allowing students to be admitted to both the community college and NIU simultaneously, and to receive assistance from counselors at both institutions to keep them on track.

Students are eligible to transfer into more than sixty (60) undergraduate degree programs at Northern Illinois University. Admission to Northern Illinois University does not guarantee admission into “Limited Admission” programs. “Limited Admission” degree programs may have a higher GPA and/or other admission requirements to be considered.

To participate in GAP, students must submit a Guaranteed Admission Program participation form at least one year in advance of their first semester at NIU.  Those students are subject to the same admission requirements, degree requirements and academic policies governing all NIU students as well as the governing policies of the partnering community college.

Students must be a high school graduate and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale on all transferable course work taken at their partnering community college and all colleges or universities attended prior to their admission in the program.  Students who achieve a transferrable GPA of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale are eligible for admission to the University Honors Program at NIU.

The full list of community colleges participating in GAP includes:

  • Carl Sandburg College
  • City Colleges of Chicago (all seven)
  • College of DuPage
  • College of Lake County
  • Elgin Community College
  • Illinois Central College
  • Illinois Valley Community College
  • Kankakee Community College
  • Kishwaukee College
  • McHenry County College
  • Moraine Valley Community College
  • Morton College
  • Rend Lake College
  • Rock Valley College
  • Sauk Valley Community College
  • Southeastern Illinois College

In addition to these Guaranteed Admissions Program (GAP) agreements, NIU is actively pursuing and establishing several program-specific transfer pathway agreements with many of these same institutions, as well.  These new agreements further extend our relationships with our community college partners and create greater transfer options for students.

For questions about participation in the Guaranteed Admissions Program, contact Undergraduate Admissions, transfercenter@niu.edu, (815) 753-0446.