Also in Survey: Nearly Half of Medical Schools Maintained
Level of Financial Aid; Nearly a Quarter Increased It

Available for Interview: Kaplan Test Prep Medical 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 (November 18, 2009) – According to a new Kaplan Test Prep survey*, despite a tough economic climate and average tuition costs for first year students well over $40,000, only 20 percent of medical school admissions officers report that more applicants declined admissions for financial reasons in 2009 compared to 2008.  This compares to 28 percent of applicants to MBA programs, according to business school admissions officers**, and 39 percent of law school applicants, according to law school admissions officers***.

“We know that aspiring doctors are extremely committed to what has been for most a goal since childhood.  Knowing long in advance the costs associated with medical school, many have saved for years in anticipation, and not overly discouraged once the tuition bill comes.  That said, we wish fewer of these bright students did not have to decline admissions because of personal financial issues, especially given the growing need for more doctors,” said Amjed Saffarini, executive director of pre-health programs, Kaplan Test Prep.  “The silver lining is that nearly a quarter of medical schools have actually increased financial aid, with only 5 percent decreasing the amount.  The aid is out there and with a strong application, prospective students can get it.”

The results of the survey also imply that medical school applicants may be the shyest group – or maybe just the most prudent.  Only 30 percent of medical school admissions officers or a colleague of theirs had received a friend request on Facebook or MySpace.  For law school admissions officers, it was 48 percent; 50 percent for business school admissions officers.

Other key results of Kaplan’s 2009 survey of medical school admissions officers:

• 35% say the MCAT needs to be changed to better evaluate prospective students.
• 13% of admissions officers have visited a student’s social networking site to help evaluate that applicant.
• Of the 15% of medical schools surveyed that do have rules in place regarding social networking sites, all prohibit admissions officers from visiting students’ pages.

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

* 131 Association of American Medical Schools-approved US medical schools were surveyed by telephone between July and August 2009; 82 schools responded.

** 260 admissions officers from the nation’s top business schools – as compiled from U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Graduate Schools 2010 edition – were surveyed by telephone in July and August 2009.

*** 200 American Bar Association-approved law schools were surveyed by telephone between July and August 2009; 152 schools responded.

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