About Parkland Pathway to Illinois

Interested in applying to the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program for the fall, 2013 semester? Please plan to attend the Pathway Open House being held in Room D244 at Parkland College from 1:00 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 10th, 2013.

For graduates of Illinois high schools beginning college at Parkland College who are interested in transferring to the University of Illinois, the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program is an opportunity for qualifying students to gain guaranteed admission.

While preparing to transfer, participating students will be able to integrate their time as full-time Parkland College students with resources and classes at Illinois. Students in the program will be able to gain admission to certain University of Illinois programs. Pathway students typically complete the program in two years, but AP credit and college credit earned in high school may affect the length of the program.

Benefits

• After successful completion of the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program, participants will be guaranteed admission to the specific correlating University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign major.
• Participants will receive personalized academic counseling.
• Participants in good standing will be able to access Illinois instruction.¹
• Participants are granted access to certain events and student opportunities exclusive to the University of Illinois student body, including University housing, libraries, extracurricular activities, and recreational facilities.²

Eligibility

• Admission is competitive to ensure that students entering the program are the most likely to succeed.³
• Admission priority will be granted to students who are low income, first generation, from underrepresented ethnic groups and/or the Parkland College district.
• Participants who will be first-time college students at the time of application to the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program will be given preference for admission.
• Current or former University of Illinois students are not eligible.
• Graduates of Illinois high schools are eligible to apply.
• Students who have received their GED from Illinois are eligible to apply. 
• Participants changing their major to another Parkland Pathway to Illinois major may continue in the program, contingent on approval from the Parkland Pathway to Illinois Review Committee.
• Participants changing their major to a non-participating Parkland Pathway to Illinois major will no longer be considered students in the program.
• Students can terminate their participation in the program at any time.
• Re-admission to the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program will not be permitted.
• Final decisions regarding admission, continuation, and standing in the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program rests with the Review Committee.

Requirements

All Parkland Pathway to Illinois students must meet these requirements in order to be in good standing with the Pathway program.  

• Participants are required to be full-time students each fall and spring semester of each academic year at Parkland College to continue in the program.⁴
• Participants are required to meet with their Parkland advisor and the Illinois representative from their respective college on a regular basis; frequency will be determined by advisors. A college representative at Illinois will register participants in their Illinois classes.
• Participants must complete the same coursework as stated in the Transfer Handbook that is required of transfer applicants by major. Dropping or failing to pass required course(s) will jeopardize program standing.
• To remain in good academic standing, participants must maintain grade point averages as specified in Pathway Program Probation as well as demonstrate adequate progress toward their degree.
• Applies to Engineering students only: Participants are required to attend tutoring services with the number of hours to be determined by their college advisor.    
• Participants must submit immunization information to McKinley Health Center to be able to attend classes at the University of Illinois.
• If financial assistance is needed, participants are required to fill out any appropriate forms and to work with the financial aid office at Parkland College.
• New students will be enrolled in PSY 109 or approved equivalent at Parkland College. Special sections are held for Pathway students.

Discontinuation

• After successful completion of the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program, students who wish to transition to Illinois degree-seeking status are required to complete and submit the degree-seeking transfer application along with all supporting credentials in a timely manner to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Participants who wish to discontinue participation in the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program at any time must inform University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
• Every semester, each student’s standing in the Pathway program will be evaluated by a review committee. Students who fail to meet any of the program requirements (see Requirements) or obtain the required grade point average (see Pathway Program Probation) will be reviewed for continuation in the program.
• Submission of an application to Illinois for degree-seeking admission during the program will be a statement that the Pathway participant is also withdrawing from Pathway.
• Program benefits listed in this document will no longer be available to students who leave or are dropped from the program.
• Participants living in University Housing who leave or are dropped from the program will be required to move out of their residence.
• Discontinued students are eligible to apply for transfer to Illinois.
• Students must complete and submit an exit form.

Probation

Every semester, each student’s standing in the Parkland Pathway program will be evaluated by a review committee. Parkland Pathway to Illinois students who fail to meet any of the program requirements or obtain the indicated semester grade point average at Parkland College have put their Pathway program standing in jeopardy.

Minimum grade point average varies by individual Illinois colleges and majors:

• Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences: 2.5 GPA or above (depending on major)                      
• Applied Health Sciences: 2.8 GPA or above (depending on major)
• Education: 2.5 GPA or above
• Engineering: 3.0 GPA or above and “B” or better in each technical course⁵
• Fine and Applied Arts: 2.25 GPA or above (depending on major)
• Liberal Arts and Sciences: 2.7 GPA or above (depending on major)
• Media: 3.00 GPA or above

A review committee consisting of Parkland College and University of Illinois representatives will meet prior to the end of the semester to determine if any of the following actions will be taken:

• Students will enter Pathway Program Probation for one or more semesters, as deemed necessary by their college
• Students will be required to take action as stipulated by their individual colleges
• Student will be dropped from the Parkland Pathway to Illinois Program

Students who enter Pathway Program Probation will receive an email and letter detailing the decision of the review committee. 

Notes

¹ Pathway students are eligible to be enrolled in up to five hours at Illinois, limited to what the Illinois representative determines appropriate, for fall and spring semesters. Enrollment in an Illinois course is dependent upon the student meeting all registration requirements and prerequisites.

² Access to certain facilities, student activities, and/or services may require payment of student fees.

³ Parkland Pathway to Illinois is but one way for students to plan their transfer program. Illinois will continue to welcome Parkland College students’ transfer applications to all colleges. Parkland will continue to support students’ efforts to transfer to Illinois and other institutions with a wide variety of resources. 

⁴ Enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours, Parkland and Illinois hours combined, is required to maintain full-time status. 

⁵Technical courses for the College of Engineering consist of mathematics, physics, and chemistry.