Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTesNews, @KaplanLSATPrep

New York, NY (October 28, 2014) — There are signs of guarded optimism among leaders in the legal education community, according to Kaplan’s 2014 survey of law school admissions officers, amid generally gloomy statistics.* Almost half (46%) express confidence that their law school will see an increase in applications for the 2015-2016 application cycle, up from just 34% in 2013 who said the 2014-2015 cycle would see a spike in applications. Adding to the potential cause for optimism: for the first time since Kaplan began tracking the issue in 2012, the percentage of law schools that reported cutting the number of seats for their entering class dipped below 50% (47%). In 2013, this number was 54%, while in 2012 it was 51%. Additionally, the 2014 survey found that only 22% plan to cut next year.

Here’s the current lay of the land: according to the Law School Admission Council, the makers of the LSAT®, applications for the class that began law school this fall were down 8%, following two years of double-digit drops. Since 2010, there has been a 37% drop in applications. One legal education expert says that this year’s entering class might be only 38,000, the smallest group to enter American Bar Association-accredited law schools in 40 years.** According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of October 2014, the legal sector is about 46,000 jobs below pre-recession record levels set in 2007.

Robert Schwartz, dean of admissions at UCLA School of Law, noting the drop in the number of LSAT takers, says, “I expect we will see fewer applications to the nation’s law schools for the fall 2015 entering class. Here at UCLA though, we believe that curricular innovations, like our new clinical course on the lawyer-client relationship for first-year students and our plan to double our already extensive upper division clinical course offerings, will attract a robust pool of applicants.”

“Our survey finds that law schools continue to adapt to a challenging environment and are a little more optimistic than they were a year ago, but it’d be premature to celebrate. The tough job market for attorneys remains the primary cause for the continuing decline in law school applications. Until there’s a significant improvement in the employment outlook, it’s hard to imagine seeing a spike in law school applications and enrollment,” said Jeff Thomas, executive director of pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “That said, it’s important to note that contrary to what many pre-law students think, a drop in applications doesn’t mean easier admission into law school. Most competitive law schools won’t lower their standards and will continue to remain hard to get into. Competitive schools generally prefer to enroll fewer students over enrolling an increased number of less-qualified students.”

Kaplan Test Prep has been surveying law school admissions officers every year since 2006 to provide prospective students with the most accurate and up-to-date information on the admissions process, so they can make informed decisions about their education and career paths.

Law school admissions experts will discuss these results on Tuesday, October 28, at 8 PM ET, on The 180, Kaplan’s live, online talk show about legal issues. To attend, register at http://the180.com. To join in on the social media chat, use #Kaplan180.

* For the 2014 survey, 126 of the 204 American Bar Association-accredited law schools were polled by telephone between August and September 2014. Included among the 126 are 14 of the top 30 law schools, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

** The ABA Journal, “Law school applications down 37 percent since 2010; first-year class could be smallest in 40 years,” July 22, 2014. http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_school_applications_down_8_percent_new_lsac_survey_shows_theyve_dropped

LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law School Admission Council, which neither sponsors nor endorses this product.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) 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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

# # #

Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTesNews, @KaplanLSATPrep

New York, NY (October 22, 2014) — Pre-law students and other members of the legal education community will want to tune in on Tuesday, October 28, at 8 PM ET for a special edition of Kaplan’s live, online talk show about legal issues, The 180, when a panel of admissions officers from top ranked University of Virginia School of Law, UCLA School of Law, Fordham University School of Law and University of Colorado Law School, will discuss the results of Kaplan’s 2014 survey of law school admissions officers.* Among the important questions to be answered during the show:

• After several years of declining applications and enrollment, do law schools see a turnaround ahead?
• Did the trend of law schools cutting the number of seats for their entering classes continue?
• What is “the biggest application killer”?
• What percentages of applicants submitted a character and fitness addendum and diversity statement?
• Is it “OK” for prospective law school student to take the June LSAT for admissions for fall of the same year?

“We couldn’t be more excited to announce the results of Kaplan Test Prep’s 2014 survey of law school admissions officers in this live, online, social format, where students can be active participants in the discussion,” said Jeff Thomas, executive director of pre-law programs. “Our all-star panel of admissions experts is really looking forward to breaking down the results and letting pre-law students know how to best use the information to help them make informed decisions.”

Kaplan Test Prep has been surveying law school admissions officers every year since 2006 to provide prospective students with the most accurate and up-to-date information on the admissions process, all directly from the decision makers. Kaplan will release additional results from its 2014 survey of law schools this winter.

To attend, register at http://the180.com.  To join in on the social media chat, use the hashtag #Kaplan180.

* For the 2014 survey, 126 of the 204 American Bar Association-accredited law schools were polled by telephone between August and September 2014. Included among the 126 are 14 of the top 30 law schools, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law School Admission Council, which neither sponsors nor endorses this product.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com)  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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses.  Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

# # #

Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTesNews, @KaplanGMATPrep

New York, NY (October 21, 2014) – Acceptance of the GRE as an admissions alternative to the GMAT among U.S. business schools has reached critical mass, according to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2014 survey of business school admissions officers.* According to the survey, 85% of MBA programs now give students the option to submit a score from the GRE (historically the admissions exam for non-business graduate programs) instead of a GMAT score. This percentage has steadily increased year-over-year since Kaplan first began tracking the issue in 2009, when only 24% of business schools said they accepted the GRE.

The caveat in wider GRE acceptance: Still only a trickle of MBA applicants are submitting a GRE score instead of a GMAT score. Over half of the admissions officers surveyed said that just one in ten or fewer applicants took this admissions path last application cycle, representing a slight uptick from Kaplan’s past surveys. But is this apprehension from applicants warranted? Additional Kaplan data shows that 78% of MBA programs say scores from both tests are viewed equally, but 18% of MBA programs say applicants who submit a GMAT score have an advantage over applicants who submit a GRE score.

“The trendline for business schools that accept the GRE as an admissions alternative to the GMAT has been unmistakable over the past five years. What was once seen as an almost exotic admissions policy by business schools has become nearly ubiquitous,” said Brian Carlidge, executive director of pre-business and pre-graduate programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “Our advice to prospective MBAs is if all the business schools they plan to apply to accept the GRE in addition to the GMAT, then contact those schools and find out if they have a preference for one exam over the other. We also advise students to take the GMAT if some of the schools to which they intend on applying do not accept the GRE. While the GRE is widely accepted, the only exam that is universally accepted is the GMAT.”

For more information about Kaplan Test Prep’s 2014 survey of business school admissions officers, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

*For the 2014 Kaplan survey, admissions officers from 204 business schools from across the United States – including 11 of the top 30 MBA programs, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report – were polled by telephone between August and September 2014.

GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council™. Kaplan materials do not contain actual GMAT items and are neither endorsed by nor affiliated in any way with GMAC. GRE ® is a registered trademark of the Educational Testing Service, which neither sponsors nor endorses this product.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) 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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

# # #

Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTesNews, @KaplanGMATPrep

New York, NY (October 9, 2014) — According to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2014 survey of admissions officers at over 200 business schools across the United States*,  60% say that an applicant’s score on the GMAT’s Integrated Reasoning section (launched in June 2012) is not currently an important part of their evaluation of a prospective student’s overall GMAT score.  This represents a slight uptick from Kaplan’s 2013 survey, when 57% said an applicant’s Integrated Reasoning score was not important.  Despite that finding, Kaplan’s survey also finds that 50% of business schools pinpoint a low GMAT score as “the biggest application killer,” confirming that applicants still need to submit a strong score overall. And because GMAT takers receive a separate score for the Integrated Reasoning section, poor performance on this section cannot be masked by stronger performance on the Quantitative, Verbal or Analytical Writing Assessment sections of the exam.

“The fact that a majority of MBA programs are still not currently placing great importance on the Integrated Reasoning section of GMAT is somewhat understandable since they may want to gather additional performance data before fully incorporating it into their evaluation process.  It’s important to remember that because GMAT scores are good for five years, many applicants in 2012, 2013 and 2014 probably submitted scores from the old GMAT, which did not include the Integrated Reasoning section.” said Brian Carlidge, executive director of pre-business and pre-graduate programs, Kaplan Test Prep.  “As more and more applicants submit scores from the current GMAT over the next couple of years, business schools may decide that Integrated Reasoning performance should play a more critical role.  Until that time though, Kaplan strongly advises MBA applicants not to discount the importance of preparing for and doing well on the Integrated Reasoning section. Similar to how not scoring well on Integrated Reasoning cannot be masked  by good performance on other sections because it receives its own separate score, doing well on Integrated Reasoning can set you apart from other applicants in a positive way. Use it to your advantage.”

For more information about Kaplan Test Prep’s 2014 survey of business school admissions officers, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

*For the 2014 Kaplan survey, admissions officers from 204 business schools from across the United States – including 11 of the top 30 MBA programs, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report – were polled by telephone between August and September 2014.

GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council™. Kaplan materials do not contain actual GMAT items and are neither endorsed by nor affiliated in any way with GMAC.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com)  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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses.  Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

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Powered by Kaplan, Squla online learning program motivates U.S. children in
grades K-6 to learn and achieve

Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538, Twitter: @KapTestNews
André Haardt, andre@squla.com, 347.783.6835

New York, NY (October 8, 2014) —  Squla, a leading European children’s learning technology company, and global education leader Kaplan have joined forces to bring Squla’s unique game-based K-6 learning program into the homes of U.S. elementary school children. The partnership integrates Kaplan’s highly effective content into Squla’s proven game-based learning program.

Squla is an online learning program for children in grades K-6 that improves learning outcomes through fun, engaging play. It combines adaptive curriculum-based content in math, language arts, reading, social studies and science with a rich multiplayer gaming experience.

Squla is specially designed for use outside of the classroom.  Through its highly engaging interface and its lively, creative game elements, the program motivates children to learn using play patterns they enjoy.  Squla transforms after-school screen time into an opportunity to cultivate academic achievement and learning at a child’s individual pace.

“Squla’s powerful approach to learning through fun, combined with its ability to leverage after-school time to bolster educational development and achievement, aligns well with Kaplan’s student-driven mission ,” said Mark Freidberg, vice president and general manager of college prep and K-12 programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “Their passion for engaging K-6 learners around curricular content, expertise in educational app development, and heritage in online allow us extend our proven test preparation content into the home. We are thrilled to be working with Squla in growing Kaplan’s K-6 test prep activities.”

“We’re excited to partner with Kaplan and leverage their deep expertise in student readiness to improve learning outcomes among U.S. elementary school children,” said André Haardt, founder and CEO, Squla. “Squla is designed to engage children and inspire their curiosity for knowledge anytime, anywhere. With the addition of Kaplan’s educational content, Squla will be even more effective in improving student performance in school and on standardized tests.” Benefits include:

• Kaplan content integrated in thousands of multimedia quizzes, games and activities that align with a child’s grade level
• Curriculum aligned to Common Core State Standards for each grade level and across multiple subjects
• Engaging multiplayer features— within a safe, 100% ad-free environment accessible via Mac, PC, iPad® or Android™ tablet
• Fun, real-world rewards that motivate kids to play, learn and achieve
• Weekly reports and a mobile app for parents to monitor and encourage a child’s progress

Squla is accessed through premium home memberships that can be purchased online at www.squla.com as well as through its apps for iPad® and Android™ tablets. All customers receive a free 30-day trial offering unlimited access to Squla’s comprehensive educational program.

About Squla

Squla is a children’s consumer learning company with operations in New York City, Amsterdam and Warsaw. It was founded by a team of education experts, technologists and game developers. Wired UK named the company one of “Europe’s 100 Hottest Startups”. Squla was launched in The Netherlands in 2010 and in the US and Poland in 2014. It is backed by angel investors and Bertelsmann AG subsidiary RTL Ventures.  For more information, visit www.squla.com.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) 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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses.  Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

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Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTesNews, @KaplanGradPrep

New York, NY (October 2, 2014) — Kaplan Test Prep’s 2014 survey of over 150 top graduate schools across the United States busts a myth that exists among some prospective students that the GRE doesn’t matter “that much” in the admissions process.*  In fact, the opposite is true.  According to the Kaplan survey, 41% of graduate schools say that a low GRE score is the biggest “application killer,” far outdistancing a low undergraduate GPA at 27%. Poor letters of recommendation is the biggest roadblock selected by 18% of graduate schools, while 8% say poorly written personal essays are. Only 6% say a lack of relevant work experience is the biggest application killer.

“What we sometimes hear from our students is that, while they know scoring well on the GRE is an important part of the admissions process, it’s not nearly as critical as other pieces of the application such as undergraduate transcripts, so our survey results may come as a big surprise to many,” said Brian Carlidge, executive director of pre-business and pre-graduate programs. “While graduate schools look at all pieces of the application, how you score on the GRE is make-or-break for many of them.  Admissions officers may not even consider other pieces of the application like your undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation or personal essays, no matter how impressive they are, unless your GRE score meets their requirements.”

According to the Council of Graduate Schools, in the most recently recorded year (2013), 459,000 students enrolled in graduate school for the first time, a 1% increase over the previous year. Total enrollment in graduate school was about 1.7 million students in fall 2013.

Kaplan will release additional results from its 2014 survey of graduate schools this winter. To make sure students receive the most accurate and up-to-date information on the admissions process, Kaplan Test Prep has been surveying admissions officers since 2004.

* For the 2014 survey, 152 admissions officers from the nation’s 200 top graduate school programs in education, engineering, psychology and public administration – as compiled by U.S. News & World Report – were polled by telephone between August and September 2014.

GRE® is a registered trademark of the Educational Testing Service, which neither sponsors nor endorses this product.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com)  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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses.  Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

# # #

Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (September 15, 2014) — There are big SAT changes in store for test takers who are members of the class of 2017 and beyond: harder math, the addition of historical reading passages, shifting of the essay from mandatory to optional, reverting back to a 1600 point scoring scale, no wrong answer penalty, no more fill-in-the-blank vocabulary, and a computer-based option.  But what do college admissions officers, who will be evaluating these test scores, and teens, who will take the revamped admissions test, think of the upcoming changes?  In separate surveys of admissions officers from over 400 of the nation’s top colleges and universities* and of nearly 700 high school students**, Kaplan finds admissions officers are generally more supportive of the SAT changes than college applicants — with particularly wide disparity in support on the issues of computer-based testing and calculator elimination.

• Digital Divide: Results from Kaplan’s 2014 college admissions officers’ survey show that 82% of respondents support allowing students the option of taking the SAT on a computer. In contrast, only 36% of students surveyed support a computer-based SAT — with many citing concerns about not being able to do ‘scratch work’ on math problems, challenges in looking at a computer screen for four hours and potential technical difficulties.** Currently all SAT exams are administered in paper and pencil.
• Divergent Views on Division…and Algebra: A strong majority (71%) of admissions officers support including math problems that must be solved without a calculator, while less than half (47%) of students support this change. As it stands now, a calculator is permitted for the current SAT; on the new SAT, test takers will not be allowed to use a calculator on 20 of the 57 math questions. What this change means is that test takers will need strong fundamental math skills, such as mental percentage calculation.
• Writing Section Goes Optional: Two-thirds (67%) of admissions officers say they support making the essay optional, instead of mandatory, while just a slight majority (51%) of students support this change. (Note: the essay is currently optional for ACT takers.) Additionally, 73% of admissions office say they don’t plan to require applicants to submit the essay. The essay was added to the exam in 2005, increasing the scoring scale from 1600 to 2400. With this change, the scoring scale returns to 1600.
• History Lovers: 87% of admissions officers support the addition of a reading passage from American and/or world history — a change that 67% of students also support.
• No Disagreement on No Wrong Answer Penalty: There’s also consensus among admissions officers and students about eliminating the one quarter point penalty for wrong answers, with 70% of admissions officers and 73% of students supporting this change. The ACT does not have a wrong answer penalty.
• Good Riddance, Fill-in-the-Blank Vocabulary: Of all the announced changes to the SAT, students most strongly support this one, with 85% in favor of its elimination. Instead, the exam will focus on vocabulary-in-context, as well as revising and editing write-in passages. This change also has the support of 88% of admissions officers.

Overall, 79% of admissions officers surveyed support the SAT changes — up from 72% last year.

“College admissions officers strongly support the upcoming changes to the SAT, but students are a bit wary about certain elements. Specifically, students are most concerned about shifting to a computer-based format and having to answer some math questions without a calculator,” said Christine Brown, executive director of K-12 and college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep.  “The good news for students is that the wrong answer point penalty and the unpopular fill-in-the-blank vocabulary questions will be eliminated.  The best thing students can do, no matter which test they plan to take, is to practice in a realistic setting. Practice boosts confidence on test day, which is key to scoring well.  For those who are particularly anxious about taking a new test, there’s always the option of taking the ACT, which is equally accepted by colleges. Keep in mind that the ACT is changing in 2015, but not dramatically.”

For more information, students, parents and educators can visit Kaplan’s SAT Test Change information center at www.kaptest.com/satchange.

*For the 2014 survey, 403 admissions officers from the nation’s top national, regional and liberal arts colleges and universities – as compiled from U.S. News & World Report – were polled by telephone between July and August 2014.

**From a Kaplan e-survey conducted between March and June 2014 of 684 students from across the United States, who took a Kaplan SAT course .

SAT® is a trademark registered and/or owned by the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com)  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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses.  Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

# # #

Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @KaplanBarReview

New York, NY (September 10, 2014) — Kaplan Bar Review has announced it will be expanding its complete bar review courses to aspiring lawyers in all 50 states by the end of 2015. Currently serving 44 jurisdictions across the United States, Kaplan’s seven-state expansion includes Delaware, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.

“Kaplan’s expansion of full-service bar review to these final seven states completes our long-term vision of helping aspiring lawyers in all U.S. jurisdictions pass the bar exam.  We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to help every single law school graduate reach their career goals,”  said Steven Marietti, Vice President and General Manager of Kaplan Bar Review. “We want to thank the tens of thousands of students who have already chosen Kaplan Bar Review, and who have inspired us to continuously improve our programs. They are a big reason why more students take Kaplan Bar Review every year.”

Now one of only two bar companies that services students in all U.S. jurisdictions, Kaplan entered bar review in 2006, when it began offering courses for the MBE, a national, 6-hour, 200-question multiple-choice test that is a part of nearly every state bar exam across the country. The company has steadily added state-specific bar review since that time, culminating with today’s announcement to offer complete prep courses in all 51 jurisdictions.

Kaplan Bar Review has more course locations featuring a live professor than any other bar review company. All full-service courses give students unlimited essay grading that provides them with clear and specific feedback; exam-like, multiple-choice practice questions; and an adaptive, exam-focused daily syllabus that progressively tailors learning to individual students and helps them improve their weakest areas.

About Kaplan Bar Review

Kaplan Bar Review (www.kaplanbarreview.com) provides full-service bar review programs in 51 jurisdictions (all 50 states and Washington, DC).  Additionally, Kaplan Bar Review offers supplemental preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE).

# # #

Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (September 9, 2014) — As colleges take steps to prevent sexual assault and violent crime on campus, a new Kaplan Test Prep survey of admissions officers at over 400 colleges and universities across the United States* finds that 61% believe that campus safety should be factored into the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings, which were just released today. College admissions officers join some members of Congress who have also called for campus safety to be added as a criterion in the rankings.** In a statement on their website, U.S. News has acknowledged how important an issue it is to prospective students, but maintains that comparing levels of safety among so many campuses isn’t possible, and even if it was possible, shouldn’t be factored into its academic-centered rankings.

Among other key results from Kaplan’s survey:

• Colleges Say They Have Taken Action: 80% of colleges report they have stepped up efforts to combat sexual assault on campus over the past two years; 78% say they have stepped up efforts to combat violent crimes on campus like shootings and other kinds of violence.
• But They Don’t Think Enough is Being Done Nationwide: Just 21% of admissions officers say that colleges nationwide are doing “enough” to combat sexual assault on campus.
• Some Students and Parents Are Asking More Questions:  29% of admissions officers report an increase in questions by applicants and their parents about the issues of sexual assault and campus safety, compared to two years ago.

“The good news is that not only are colleges increasingly taking preventive measures to combat on-campus violence, but there are also resources available for students and parents to access statistics around campus crime, safety and security issues, such as the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool. While for most college applicants, how safe a campus is may not be as top of mind as a school’s overall ranking, academic reputation or tuition, it’s perhaps an issue to which they should pay more attention,” said Christine Brown, executive director of K-12 and college prep prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “We encourage college applicants and their parents, when researching colleges, to look into campus safety measures and ask current students how safe they feel.”

The U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool can be found at http://www.ope.ed.gov/security.

For more information about Kaplan’s survey, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

*Admissions officers from 403 of the nation’s top national, regional and liberal arts colleges and universities, as determined by U.S. News & World Report, were polled by telephone between July and August 2014. Kaplan has been conducting its annual survey since 2004.

**The San Francisco Chronicle, “Rank colleges by campus safety? 12 members of Congress say yes,” April 10, 2014.  http://blog.sfgate.com/education/2014/04/10/rank-colleges-by-campus-safety-12-members-of-congress-say-yes/

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) 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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

# # #

Also: More Medical Schools Consider Adding Biochemistry Prerequisite

Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @KaplanMCATPrep

New York, NY (September 8, 2014) — For the past year, there’s been a vexing question on the minds of thousands of pre-med students: Should they take the current MCAT that they know, which expires in January, or the longer, more challenging MCAT, which medical schools think makes for a better student, launching in April 2015? Results from Kaplan Test Prep’s 2014 survey of medical school admissions officers* show there is no “wrong” choice: overall, responses show no strong preference or consensus among medical schools for one test or the other. Forty-four percent said it makes no difference which test score is submitted; 28% recommend pre-meds take the current MCAT; and 27% recommend they take the new test. Additionally, according to the makers of the MCAT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, a majority of medical schools say they will continue to accept scores from the current MCAT through the 2017 application cycle, with few expressing preference for one over the other. (https://www.aamc.org/students/download/398586/data/mcatexampolicy.pdf)

“Students should take whichever version of the MCAT for which they’ll be better prepared. That said, there is a pretty compelling reason for students to take the current test by January if they can: the new MCAT will be nearly twice as long and will cover three additional content areas. This means that students’ limited study time will be spread across a broader scope of content review and more hours will be required for each full-length practice test in preparation for the new MCAT 2015 exam,” said Eric Chiu, executive director of pre-med programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “However, for students who won’t complete the prerequisite coursework for the current MCAT by this fall or who aren’t planning to apply to medical school within the next two to three years, the new exam will be their best option.”

Other key finding pre-meds need to know about, particularly sophomores and juniors: as the 2015 MCAT introduces biochemistry, psychology and sociology to the test, medical schools may be adjusting their prerequisites accordingly — starting with biochemistry. Biochem is currently a prerequisite at 27% of medical schools, according to Kaplan’s survey, but responses indicate that percentage will increase to at least 32% for students enrolling in 2016 (which includes some current college seniors and most juniors), and likely much more — 24% said they were not sure what their policy will be. The new MCAT will include three additional semesters of material in biochemistry, along with more content in psychology and sociology.

“Pre-meds should plan for biochemistry to be part of their college curriculum,” said Chiu. “Not only will we likely see more medical schools making biochem a prerequisite in the future, but it will be tested on the new MCAT, along with psychology and behavioral sciences.”

For more information about the upcoming changes to the MCAT, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538. Students can visit Kaplan’s comprehensive website on the upcoming MCAT changes at www.mcat2015.com.

* For the 2014 survey, 78 medical school admissions officers from across the United States (64 schools accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges and 14 schools accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine) were polled by telephone in August 2014.

The MCAT® is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges. The AAMC is not affiliated with Kaplan.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) 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 as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, 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 for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

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