LARES Kaplan Award

Application window for the 2025-2026 academic year is currently closed and shall reopen in January 2025.

The LARES Kaplan Award was established to support the academic ambitions of Latino students pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree by sponsoring their enrollment in a LSAT, GRE, or GMAT Kaplan Test Prep course. Candidates are considered based on merit, leadership, and commitment to the Latino community.

NOTE: For students interested in taking an MCAT prep course, please visit the Hispanic Center of Excellence application at: https://forms.office.com/r/NuhZuy4CFh.
You can also contact Paulina Guzman directly via email (pguzman7@uic.edu) for additional information.

Eligibility:

Must be a UIC Latino student who is a junior or senior.
Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale.
Must be a full-time student.
Must be committed to attend graduate school.
Must be eligible for in-state tuition.
Holders of F-1 student visas ineligible.

To be considered for this award, students will need to:

Complete the LARES Kaplan Award online application.
- Visit http://uic.academicworks.com.
- Select “Sign In With Your Institution”.
- Complete the general UIC SnAP application.
- When finished, click on “Finish and Submit”.
- Go to the “Opportunities” tab and search “LARES Kaplan Award”; click “Apply”.
- Complete required supplemental questions.
- Click “Finish and Submit”.
In completing your application, you will be prompted to answer the following questions:
- Describe your professional aspirations. How will you use your degrees to serve as a change agent for the Latino community? (300 words)
- Discuss your involvement / leadership within the Latino and/or UIC community. (300 words)
- Discuss your current financial situation including financial hardships if applicable (i.e. unemployment, medical expenses, etc.). In your responses, please explain how you are currently paying for school. (300 words)
- Discuss which LARES services you have used and which LARES advisors you have met with if any. (200 words)
Submit resume.