Kaplan Test Prep Survey: 40 Percent of Pre-Law Students Say the Current Economic Crisis is Impacting Their Decision to Apply to Law School

Registration for Free Kaplan LSAT Practice Exams Spike More than 20 Percent
as Students and Professionals Explore Law School as a Safe Haven Option

Also from Survey: Among Aspiring Lawyers, Political Aspiration Still Run Much Higher for Men

Available for Interview: Kaplan Test Prep Law School Admissions Expert

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO)

Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Carina Wong, carina.wong@kaplan.com, 212.453.7571

New York, NY (April 14, 2009) – According to a Kaplan Test Prep survey of 1,040 pre-law students who took the February Law School Admission Test (LSAT), 40 percent say the economic downturn – which includes the highest unemployment rate in 25 years – is motivating their decision to apply to law school.

“Historically, economic downturns spark an increased interest in law school as students and professionals reevaluate their career tracks. Recessions often inspire people to look to law school to ride out the storm, transition into a new field, or broaden their education to make themselves a more attractive candidate,” said Jeff Thomas, director of pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “We’ve experienced well over a 20 percent increase in registration for our free LSAT practice test events over last year, supporting the notion that today’s challenging job market may be affecting people’s career plans, though there are a number of other excellent reasons for pursuing a law degree.”

Thomas noted that during the last economic crisis, which hit right after 9/11, applications to law schools spiked 17 percent, before stabilizing in line with an improving economy. And according to the Law School Admission Council, the administrator of the LSAT, law school applications just saw their first increase since 2004.

Other key survey results:

The Money Factor: While the recession is a key driver behind this season’s law school applications, earning potential is an even bigger driver: 67 percent say that high earning power “very much” or “somewhat” affected their decision to pursue a law degree.
Law School Remains a Popular Breeding Ground for Future Politicians: 54 percent of respondents say they will “definitely” or “probably” run for political office. Despite this high overall number, between genders there is a significant gap in interest level, with 68 percent of males answering “definitely” or “probably,” compared with 41 percent of females.
Trials of the Century: When asked for which historical legal case they would have liked to have served as counsel on if given the opportunity, the most popular response was Roe V Wade (34 percent), followed by the Nuremburg Trials (29 percent). Thirteen percent would have liked to have tried The OJ Simpson Trial.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Russell Schaffer at: 212.453.7538 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com), a division of Kaplan, Inc., is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings and a complete array of books, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

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