Participants in Kaplan-thoughtbot Ruby on Rails Bootcamp Metis Can
Fund Tuition Coverage through Upstart and Repay Based on Future Income

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

Press Contact: Lisa Nickerson, lisa.nickerson@nickersonpr.com, 617-848-4225 (o), 617-861-5060 (c)
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @LisaNickerson

New York, NY (January 29, 2014) – To support future software developers, Kaplan Test Prep has partnered with Upstart, a firm that provides individuals with access to funding for career advancement in exchange for a percentage of their future earnings.  As part of the agreement, participants in Metis, the Kaplan-thoughtbot bootcamp for individuals interested in becoming professional Ruby on Rails web developers, will have the option of guaranteed tuition financing through Upstart in exchange for a small and pre-determined fraction of their future earned income.

“One of the biggest challenges facing up-and-coming professionals and entrepreneurs is a lack of early capital to help them secure the tools and skills they need to succeed in a highly competitive market,” said Jason Moss, co-founder of Metis. “As we look to boost the skills gap in coding and web development, partnering with Upstart enables us to connect tomorrow’s developer talent with the financial backing to gain the skills they need to be successful.”

Metis, Kaplan and thoughbot’s bootcamp for aspiring Ruby on Rails web developers, is designed as a new economy skills training (NEST) program to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market, preparing participants for hire.  Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that by 2020, there will be a million more computing jobs than students.

“Learning to code is a great way to invest in yourself and we are excited to partner with Metis to offer their students a way to finance their coding education,” said Dave Girouard, Co-founder and CEO of Upstart.

Metis offers a 12-week, in-person web development bootcamp, with 12 additional weeks of post-graduation professional development and job placement support.  The course is created and taught by thoughtbot, one of the world’s leading Ruby on Rails development and consulting firms.  Under the competitive application process, candidates will be selected among applicants for an interview; successful candidates will be offered admission.  Metis program participants will be trained in HTML5: Erb, CSS: Sass, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails and Git, and will learn how to independently create Ruby on Rails applications.  At the end of the program, Metis graduates will participate in a Hiring Day, which will connect them with potential employers.  To date, eight companies have confirmed likely attendance to Hiring Day including: CoachUp, Constant Contact, Iora Health, LevelUp, Wistia, WegoWise, Kaplan and thoughtbot.

Final deadline for application to the upcoming cohort is February 3, 2014. The first class will start on February 24, 2014 at thoughtbot’s Boston office. To apply in the program and learn more about Upstart support, visit www.thisismetis.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.

About Upstart

Founded by ex-Googlers, Upstart (www.upstart.com) lets you raise capital in exchange for a small share of your future income.  It’s Lending Club meets Kickstarter, with the economics of Milton Friedman. Backers provide capital today, which you repay as a small fraction of your personal income for either 5 or 10 years. And by providing you with advice, support, and introductions, backers can help you in your career as well. Upstart is backed by Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, First Round Capital, Khosla Ventures, Eric Schmidt, Marc Benioff, and Mark Cuban.

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

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

New York, NY (January 28, 2014) – Good news for pre-med students concerned about a lack of MCAT seats before the test changes in Spring 2015: the maker of the exam (the Association of American Medical Colleges) has added October and November test dates in 2014, as well as testing dates in January 2015. These additional testing dates are the first time in recent MCAT history that the exam will be offered later than September, which may help alleviate the rush to take the MCAT before changes hit.  Historically, test changes have caused a surge of pre-change exam takers anxious to take a familiar test rather than an unknown, new exam — a trend seen with GRE and GMAT test takers preceding recent changes to those tests.

In fact, a January 2014 Kaplan Test Prep survey of MCAT takers shows that most pre-med students believe the 2015 test will be more challenging than the current version. Among the results:

• A More Challenging Exam: 66% of pre-med students surveyed think the MCAT changes will make the new exam more difficult than the current one; just 8% say the changes will make the exam easier; 16% say the level of difficulty will stay about the same; 11% are unsure.
• New MCAT, New Material To Be Taught: A majority (56%) of pre-meds surveyed say that if the current exam included the new topics coming in 2015 (such as psychology, sociology, and more in-depth biochemistry), they wouldn’t have been prepared for it.  Note: Pre-med programs around the country are changing their curricula to ensure that all students who will take the new MCAT (current freshmen and sophomores) are prepared for the new exam’s content.
• A Deterrent to a Career in Medicine?: While a majority (55%) of pre-meds surveyed say the new MCAT will neither encourage nor discourage students from seeking a career in medicine, 39% think it will discourage future doctors; just 5% say the new exam will actually encourage students to pursue a career in medicine.

“This unprecedented addition of MCAT test dates in the fall is great news for pre-med students concerned about not being able to take the exam before it changes.  In the past, many students have been forced to travel out of state to take the MCAT because of a lack of local seats,” said Aaron Lemon-Strauss, executive director of pre-med programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “We encourage students to reserve their MCAT testing spot as soon as they know when they want to take the test. This will give them one less thing to worry about as they navigate the medical school admissions process.  Knowing exactly when Test Day is will provide students with even more focus as they prepare for the exam.”

Among the approved changes coming to the MCAT in 2015:

• More Topics Tested: The 2015 MCAT will include three additional semesters of material in college-level biochemistry, psychology, and sociology, increasing the number of prerequisite classes from eight to eleven.
• Almost Double the Length: Takers of the revised MCAT will face 261 questions over six hours and 15 minutes. The current MCAT has 144 questions that are taken in three hours and 20 minutes. In addition to more stamina and focus required, the new MCAT will be so long that there is even time built in for a lunch break!
• New Question Types and Skills:  The current MCAT focuses on content knowledge and critical thinking, but the 2015 MCAT tests two additional skills: Research Design, which focuses on the fundamentals of creating research projects, bias, faulty results, and variable relationships; and Graphical Analysis and Data Interpretation.

For more information about the upcoming changes to the MCAT and the additional testing dates in 2014, 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.

*The online survey was conducted in January 2014 of 247 pre-med students who took an MCAT prep course with Kaplan Test Prep.

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.

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

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

New York, NY (January 15, 2014) – With average tuition at four-year private colleges topping  $30,000 annually, more than 80% of today’s college students receive financial aid — which means paying for college is likely top-of-mind for the vast majority of the nation’s more than 25 million undergraduates and their parents.  The competition to secure much-needed financial aid packages remains as fierce as the admissions process and the academic environment.  Below are key tips in the quest for college financial aid – which unofficially kicked off January 1 with the opening of FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

• Tip #1: Apply ASAP.  Many students and their parents don’t apply for FAFSA money because they assume their family earns too much to qualify. That’s a costly assumption.  Billions of dollars – which includes everything from Pell Grants, to work-study opportunities, to Federal Stafford Loans, and more – are awarded to millions of students from all income brackets.  Submitting a FAFSA doesn’t guarantee you’ll get financial aid, but not submitting one guarantees you won’t.  And since FAFSA is first come, first serve, the sooner you apply, the better. FAFSA can be completed online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.  It will likely take you about 90 minutes to complete.
• Tip #2: Treat the Hunt for Scholarship Dollars like a Part-Time Job.  Many students miss out on scholarship opportunities because they simply don’t put in the time. Yet millions of scholarship dollars go unclaimed because students have not applied for the funds.  Fact: You don’t necessarily have to be a 4.0 student or have achieved a perfect 2400 on the SAT or 36 on the ACT (though that definitely helps!). There are thousands of “niche” scholarships available for those who aren’t necessarily at the head of the class: i.e. for left-handed students; women over 5’10”; anybody under 4’10”; potato-industry boosters; and duck callers – it’s a big world out there!  If you invest the same amount of time and effort into finding scholarship money that you did in putting together your college application, you might be pleasantly surprised at the scholarship options available to you. Visit your school’s guidance office and sites like www.cappex.com.  Keep in mind that you can start banking scholarship money even before senior year. The more money you have by the time acceptance letters come, the more flexibility you’ll have in choosing your school, as your ability to pay will be less of an issue.
• Tip #3: A College’s First Financial Aid Package Offer is Negotiable.  If your top school choice offers you a financial aid package, but it’s not enough, it’s alright to try to negotiate up.  Unlike FAFSA offers, which are non-negotiable, financial aid packages awarded directly by colleges can sometimes be upped.   Respectfully tell the financial aid office why you are a “must have” student or how your family’s financial situation may have changed to warrant more aid.  The worst they can say is no. It’s also a good idea to get to know the financial aid office BEFORE you even apply. Stop by the office during a campus visit. That way they’ll know your face and story when they see your application. It might make the difference.

“The cost associated with going to college is not decreasing, so it continues to be critical for students and their families to be savvy consumers when it comes to planning for college costs,” said Christine Brown, executive director of K-12 and college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “Students and parents need to be strategic and proactive in order to improve their chances of securing strong financial aid packages and scholarships.”

To schedule an interview with a Kaplan Test Prep college financial aid expert, please contact Russell Schaffer at 212.453.7538 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.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.

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

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

New York, NY (December  12, 2013) – According to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2013 survey of business school admissions officers*, 57% of MBA programs say that an applicant’s score on the GMAT’s recently launched (August 2012) Integrated Reasoning section is not currently an important part of their evaluation of a prospective student’s overall GMAT score.  Despite that finding, Kaplan’s survey also finds that 51% of business school admissions officers list a low GMAT score as “the biggest application killer,” confirming that applicants still need to submit a competitive score overall.

In Kaplan’s 2012 survey, business schools were largely undecided about Integrated Reasoning’s importance, with 54% saying they were unsure how important an applicant’s score would be; 22% said it would be important and 24% said it would not be important.

Because test takers receive a separate score for the Integrated Reasoning section, poor performance on this section cannot be masked by stronger performance on other sections of the GMAT.

“It’s not surprising that a majority of business schools are not currently placing too much importance on the Integrated Reasoning section, since it makes sense they’d want to gather performance data on a new section before fully incorporating it into their evaluation process.  It’s important to remember that because GMAT scores are good for five years, not all applicants in 2012 and 2013 submitted GMAT scores that included the Integrated Reasoning section — many applicants submitted scores from the old GMAT,” said Lee Weiss, executive director of pre-business programs, Kaplan Test Prep.  “Moving forward, business schools may decide that Integrated Reasoning should play a more critical role.  In the meantime, prospective MBA students should not take Integrated Reasoning any less seriously than the Quantitative or Verbal sections.  It still matters.”

For more information about Kaplan Test Prep’s 2013 survey of business school admissions officers, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or  212.453.7538.

* For the 2013 survey, 152 admissions officers from business schools across the United States were surveyed by telephone between July and September. Among those 152 are five of the top ten MBA programs, as compiled by U.S. News & World Report.

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.

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

Press Contacts: Carina Wong, @carina.wong@kaplan.com, 212.453.7571
Twitter: @KapTestNews

New York, NY (December 10, 2013) – Kaplan Test Prep, the global leader in test prep, and thoughtbot, a premier web and mobile design and development firm, have partnered to launch a software developer bootcamp for individuals interested in becoming professional Ruby on Rails web developers.  In the nascent market of programming academies and developer bootcamps, the Kaplan-thoughtbot venture marks the entrance of two industry heavyweights, bringing together an established leader in education and training with one of the world’s leading development firms in Ruby on Rails, an opensource web framework using Ruby programming language.

Named Metis, inspired by the Greek goddess associated with wisdom and good counsel, the initial bootcamp will be a 12-week intensive training program, using curriculum informed by Kaplan’s proprietary learning science and assessment insights and delivered by thoughtbot experts.  The first class will start on February 24, 2014 at thoughtbot’s Boston office.

Metis is designed as a new economy skills training (NEST) program to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market, preparing participants for hire.  Under the competitive application process, candidates will be selected among applicants for an interview which will entail problem-solving questions.  No more than 30 qualified applicants will be accepted for each cohort.  Metis program participants will be trained in HTML5: Erb, CSS: Sass, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails and Git, and will learn how to independently create Ruby on Rails applications.  At the end of the program, graduates will participate in a Hiring Day, which will connect Metis graduates with potential employers.

“The current disparity between supply and demand for developer talent in our economy means fluency in coding and software languages is a much-needed capability in today’s job market,” said Bernardo Rodriguez, Chief Digital Officer, Kaplan Test Prep. “Merging our experience as an educator with thoughtbot’s technology expertise was a natural fit in creating a superior program to help address the skills gap.  thoughtbot has extensive experience as an employer of Ruby on Rails developers, in teaching Rails, and in actually building and shipping Ruby on Rails apps, so identifying and training top talent for hire is part of the company’s DNA.”

Chad Pytel, Chief Executive Officer of thoughtbot, noted, “We’re thrilled to combine our know-how with Kaplan’s experience in delivering intensive, outcomes-focused programs, and believe we’re in a unique position to create a new offering that delivers an unparalleled learning experience.”

With teams across the U.S. and in Stockholm, thoughtbot is the creator of FactoryGirl, Shoulda, Capybara Webkit, Paperclip, Bourbon, Neat, Laptop and other popular open-source libraries, and has taught Ruby on Rails to hundreds of students worldwide, including at elite institutions such as Harvard Business School and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

The first classes will run out of thoughtbot’s founding office in Boston, on 41 Winter Street, where the firm has consulted for more than 50 startups and other organizations.

“Talent is driving our state’s innovation economy and leading to new opportunities for satisfying careers in Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts Assistant Secretary for Innovation Eric Nakajima. “We are excited about this new partnership to provide interested students with the skills and knowledge to compete and add to our world-class technology community.”

To apply, go towww.thisismetis.com.  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with January 10, 2014 as the final deadline for the first cohort.

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.

About thoughtbot

thoughtbot (thoughtbot.com) is a world-class consulting firm that makes web and mobile apps for early-stage startups and other organizations. Established in 2003, their consulting team consists of 65 designers, web developers, and mobile developers in Boston, San Francisco, Stockholm, Denver, Philadelphia, Raleigh, and New York City.

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

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

New York, NY (November 20, 2013)  – As the job market for top talent shifts from investment banks to tech firms, a Kaplan Test Prep survey* of 140 business schools across the United States shows that 54% accepted more students from STEM backgrounds (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) for the 2013-2014 cycle compared to three years ago. Traditionally, the bulk of B-school students have come from more traditional fields such as consulting, marketing and business.

Reflecting a broader change in the business school education landscape, the increased acceptance of applicants from non-traditional backgrounds comes at a time when GMAT test taking volume is down and business schools are seeking new ways to attract top talent. Recent years have seen B-schools roll out a growing number of specialized master’s programs in areas like Accounting, Finance, Human Resources and Operations and an overall increase in the number of applicants to these programs**. Typically, these programs place less emphasis on an applicant’s employment experience in the admissions process; Kaplan’s survey showed that only 12% of business school admissions officers cited lack of relevant work experience as the biggest “application killer,” compared with 51% who said they would reject an applicant on the basis of a low entrance exam (GMAT or GRE) score. Related data from Kaplan’s survey shows that 39% of business schools accepted more students who applied directly from college than three years ago.

“Business school demographics are shifting, with growth coming from applicants who are younger, more international, and have STEM backgrounds — and this is translating to growth in specialized master’s degree programs,” said Lee Weiss, executive director of pre-business and pre-graduate programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “A specialized master’s degree can be a great fit if an applicant knows they want to pursue a career in that particular field, while a traditional MBA provides broader options. Students exploring business school programs should think carefully about why they want to go to business school and how a particular degree can help them achieve their career goals.”

For more information about Kaplan Test Prep’s 2013 survey of business school admissions officers, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538. Aspiring bschool students can visit Kaplan’s GMAT blog at http://gmat.kaptest.com.

* For the 2013 survey, 140 admissions officers from business schools across the United States were surveyed by telephone between July and September. Among those 140 are five of the top ten MBA programs, as compiled by U.S. News & World Report.

** BusinessWeek, “The Booming Market for Specialized Master’s Degrees,” November 21, 2012, Alison Damast.http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-21/the-booming-market-for-specialized-masters-degrees

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.

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Panel Discussions Will Share Admissions Insights with Aspiring MAs, MBAs, JDs and
MDs Based on Proprietary Kaplan Survey Research

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

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

New York, NY (November 7, 2013)  – Kaplan Test Prep will hold its Second Annual Admissions Officers Tell All series of online events for prospective graduate school, business school, law school and medical school students Tuesday, November 12, Wednesday, November 13 and Thursday, November 14.  The series will feature panels of admissions experts who will answer students’ questions, provide insights on the admissions process, and discuss results from Kaplan’s 2013 Graduate, Business, Law and Medical School Admissions Officers surveys.  Kaplan has been conducting admissions officers surveys since 2004 to provide students with the most accurate and up-to-date information on the admissions process, all provided by the decision makers themselves.  The results are widely covered in the media and offer proprietary insights into a wide range of issues, from the impact of changing admissions tests to the wildcard that social media has become .

Following is the “Tell All” agenda:

• Graduate School Admissions Officers Survey Tell All, Tuesday, November 12, 7 PM EST. Among the questions to be explored and answered by Kaplan experts:· What admissions factors are considered application killers? Which are the most important factors in the admissions process? Has the percentage of students accepted directly from college changed? To register, visit http://bit.ly/1gpHIC2.

• Business School Admissions Officers Survey Tell All, Tuesday, November 12, 9 PM EST. Among the questions to be explored and answered by Kaplan experts: How important is a student’s Integrated Reasoning score in evaluating their their overall performance on the GMAT? Is the trend of more MBA programs accepting GRE scores continuing? Which are the most important factors in the admissions process? To register, visit http://bit.ly/1b2Z6II.

• Law School Admissions Officers Survey Tell All, Wednesday, November 13, 8 PM, EST. Among the questions to be explored and answered: Will law schools reduce class size for the 2014 incoming class? How many law schools are changing their curricula to make students more practice ready? What do top schools say about the relationship between the LSAT and law school rankings? Who agrees with President Barack Obama that law school should be two years instead of three? Joining Kaplan Test Prep experts for the live event will be admissions officers from top ranked Fordham Law School, New York University School of Law, UCLA School of Law, and the University of Virginia School of Law. To register, visit http://blog.kaplanlsat.com/the-180-live/. For a preview of the results to be discussed, visit: http://press.kaptest.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Kaplan-Test-Preps-2013-Survey-of-Law-School-Admissions-Officers.pdfhttp://www.kaplan.com/mcat

• Medical School Admissions Officers Survey Tell All, Thursday, November 14, 9 PM, EST. Among the questions to be explored and answered: Will the 2015 MCAT® be harder than the current test? How are admissions officers using social media to learn about candidates? How important are post-baccalaureate programs? What are the most important admissions factors?  Admissions experts from allopathic and osteopathic medical schools will join Kaplan’s MCAT experts to discuss the findings.  To register, visit www.kaplanmcat.com/pulse. For a preview of the results to be discussed, visit:  http://press.kaptest.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Kaplan-Test-Preps-2013-Survey-of-Medical-School-Admissions-Officers.pdf

All events will be held in Kaplan Test Prep’s live, online Classroom Anywhere format, launched in 2008.  Kaplan Test Prep has served tens of thousands of students through this real-time interactive, expert-led, engaging online format.

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.

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

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

New York, NY (November 5, 2013) – According to a recent Kaplan Test Prep survey of SAT takers, 39% who opted to take the SAT instead of the ACT did so because they believe it is the more widely accepted of the two tests — a false, but broadly held perception. Other reasons cited for taking the SAT instead of the ACT: most friends and classmates are taking the test (15%), belief that there is an admissions advantage to submitting an SAT score instead of an ACT score (11%), and parental advice (9%).

“In reality, colleges in the U.S. accept both tests equally, and there is no admissions advantage to submitting scores from one test versus the other,” said Christine Brown, Executive Director of K-12 and College Prep Programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “If you’re planning to take only one of the two tests, the smart strategy is to take practice tests for the SAT and the ACT, see which one you perform better on, and go with that test.”

To help students determine which test works best for them, Kaplan Test Prep will holds its free National Practice Day on Saturday, November 16 at locations around the country as well as live, online. Students who attend the event on site will take a combo SAT and ACT test, featuring realistic practice questions, that will help familiarize them with the content. Students who attend an online event will take shortened, predictive versions of both exams. In addition to the free practice, each participant will receive a personalized detailed performance analysis. This will give students an idea of which one they should prep for and take — though many students ultimately decide to sit for both exams. Additionally, Kaplan experts will provide attendees with an overview of the exams and their important roles in the admissions process.

The event is aimed at helping students determine their test-taking strengths and weaknesses in a simulated testing environment, enabling them to know where to focus on improvement before the Test Day. Practice also helps students become accustomed to each test’s content and format, which improves confidence and in turn, performance.

Differences between the exams include:

• Length: The SAT is 3 hours, 45 minutes; the ACT is 3 hours and 25 minutes (including the optional Writing section, which Kaplan encourages students to take.)
• Sections: The SAT includes a Critical Reading, Math and Writing section; the ACT includes an English, Reading, Math and Science section.
• Scoring: The SAT is scored on a 600-2400 scale; the ACT is scored on a 1-36 scale. On the SAT, ¼ point is subtracted from your raw score for each wrong answer (except for Math Grid-Ins); on the ACT, there is no penalty for wrong answers.

“Attending Kaplan Test Prep’s National Practice Day is a great first step for teens to get smarter about their SAT and ACT practice so they can familiarize themselves with the exams, set goals and score higher on Test Day,” said Kate Hurley, SAT and ACT Programs Manager, Kaplan Test Prep. “National Practice Test is an ideal opportunity for aspiring college students to unofficially kick off their journey through the admissions process and do so with confidence.”

To register for Kaplan’s free national practice event or for more information, please call 1-800-KAPTEST or visitwww.kaptest.com/choose.

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.

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

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

New York, NY (October 31, 2013) – The percentages of college admissions officers who say they have Googled an applicant (29%) or visited an applicant’s Facebook or other social networking page to learn more about them (31%) have risen to their highest levels yet, according to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2013 survey of college admissions officers*. When Kaplan first began tracking this issue in 2008, barely 10% of admissions officers reported checking an applicant’s Facebook page. Last year, 27% had used Google and 26% had visited Facebook — up from 20% and 24%, respectively, in 2011.

“As social media has skyrocketed from being the domain of a younger generation to societal ubiquity, the perceived taboo of admissions officers checking applicants online has diminished,” said Seppy Basili, Vice President, Kaplan Test Prep. “Granted, most admissions officers are not tapping into Google or Facebook, and certainly not as a matter of course. But there’s definitely greater acknowledgment and acceptance of this practice now than there was five years ago.”

Despite the growth in online checking, however, there’s been a dip — to 30% this year from 35% in Kaplan’s 2012 survey — in the number of admissions officers reporting that they’re finding something that negatively impacted an applicant’s admissions chances. And notably, in a separate survey of college-bound students**, more than three-quarters said they would not be concerned if an admissions officer Googled them. In response to the question, “If a college admissions officers were to do an online search of you right now, how concerned would you be with what they found negatively impacting your chances of getting in?” 50% said they would be “Not at all concerned” while 27% said “Not too concerned.” Only 14% of students said they would be “Very concerned” while the remainder said they would be “Somewhat concerned.”

“Many students are becoming more cautious about what they post, and also savvier about strengthening privacy settings and circumventing search,” said Christine Brown, Executive Director of College Admissions programs, Kaplan Test Prep. Kaplan’s student survey also showed that 22% had changed their searchable names on social media, 26% had untagged themselves from photos, and 12% had deleted their social media profiles altogether.

“Our advice to college applicants is to run themselves through online search engines on a regular basis to be aware of what information is available about them online, and know that what’s online is open to discovery and can impact them,” said Basili. “Sometimes that impact is beneficial, if online searches turn up postings of sports scores, awards, public performances or news of something interesting they’ve undertaken. But digital footprints aren’t always clean, so students should maintain a healthy dose of caution, and definitely think before posting.”

For more information about Kaplan Test Prep’s 2013 survey of college admissions officers, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

* For the 2013 survey, 381 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 2013.

** 422 Kaplan students who took the SAT the ACT between December 2012 and April 2013 were surveyed by email.

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.

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

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

New York, NY (October 21, 2013) – According to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2013 survey of medical school admissions officers*, 43% expect the revamped MCAT coming in 2015 to be more difficult than the current one. This is a near doubling of the 22% who held this view in Kaplan’s 2012 survey. Only 2% in the 2013 survey believe the revised medical school admissions exam will be easier. The remaining 55% of medical school admissions officers think the difficulty level will remain about the same.

But, despite rising concerns about difficulty, a large majority supports the coming changes (90%) and think they will better prepare students for medical school (75%); these findings are consistent with Kaplan’s 2012 survey. Among the approved changes coming to the MCAT in 2015:

• More Topics Tested: The 2015 MCAT will include three additional semesters’ worth of material in college-level biochemistry, psychology and sociology, increasing the number of prerequisite classes from eight to eleven.
• Almost Double the Length: Takers of the revised MCAT will face 261 questions over a six hours and 15 minutes time span. The current MCAT has 144 questions that are taken in three hours and 20 minutes. This means the 2015 MCAT will require a lot more stamina and focus.
• New Question Types and Skills: The current MCAT focuses on content knowledge and critical thinking, but the 2015 MCAT tests two additional skills: Research Design, which focuses on the fundamentals of creating research projects, bias, faulty results, and variable relationships; and Graphical Analysis and Data Interpretation, which focuses on deriving conclusions and drawing inferences from visual data like figures, graphs and data tables.

“There is little doubt that the planned changes will introduce new challenges for test takers. The test will be longer, and will require pre-med students to learn significantly more content within the same amount of time,” said Owen Farcy, director of pre-health programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “But it’s important to recognize that the changes to the test only reflect the realities of a changing medical field. Today’s pre-meds face a medical landscape that’s different than what their parents’ doctors faced. Medicine today is based on scientific advances that didn’t exist a generation ago, and doctors are increasingly serving a more diverse population, so it makes sense to adapt the test accordingly.”

Other key results from Kaplan’s 2013 survey of medical school admissions officers:

• Increase in Applicants with Post-baccs: 71% of admissions officer say they have seen an increase in the number of applicants who have enrolled in post-baccalaureate programs, a path taken by many aspiring doctors after they graduate college, but before they apply to medical school, to beef up their academic credentials. That could prove to be a smart strategy, as 90% of admissions officers say that doing well in a post-bacc program improves their acceptance chances.
• Think first, Tweet later: 32% of admissions say they have Googled an applicant to learn more about them; 22% say they have visited an applicant’s social networking site like Facebook for the same purpose; of those who did, 42% say they found something that negatively impacted their chances of getting in.

On the Thursday, November 14 episode of The Pulse, Kaplan Test Prep’s live, online talk show for pre-med students, a panel of experts will discuss the survey findings and what the implications are for aspiring doctors. The show begins at 8 PM ET. Registration is at www.kaptest.com/pulse.

To speak with a Kaplan Test Prep medical school admissions and MCAT expert about the survey results, please contact Russell Schaffer at 212.453.7538 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com. For more information on the MCAT changes, students can visit www.mcat2015.com.

* For the 2013 survey, 79 medical school admissions officers from across the United States (71 from schools accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges and eight medical schools accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine) were polled by telephone between July and September 2013.

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.

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