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 (August 21, 2012) – Kaplan K12 Learning Services, which partners with schools and districts to measurably propel student achievement, and ScholarCentric™, a leading provider of programs designed to help students maximize their academic potential by developing the social emotional/resiliency skills that are critical to student engagement and academic performance, have joined forces to offer an expanded portfolio of college readiness solutions.

The path to college can be very challenging, and students need support to build confidence and motivation as well as academic skills. Many students who lack these qualities and skills struggle as they move through middle and high school. According to Civic Enterprises and the Everyone Graduates Center, the high school dropout rate remains elevated. Between 2001 and 2009, there was only a 3.5 percent increase nationally in the high school graduation rate. While 75 percent of U.S. students graduated in four years, about one in four still failed to graduate with their class.

To address the challenges that students face on their path to college, Kaplan, together with ScholarCentric, is growing its offerings to ensure that middle and high school students are confident, engaged, and motivated – key factors in improving academic performance and graduation rates according to a growing body of research. ScholarCentric’s research-based offerings for schools and districts include assessments and curricula for addressing the key social-emotional skills that are critical prerequisites to successful learning, including connections with educators, academic confidence, and intrinsic motivation. Equipped with concrete data on which students are at risk for academic failure and the underlying reasons why they struggle, educators are able to address the specific social emotional needs of the student, leading to improved academic performance.

ScholarCentric’s programs complement Kaplan’s offerings for schools and districts, which include teacher resources to support rigorous, differentiated instruction and assessment; test readiness options for the PSAT, SAT, ACT and AP exams; skill-building lessons to deepen students’ knowledge of curriculum content and to teach critical thinking; as well as programs to guide students through the college admissions process.

“Kaplan and ScholarCentric share a common mission of working with educators to increase high school graduation rates and help more students get into college,” said Mark Freidberg, Vice President & General Manager of Kaplan K12. “Our ability to help students succeed on the SAT, ACT, PSAT and AP exams, combined with ScholarCentric’s Success Highways solution, will help ensure that students are academically resilient, supported to do their best, and inspired to go to college.”

“We believe that by pairing our unique, research-based solutions focused on student engagement with Kaplan’s comprehensive and effective college and career readiness offerings, we should see even better outcomes,” said Steven Weigler, CEO of ScholarCentric. “This partnership enables school districts to address the comprehensive range of student needs from middle school through college.”

About Kaplan K12 Learning Services

Kaplan K12 Learning Services (www.kaplank12.com), a unit of Kaplan Test Prep (kaptest.com), partners with schools to measurably propel student achievement and accelerate college readiness. Kaplan K12 offers state test readiness programs to help students meet and exceed state standards, and college preparation solutions that support students as they prepare for college entrance exams and the admissions process. Its solutions also provide teachers with robust Kaplan K12 resources andprofessional development support to impact achievement in their classrooms. Kaplan Test Prep is a division of Kaplan Inc. (kaplan.com), a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

About ScholarCentric 

ScholarCentric focuses on helping students stay in school and achieve academic success. The company’s flagship product, Success Highways, is an innovative, research-based combination of assessment, curriculum and professional development designed to help transition middle and high school students into the higher grades and develop the academic resiliency skills they need to learn the rigorous coursework required to achieve a high school diploma. With Success Highways, students stay in school, score higher on achievement tests, and prepare for future education. This innovative program is aligned with state standards and was developed from the results of 15 years of University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee research and a seven-year pilot program in an urban school district. For more information, visit:http://www.ScholarCentric.com.

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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 (August 16, 2012) – Kaplan Kids, which offers personalized online learning programs for students in kindergarten through 8th grade in math, reading and writing, has signed on to become an official sponsor of Disney Live!, a series of high-quality, interactive touring theater productions featuring Disney-themed stories for families with young children.  Disney Live! is produced by Feld Entertainment, Inc., the world’s leading producer of live family entertainment.

As part of the sponsorship, which runs from August 2012 through February 2013, Disney Live! will include Kaplan Kids as part of a dedicated media campaign that encompasses TV, radio, Facebook, YouTube and other channels.  Additionally, Kaplan Kids will have an on-site presence at over 100 Disney Live! performances of Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival and Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever!, in dozens of cities across North America.

“Disney Live! has an unparalleled reputation for bringing magic and memories to children and their families, and we’re pleased to be a part of that experience,” said Jieun Choe, executive director of K-12 and college admissions programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “Both Kaplan Kids and Disney Live! seek to deliver programs that are dynamic, engaging and appealing to children and parents, and the values of family and education have always been closely aligned, so it made sense to bring our brands together in this partnership.”

Kaplan Kids drives academic progress through these three steps:

1. An online assessment to pinpoint a student’s math and reading levels and design a learning plan for his or her unique academic needs.
2. A customized learning plan based on those assessment results using Smart Track, the brain behind Kaplan Kids’ online learning program. Because Smart Track is adaptive, it targets the right skills to make progress faster, while introducing challenging new material through fun and interactive instruction.
3. Kaplan Kids keeps parents up to date on their child’s progress every step of the way with real-time online progress reports. Parents are able to see what skills their child has mastered, what’s difficult and what’s in progress.

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 Feld Entertainment

Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment’s productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and  Barnum & Bailey^®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

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Live, Interactive Mock Admissions Event Will Give Pre-Law Students a Firsthand Look at the Process, Featuring Admissions Officers from Four of the Nation’s Top Law Schools

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 (August 6, 2012) – Prospective law school applicants will have an opportunity to see what really goes on behind the scenes of a law school admissions committee meeting  at an upcoming episode of  The 180 – Live,  Kaplan Test Prep’s live, online, unscripted and uncensored legal debate show.  The episode, “You Be The Judge – A Mock Admissions Roundtable” will air on Sunday, August 12, beginning at 8:00 PM EST, and feature admissions officers from the top ranked University of Virginia School of Law, University of Chicago Law School, Georgetown University Law Center and Fordham University Law School , who will review, discuss and analyze “applicants’’’ LSAT scores, undergraduate transcripts, personal statements, diversity statements, letters of recommendation, resumes and work experience, academic misconducts, criminal records, application addenda and more to show attendees exactly how they arrive at their ultimate decisions.  Event-goers will have the unique opportunity to interact directly with the admissions officers and weigh in with their own opinions on their deliberations and verdicts.

First held in August 2011,“You Be The Judge – A Mock Admissions Roundtable” was Kaplan’s largest pre-law event in its history, attracting thousands of prospective law school students.

“During this time of significant change in both law school application trends and the law school admissions process, this one-of-a-kind, must-attend event will be especially helpful to prospective students, as it will give them an exclusive look into how the actual decision makers arrive at their final judgments of who gets in, who doesn’t, and why,” said Jeff Thomas, director of pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep.  “An applicant’s LSAT remains by far the most important admissions factor, but this event will give attendees a thorough, holistic view of exactly what else top law schools look for in an entering class. Some of what they will say is bound to surprise.”

To register for the free event, students can visit http://blog.the180.com/about/the-180-live/.  Students can also follow Kaplan LSAT on Twitter at @KaplanLSATPrep.  For journalists who want to cover the event, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

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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With a New Virtual Fair, Applicants Anywhere Will Have Opportunity to Network with Admissions Officers from Top MBA Programs and Learn Key Strategies to Get In

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 (July 31, 2012) – Thousands of professionals and students across the United States looking to kick-start the business school application process will get insider advice and learn about dozens of top MBA programs – including Cornell University (Johnson), Duke University (Fuqua), Emory University (Goizueta), Northwestern University (Kellogg), NYU (Stern), UCLA (Anderson), UC Berkeley (Haas), University of Chicago (Booth), University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler), the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, University of Texas – Austin (McCombs) – directly from admissions officers themselves at Kaplan Test Prep’s free, annual Road to Business School.

This is Kaplan’s third consecutive year holding Road to Business School, which attracts thousands of aspiring MBAs, all looking for a competitive edge in the job market in a changing and challenging economy. For the first time, this year, the Road to Business School will also include a Virtual Fair that will include over 40 MBA programs, each with its own “booth,” which attendees around the world can join from anywhere with an Internet connection.

Each stop on Kaplan Test Prep’s Road to Business School will include a strategy workshop on the GMAT – the primary admissions exam that business schools use to evaluate applicants – and an admissions strategy session, where attendees can learn how to put together the strongest application possible. Attendees can also sit in on a panel discussion with admissions officers to learn more about the components of the application. One of the most popular parts of Road to Business School is the open tabling session, with over 30 different top business schools participating in each city, giving attendees a chance to ask specific questions about a given MBA program.

“With the number of GMAT takers continuing at an elevated level, and the MBA job market steady even under pressure on the wider job market, Road to Business School attendees will gain important business school admissions strategies and learn how to move their careers forward,” said Nada Arnot, vice president of pre-business and pre-graduate programs, Kaplan Test Prep.

Following is the scheduled list of events that are part of the 2012 Road to Business School series (All times are local, unless specified otherwise.):

• Online: How to Impress a Business School: Tuesday, August 7 – 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM EST
• Chicago: Thursday, August 9 – 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
• Los Angeles: Saturday, August 11 – 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM
• San Francisco: Sunday, August 12 – 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
• Boston: Monday, August 13 – 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
• New York City: Wednesday, August 15 – 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
• Washington, D.C.: Thursday, August 16 – 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
• Online: Virtual Fair: Sunday, August 19 – 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM EST
• Online: 100 Hours: A GMAT Study Plan: Tuesday, August 21 – 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM EST
• Online: The New GMAT – Free Training: Thursday, August 23 – 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM EST

Those interested in attending any of the Kaplan Test Prep Road to Business School events should visit www.kaplangmat.com/roadtobschool to register. For media, each city event will also provide a good opportunity to speak with attendees about their career successes, challenges and goals and take B-roll footage. To cover an event in person, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or  212.453.7538.

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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More than 3,000 High School Students Submitted Their Personal Stories
for the Chance to win Thousands of Dollars in Scholarship Money

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 (July 16, 2012) – Stanley H. Kaplan may not be a household name, but throughout his career, the Brooklyn-born tutor and founder of what is today a global educational services provider bearing his name helped thousands of students achieve their academic and career goals.  To honor his legacy and help make the college dream more reachable for students, Kaplan Test Prep recently sponsored an essay contest “Stanley’s Story, Your Story,” in which high school students were asked who inspired them most.  Over 3,000 students from around the country participated.  The top three winners were selected by a vote on Kaplan’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KaplanSAT. Below are the winners and excerpts from their stories.

• Derrian Lewis, of Bible Grove, Illinois, the first place winner and recipient of a $3,000 scholarship, wrote about how being disabled should never inhibit someone from trying to make the best out of their life:

“As I was flipping through the television channels one day, I came upon a news story about an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Ted Rummel. He practices in St. Louis, Missouri, but what is unique about this man? He is a paraplegic surgeon who continues to practice from his wheelchair…As I watched this story, I felt so inspired because I myself have a physical disability that requires the use of a wheelchair. Throughout my high school career, I have had to make a plan for my future and have decided to pursue a career in the medical field. For a few years now, I have really been interested in becoming a surgeon, but have had so many people tell me, ‘you cannot be a surgeon, you’re in a wheelchair.’… Dr. Rummel has shown me that I CAN be a surgeon and a good one too… Dr. Ted Rummel has truly inspired me to follow my dream and become a surgeon!”

• Kayla Neville, of Commack, New York, won second place and a $1,000 scholarship for her essay on a science teacher who made the subject material come alive:

“The person who inspires me the most is my science research teacher, Mr. Richard Kurtz…In this class, I am not taught by memorizing mundane facts, rather, I am given the opportunity to actively explore the world and discover new information. Every day, Mr. Kurtz finds the passion for science inside the student and fuels it with scholarly research articles, experiments, and new ideas…Whenever I have a new idea, no matter how ridiculous, Mr. Kurtz encourages me to act on it and when I get frustrated with my project he offers new ways to look at the situation… Mr. Kurtz doesn’t just plant the seed for a great idea, but he waters and nourishes it and watches the tree grow.”

• Christina Robertson, of Sutter, California, placed third and received a Kaplan Test Prep College Prep Advantage course, which will provide her with unlimited preparation for the PSAT, SAT, and ACT, for her essay on how a hardened horse instructor taught her how to always get back on life’s saddle:

“Bernie Schwann was a stubborn, tough old lady. She knew one thing: horses…The first time I was bucked off a horse she yelled from the barn, ‘You better not be crying! Get back on that horse!’ So I did. My last memory of Bernie was at her funeral. I sat in a crowd of misty-eyed teenage girls dressed in belt buckles and boots who had also been strengthened through Bernie’s teaching. We all felt the urge to crumble beneath the weight of sadness but we didn’t dare. Her familiar voice echoed in each of our minds: ‘Stop crying and get back on that horse.’ So we did.”

“We extend our congratulations to the winners and our thanks to all those who participated by submitting their stories, as well as those that voted on our Facebook page.  We received over 3,000 submissions from students around the country, and were inspired ourselves by what they had to say.  Today’s college applicants will help shape the future, and we hope they not only continue to draw inspiration from others, but also become the inspiration,” said Jieun Choe, executive director of college admissions and K-12 programs, 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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Also: Pre-Law Students Want to Work in Big Law, Where the Big Money Often Is

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 (June 19, 2012) – Say what you want about tomorrow’s lawyers, but they are a remarkably consistent bunch, with a 2012 survey on application influencers showing virtually identical results to one conducted two years earlier – despite continued job market uncertainty.  According to a recent Kaplan Test Prep survey*, despite the most competitive job market for new lawyers in a generation, pre-law students continue to place a much higher premium on where a law school places in the rankings than on how many of its graduates land jobs in the legal field.  When asked “What is most important to you when picking a law school to apply to?”, 32% cited a law school’s ranking; followed by geographic location at 22%; academic programming at 20%; and affordability/tuition at 13%.  At nearly the back of the pack?  A law school’s job placement statistics, which came in at 8%.  When Kaplan first asked the same question in October 2010, these factors ranked in the same exact order – though a school’s ranking actually increased in importance in this most recent survey.

In a related question asking, “How important a factor is a law school’s ranking in determining where you will apply?” 86% say ranking is “very important” or “somewhat important” in deciding where to apply to – the same exact percentage as in October 2010.

On the jobs front, 38% of pre-law students surveyed said they hoped to work in Big Law, where often the big money is**; 31% said they wanted to go into public interest law; 23% said they wanted to work for a boutique firm.  And showing the versatility of a law degree, 23% said they wanted to use their JD to go into politics at some point; another 23% said they wanted to use their degree for business purposes.  Their career aspirations closely mirror what their pre-law predecessors told Kaplan when asked the same question in an October 2010 survey.

“While it may seem counterintuitive that pre-law students aren’t placing greater importance on a school’s job placement stats, most applicants know that there is a direct correlation between where a student graduates from, their starting salary and career prospects, which is likely why rankings are consistently the most important consideration by far,” says Jeff Thomas, director of pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep***.  “But with some law schools cutting their number of seats and the job market tight, pre-law students may have to think more strategically now.  We continue to encourage pre-law students to look at a host of factors, including accurate job placement data, in helping them determine where to apply and enroll.”

To arrange an interview with a Kaplan Test Prep law school admissions expert, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

*The survey was administered by email in June 2012 and included responses from 645 Kaplan LSAT students.

** Study from the National Association for Law Placement. More complete salary figures can be found here: http://www.nalp.org/classof2010_salpressrel

***From Forbes, March 13, 2012: “The Law Schools Whose Grads Earn The Most” – http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/03/13/the-law-schools-whose-grads-earn-the-most/

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)

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

New York, NY (June 5, 2012) – As the “Next Generation” GMAT launches today, the exam’s 200,000+ annual test takers will now face the Integrated Reasoning (IR) section, with four new question types: table analysis, graphics interpretation, multi-source reasoning and two-party analysis.   These question types, which may feature scatter plots, sortable tables, and multi-tabbed data, are novel compared to the formats traditionally seen on graduate school-level admissions exams such as the GRE, LSAT and MCAT.

In a recent survey of prospective business schools students*, more than half of those who had seen actual Integrated Reasoning sample questions said IR questions were “not too similar” or “not at all similar” to other exam questions they’ve had to answer.

“Integrated Reasoning questions will be unfamiliar to most students and will make the GMAT more challenging.  But the new section also makes the test more reflective of the higher-level analytical skills needed to succeed in both business school and the business world,” said Andrew Mitchell, director of pre-business programs, Kaplan Test Prep.

That lack of familiarity with the kinds of questions Integrated Reasoning may explain why 38% of students surveyed said they were influenced to take the GMAT before it changed to avoid tackling the new section.  And they are not alone.  The Graduate Management Admission Council reported a recent spike in GMAT test takers as the new exam’s launch date approached.

“Since GMAT scores are valid for 5 years, today’s test takers will compete with applicants submitting scores up to 5 years old.  Because of the new section, today’s test takers will have to put in more preparation time, on average, to reach parity with those scores,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell notes that test takers receive a separate score for the Integrated Reasoning section, which means poor performance can’t be masked by stronger performance on other sections of the test.

“As far as test changes go, on a scale of 1-10, this is probably about a 5 or 6 – not as drastic as last year’s GRE overhaul, but more significant than, say, the LSATchangesin 2007, which involved adding comparative reading questions and eliminating an essay prompt,” Mitchell added.

Kaplan GMAT courses include a session dedicated to Integrated Reasoning, and all 9 CATs included in the Kaplan GMAT program – including the Official Test Day Experience, in which practice tests can be taken an actual Pearon VUE testing center— contain a full-length, scored IR section.

For more information about the GMAT’s new Integrated Reasoning section, including sample questions and videos, visit www.testchange.com.

To arrange an interview with a GMAT and business school admissions expert at Kaplan Test Prep, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

*The survey was administered by email between November 2011 and April 2012 and included responses from 314 Kaplan GMAT students. 

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.

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 (June  5, 2012) – To celebrate the rapid, continued growth and popularity of its bar review courses and law school support offerings since it began serving law school students almost 6 years ago, Kaplan Bar Review, a leading provider of full-service bar preparation for tomorrow’s lawyers, has awarded a Complete Bar Review Course, free of charge , to its 250,000^th enrollment*: Benjamin Gergen, of Austin, Texas, a 2011 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law.

Benjamin is both a legacy Kaplan student and legacy lawyer.  In addition to being a Kaplan Bar Review student to prepare for July’s Texas state bar exam, Gergen also prepped with Kaplan for the LSAT and he credits Kaplan for helping him raise his LSAT score high enough to get into top-ranked University of Texas at Austin School of Law.  “My LSAT prep experience gave me strong confidence in Kaplan’s ability to help me succeed, and all of the incredible resources that Kaplan Bar Review offers makes me as confident as I could possibly be that Kaplan will help me pass the Texas state bar exam,” Gergen said.  A native of Austin, who majored in finance at Texas Tech University, Gergen is the son of two lawyers who work at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.   After passing the bar, Gergen wants to work in criminal justice, a passion he developed while interning with the University of Texas School of Law’s Juvenile Justice Clinic. Gergen also interned for the Texas Defender Service, where he met with a Death Row inmate to discuss his appeal.  Gergen called it “one of the most moving experiences of my life.”

“This important milestone builds on our strong momentum in 2012 and reflects the trust that law students all across the United States, like Benjamin Gergen, have in Kaplan Bar Review’s ability to help them pass the bar and move on into the next phase of their careers,” said Steven Marietti, Esq., Vice President and General Manager, Kaplan Bar Review.

In January, Kaplan Bar Review announced a three-state expansion of its bar review programs for students preparing for the state bar exams in Arizona and West Virginia in time for the July 2012 exam and Washington State for the July 2013 exam.  With this expansion to 28 states, plus Washington, D.C., a full-service, Kaplan Bar Review will be available to nearly 85% of the entire bar-taking population.

In a July 2011 bar exit survey of 1,973 bar examinees, at 24 randomly selected locations, who took bar review in states where Kaplan offers full service bar review, examinees who prepared with Kaplan rated Kaplan higher than examinees who prepared with BarBri in seven key categories, including exam likeness of the MBE (Multistate Bar Exam) practice questions; essay grading; amount of individualized guidance; amount of support; overall value; online tools; and simulated practice.

Kaplan Bar Review’s complete bar review course includes state-specific bar preparation materials, in addition to over 4,000 exam-like MBE practice questions, unlimited essay grading, and a daily regimen that progressively tailors to improve students’ weakest areas, among other key features..

*250,000 refers to enrollments, not unique students.  Some students enrolled in more than one Kaplan Bar Review product.

About Kaplan Bar Review

Kaplan Bar Review (www.kaplanbarreview.com) provides full-service bar review programs in 27 states (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia) and Washington DC, making its courses available to approximately 85% of the U.S. Bar-taking population.  Additionally, Kaplan Bar Review offers supplemental preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE).

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New College Prep Channel Enhances Ubiquity of Kaplan’s Test Prep Delivery as Roku Users
Can Now Access Kaplan Streaming Video on their TV screens 

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 (May 15, 2012) – With Internet streaming poised to dominate the future of TV, Kaplan Test Prep has launched a Kaplan College Prep channel on Roku, the leading distribution platform for on-demand video streaming to TV, to make test prep instructional videos by top-rated teachers available for free on the Roku platform.

Featuring free SAT, ACT and PSAT lesson videos with recommended score-raising strategies, Kaplan College Prep is the first test prep channel being introduced to the lineup of over 400 channels available to the 3 million users of Roku.  The U.S. leader in Internet streaming to TV, Roku makes devices that connect TV screens to a vast array of on-demand video.   A recent research report shows that 38 percent* of U.S. households have at least one TV set hooked up to the internet, compared to 30 percent last year. (*Emerging Video Services IV, The Leichtman Research Group, Q1 2012.)  The Kaplan College Prep channel can be found in the “Kids and Family” section of the Roku menu.

Kaplan’s expansion to Internet TV follows the test prep industry leader’s shift towards ubiquitous delivery of its offerings, as it provides test prep resources ranging from digital flashcards to award-winning online programs.  Kaplan last year became the first test prep provider to enable students to download their course materials on the iPad.

“Roku’s streaming platform is one of multiple trends driving exciting times in education,” said Mark Freidberg, Vice President of Technology, K12 and College Prep Programs, Kaplan Test Prep.  “Consumers are increasingly adopting new media options like Roku, and technology is enabling greater flexibility in instructional design and delivery.  As people look to new platforms for consuming information, and digital innovation creates more options for how lessons can be packaged and delivered, Kaplan is applying research on effective learning to develop more instructional options that are digital, mobile and engaging.”

SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.  ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. PSAT/NMSQT is a trademark jointly owned by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product. None of the trademark holders are 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.

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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 (May 10, 2012) – As part of an ongoing initiative to advance the use of digital technology in the classroom, Kaplan K12 Learning Services today announced the winners of its Digital Learning Day-inspired “First Year Teacher e-Book Contest.” Educators’ winning submissions are published in a new chapter in the revised edition of Kaplan’s top-selling book, “First Year Teacher.” The contest sought collaborative input from teachers across the United States to share ideas and best practices on incorporating digital and blended learning into the classroom. The practice of blended learning reinforces academic concepts through multiple modalities, creating a more integrated approach for both teachers and students.

Submissions from Vickie Elswick of Boyd County Middle School (Ashland, Ky.), Loi-Natalie Laing of Miami Edison Senior High (Miami, Fla.) and Jessica Pilgreen of Wesclin Senior High School (Trenton, Ill.) were selected for publication as part of Kaplan’s effort to share best digital practices in the classroom. The winning submissions are featured in the new edition of “First Year Teacher,” now available in e-book form on Amazon.com for free throughout the month of May in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week (May 7-11).

Below are some excerpts of the three winners’ ideas:

• Vickie Elswick, Boyd County Middle School, Ashland, Ky.: “We have always known that communication between home/school makes all the difference, and technology gives the teacher so many ways to easily share. As a teacher we have: e-mail, tweets, epubs, webpages, blogs, texting – and that’s just the short list … One of best things about these digital learning tools is that they are available 24/7, and they are efficient in a time of shrinking budgets … Teachers use their digital tools to provide that extra communication and individualization that students need to perform at high levels. That might take the form of online directions for a project the student is doing at home. It might be a vodcast of a lecture that students can watch from home. Technology can provide that enrichment activity for the advanced student, and it can provide remediation that a slower student needs.”
• Loi-Natalie Laing, Miami Edison Senior High, Miami, Fla.: “The most important thing I’ve come to learn as a first year teacher is to utilize great technology that is readily available, and not try to reinvent the wheel. All my classes use Edmodo and my students have embraced being able to communicate with me outside the classroom … I can email individual or class reports to administrators, which students can use to accumulate points for our school store … After discussion with administration, I allow my students to use their phones to do research in class. Students who may not be vocal in the class are often the ones who ask for clarification via Edmodo, email, or text … It started as a struggle, especially since the kids at my school were not used to digital learning. However, they understand that I am trying to educate them for the world that they live in, and not the one I grew up in.”
• Jessica Pilgreen, Wesclin Senior High School, Trenton, Ill.:  “Find a screencasting tool that you like and use it…I’ve saved lots of time by recording myself set up the technicalities of a Microsoft Word document. The time that I’m not visiting each student to help with margins, headers, and font issues becomes time that I can devote to drafting introductions, incorporating complex sentences, or adding descriptive details. This is also a great way to provide intervention strategies for students who benefit from viewing something at multiple times or at their own pace … This is a great method for sharing what is happening in your classroom with parents. You can also have students record their own screencasts, making them the creators of digital media.“

About Kaplan K12 Learning Services, LLC.

Kaplan K12 Learning Services (kaplank12.com), a unit of Kaplan Test Prep (kaptest.com), partners with schools to measurably propel student achievement and accelerate college readiness. Kaplan K12 offers state test readiness programs to help students meet and exceed state standards, and college preparation solutions that support students as they prepare for college entrance exams and the admissions process. Its solutions also provide teachers with robust Kaplan K12 resources andprofessional development support to impact achievement in their classrooms. Kaplan Test Prep is a division of Kaplan Inc. (kaplan.com), a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

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