Also: In Spite of the Most Competitive Admissions Cycle in Years, Students Feel
Confident about their Prospects of Getting into Top College Choices

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 20, 2011) – Under the backdrop of the most competitive college admissions environment in years, with many of country’s top schools reporting record low acceptance rates, members of the class of 2012 are taking time this summer to become stronger and better informed applicants, according to a new Kaplan Test Prep survey*.  Among the survey’s key findings:

• Researching Colleges Online: 73% reported they will research colleges online during summer vacation, a convenient way to find and process much of the important information they will need about a school, from everything including how high they need to score on the SAT® or ACT®, to how strong the athletics program is.  Different students have different abilities, needs and interests.
• Campus Tours: To get the most realistic feel as possible, 71% plan to visit a college campus in person.  If an applicant is unable to personally visit, they should check if a virtual tour is available on the college’s official website or Facebook page.  According to Kaplan’s most recent survey of college admissions officers, 82% say they recruit students on Facebook, demonstrating that they view this median as a good way to communicate with prospective students.
• Experience: While not nearly as important as standardized test scores, an applicant’s extracurricular activities, work experience and personal biography play key roles in the admissions process.  With that in mind, 67% of students reported that they will volunteer over the summer and 63% said they planned to work.
• Summer Learning: To keep building their GPA and overall knowledge, 21% said they planned to take an enrichment course. This may also help them do well on AP exams senior year, which may in turn translate into college credit and shave off a semester’s worth of tuition.

“Because the upcoming college admissions cycle promises to be just about as competitive as this past one, it’s important that students do the right things this summer to be as prepared and savvy as possible, from understanding what their ‘must-haves’ are, to putting together a compelling application that will improve their overall chances of getting in,” said Kate Froseth, executive director of K12 and college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep.

Other findings from the survey:

• Feeling Confident: 86% of students expressed confidence that they’d get into their top college choices.  Students also feel positively about the admissions chances of their friends, with 88% saying they are confident they will get into their top college choices.
• A Successful Junior Year: 86% of students said they were satisfied with their academic performance this past school year; a nearly identical 84% said their parents were also satisfied.
• Catching Up on Some Good Books: 45% of students plan to read at least five books for pleasure over summer vacation, including 18% who plan to read more than 10.

To learn more about Kaplan’s survey, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.   For a host of other resources for journalists, please visit Kaplan’s online pressroom at http://press.kaptest.com and follow on Twitter: @KapTestNews

*The survey of 912 high school juniors who prepared with Kaplan for the SAT or ACT was conducted by e-mail in May and June 2011.

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

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Contestant Who Comes Up With Most Inspiring Phrase in 15 Words or Less
Will Win $500 and a Kaplan Test Prep Course

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 24, 2011) – Kaplan Test Prep just launched its “Most Inspiring Words Ever Contest,” asking college students and aspiring professionals to submit a phrase to excite and motivate their peers – and in recognition of this mobile and Twitter generation, all in 15 words or less.  The phrase can be about the college experience, a test, a job interview, career issues – almost anything that these groups can relate to.  Contestants will be judged on originality, wit, and inspirational power.  The contest’s grand prize winner will receive $500 and a Kaplan Test Prep course of his or her choosing, including GRE, GMAT, LSAT or MCAT.  The phrase will be printed on Kaplan Test Prep t-shirts that will be worn on college campuses across North America beginning this Back to School season and the winner will even get to collaborate with Kaplan on the design of it.

“While today’s students and aspiring professionals are loathe to let anything get in the way of accomplishing their education and career goals, we know that in this struggling economy and competitive job market, even the hardest chargers may need some extra encouragement.  We also recognize that students and aspiring professionals often draw the greatest inspiration from each other, which is why we are appealing directly to them,” said Jason Moss, vice president, Kaplan Test Prep.  “We encourage as many people as possible to participate and seek to inspire.  We can’t wait to hear what everyone has to say.”

To submit a “Most Inspiring Words Ever Contest” entry and learn more about the contest, please visit: http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/124525.  The contest runs now through June 12, 2011.

For a host of resources for journalists, please visit Kaplan’s online pressroom at http://press.kaptest.com and follow on Twitter: @KapTestNews

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

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Also: Most Say Their Legal Education Has Tempered What They Post on Facebook

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 23, 2011) – According to a recent Kaplan PMBR Bar Review survey of third-year law school students*, nearly half (49%) report that they have seen something on someone’s Facebook page that could get the poster in trouble with the law.  Surprisingly, 44% of that group said the alleged offender was a law school student or lawyer, begging the question: shouldn’t those who should know the law best know better?

On the plus side: 76% of survey respondents said that what they learned from their legal education has caused them to temper what they post on Facebook.

“The fact that nearly half have seen something illegal posted on Facebook doesn’t mean that we are a society of criminals. Illegal activity can mean minors drinking beer or someone smoking a Cuban cigar.  But also given their stage of professional development, law students tend to be particularly aware of the finer points of the law, in the same way that medical students can sometimes be hypochondriacs,” said Steven Marietti, executive director of academic programs, Kaplan PMBR Bar Review.  “Regardless, it’s smart to be cautious, since what you post on Facebook can potentially be held against you when coming before the bar or in court.”

Moreover, a 2010 Kaplan survey of law school admissions officers showed that nearly 20% had personally visited an applicant’s social networking site to help them evaluate that applicant – all the more reason for hyper-awareness.

For more on Kaplan’s findings around Facebook and other social media trends among today’s students, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.  For a host of other resources for journalists, please visit Kaplan’s online pressroom at http://press.kaptest.com and follow on Twitter: @KapTestNews

*The survey of 428 third-year law students was conducted by e-mail in March 2011.

About Kaplan PMBR Bar Review

Kaplan PMBR Bar Review (www.kaplanpmbr.com) provides full-service bar review programs in 25 states (Alabama, 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 and Virginia) and Washington DC, making its courses available to more than 80% of the U.S. Bar-taking population.  Additionally, Kaplan PMBR Bar Review offers preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) in all 48 states that require it.

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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 19, 2011)  – To help aspiring nurses in Alabama whose nursing education may have been interrupted by the tornado disasters last month, Kaplan Nursing is offering its NCLEX-RN Review Class for free, Monday, May 23 through Thursday, May 26, from 9 AM to 4 PM, at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville.  The comprehensive course will provide students with 21 hours of class time, with a live teacher helping them learn the clinical reasoning strategies they need to succeed on the nurse licensing exam.  Students will also receive three months of online access to Kaplan’s Qbank, an online question bank and the Question Trainer, a bank of online practice tests.

“In times of critical need, nurses have always played a frontline role,” said Jon Zeitlin, president, Kaplan Nursing.  “By offering this course free to local nursing students, we are reaffirming our commitment to these individuals who want to build careers dedicated to helping others.”

Zeitlin added that future free NCLEX-RN courses for affected students are planned in June, with the added ability for students unable to travel to on-site classroom locations to access them via Kaplan’s Classroom Anywhere™ technology, which takes the dynamic interaction of a live instructor and combines it with state-of-the-art online tools (audio, instant chat, whiteboard, polling, and screen-sharing functionality) to create a virtual classroom experience.  All they need to participate is a computer and high-speed Internet connection.

Nursing students enrolled at the following schools are eligible for the May 23 course and should contact their schools directly to register:

• Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, AL
• Northwest Shoals Community College, Muscle Shoals, AL
• University of Alabama – Huntsville, Huntsville, AL
• Calhoun Community College, Decatur, AL
• University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, AL

In the most recently recorded year, more than 145,000 aspiring nurses took the NCLEX-RN exam. For more information on the exam, students can visit www.kaplannursing.com.

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

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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 16, 2011) – Teens studying with Kaplan Test Prep can now preserve the rainforest, adopt endangered animals, take action against hunger and feed homeless dogs – all while improving their scores for the SAT and ACT. For many teens, the rewards that come with a high exam score, like getting into their top college picks, are major motivation. Nonetheless, it’s no secret that most teenagers don’t love to study. To increase students’ interest, engagement and motivation in its pre-college programs, Kaplan Test Prep has launched Honors & Extras, which incorporates gaming and social media to reward academic achievement. Honors & Extras, which has been available to Kaplan’s younger students in their reading and math programs since 2009, is now a part of all SAT and ACT programs too. Students unlock badges and earn points for academic achievements in the online portion of their studies, including practice tests, lesson videos and quizzes. Students can use points to make donations to charities across the world, personalize a virtual room, or enter sweepstakes to win prizes such as iTunes® gift cards and video games.

“It helps our students see the connection between education and making a positive contribution to their community and the world,” said Kate Froseth, executive director of K12 and college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep.

Among the good deeds done by all Kaplan students through Honors & Extras are:

• Preserving 28,000 square feet of rainforests.
• Planting more than 10,000 seeds to end hunger in the United States.
• Providing 1,250 dog bones to man’s best friends waiting in shelters for new homes.
• Adopting 14 endangered animals.
• Providing six years worth of clean drinking water and three years worth of food to families in need throughout the world.

John Bower, CEO of uBoost, Kaplan’s development partner in the program, said, “Marking student achievement with relevant recognition provides the extra motivation they need to put in the hard work necessary to maximize test scores. Recognizing students’ progress towards their goal score with donations to over forty charities has proven to be both inspirational and motivational.”

To learn more about Kaplan’s Honors & Extras program and how to best motivate students, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538. For a host of other resources for journalists, please visit Kaplan’s online pressroom at http://press.kaptest.com and follow on Twitter: @KapTestNews

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

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Aspiring Doctors May Face MCAT That is Longer than Current Exam and Requires
More Science Curriculum Earlier in Their College Education

Available for Interview: Kaplan Test Prep Medical School Admissions Expert

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

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

New York, NY (March 31, 2011) – Beginning in 2015, aspiring doctors may not only face a longer MCAT, the admissions exam required by all U.S. medical schools and many Canadian medical schools, but they’ll have to learn more curriculum for it, and earlier than their predecessors – a potentially tricky predicament for underclassmen already juggling busy class schedules.  A few of the key must-knows for test takers about the draft MCAT changes just recommended today by the AAMC, the exam’s administrator:

• Addition of Behavioral and Social Sciences Principles Section: In an effort to assess student knowledge of the concept and identity of self, relationship to others, and sensitivity to socio-cultural differences as they relate to health and well-being, the new section will likely test concepts mostly taught in undergraduate psychology and/or sociology courses.  This will be a challenge for students who typically take the exam junior year, effectively demanding they add psychology, sociology, or both to their course schedules prior to taking the MCAT.  Presently, few do.
• Addition of Advanced Sciences: The current MCAT tests topics in biology, chemistry and physics. The recommendations will add knowledge of cellular/molecular biology, biochemistry, research methods and statistics.  This change, in concert with the other section requirements, effectively doubles the prerequisite course work for pre-med students.
• Expanded Critical Thinking: The MCAT will expand beyond the current content base of the Verbal Reasoning section to incorporate ethics, philosophy, cross-cultural studies and population health.
• More of an Endurance Test: Under the current recommendations, the new MCAT will likely add 90 minutes to an exam that is already 5 ½ hours long, bringing the total seat time to over 7 hours.
• Writing Sample eliminated: Studies show few U.S. medical school use this to evaluate applicants.
• Big Changes, Small Window: 2015 may seem far away, but the short-term implications for both pre-med students and medical education as a whole are immediate and large. Colleges face a tough task ahead in implementing a new pre-med curriculum that satisfies these new requirements that entering freshmen will have to meet to take the new MCAT.

“These are the biggest proposed changes to the MCAT in 25 years and reflect the significant changes in the practice of medicine during this time, as physicians today need to know far more than they did a generation ago,” said Amjed Saffarini, executive director, pre-health programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “The recommended changes are designed to make the test more relevant for the next generation of doctors, and rightly so.  However, the increased amount of coursework that future pre-med students will have to learn in order to sit for the new MCAT would be akin to high school students having to take calculus before taking the SAT® or ACT® – certainly not impossible for these strivers, just more challenging given all their other prerequisites.”

Kaplan Test Prep stresses that while these are just preliminary recommendations by the AAMC’s MCAT review committee, it’s important to remember that past is usually prologue when it comes to their MCAT recommendations – most of what they propose at this stage comes to pass, including their plan to make the MCAT go to a computer-based format, which launched in 2007.

In 2010, 42,742 aspiring physicians applied to medical school, a slight increase over 2009.

For more information on the looming changes to the MCAT, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.   Also be sure to visit Kaplan Test Prep’s virtual pressroom at http://press.kaptest.com and follow news on the changes on Twitter: @KaplanMCATPrep

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

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Texas Juniors Set to Take Spring SAT or ACT Can Prep with Kaplan for Only $45

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 (March 31, 2011) – In support of the Texas Education Agency’s continuing to make the SAT and ACT free this spring for all public high school juniors, Kaplan Test Prep, for the second straight year, will provide SAT or ACT prep to every Texas high school junior registered for the May or June 2011 exams for a nominal fee of $45 – just enough to cover instruction and materials costs and only nine percent of the normal $499 comprehensive course tuition.  The Kaplan offer is available to all juniors, whether enrolled in public school or private school or homeschooled, now through April 30.

“We know that a growing number of Texas students are interested in attending college, which is in part illustrated by the fact that in 2010 Texas led the nation with the largest increase in the number of public school students who took the SAT,” said Kate Froseth, executive director, K-12 and college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep.  “As advocates of higher education, we hope that as many Texas high schoolers as possible take advantage of our offer, score competitively on the actual tests, get into top colleges and reach their full potentials.”  In 2010, 93,000 Texas high school seniors took the ACT, a 12% increase over the previous year.

Juniors from Amarillo to McAllen, and from El Paso to Texarkana, who want to take advantage of Kaplan Test Prep’s offer can enroll in one of two SAT or ACT course options:

• Classroom Anywhere™: Kaplan’s SAT and ACT Classroom Anywhere™  courses are held in a state-of-the-art virtual classroom, which allows students to participate in lessons in real-time, featuring a live video instructor and teaching assistants, in a way that replicates the physical classroom experience. Students can ask questions and interact with their teacher and other classmates using audio, instant chat, whiteboard, polling, and screen-sharing functionality.  All they need is an Internet connection.
• On Demand: Kaplan’s On Demand course is a flexible and convenient online option where students can self-study at their own paces, using online prep resources, with 24/7 access.  Students receive the content review, test-taking strategies and practice needed to score competitively.  Internet access is required.

According to the National Association of College Admission Counseling, college admissions officers rank standardized tests as the second most important factor in evaluating applicants.

Students interested in enrolling in a Kaplan program can do so at kaptest.com/texas, using promotion code TX45ONDEMAND for an On Demand SAT or ACT course or TX45ANYWHERE for a Classroom Anywhere™ SAT or ACT course.

Reporters attending the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC) conference, April 3-5, at the Omni Mandalay Hotel at Las Colinas, in Irving, are invited to visit Kaplan Test Prep at booth number 27 to experience an in-person demonstration of the Classroom Anywhere™ and On Demand courses.

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

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Monthly Online Show Gives Pre-Law Students an Unscripted View on Today’s Hottest Legal Issues;
Viewers Can Join Debate and Have a Chance to Win Valuable Prizes

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 (March 30, 2011) –  On March 31, “The 180,” Kaplan Test Prep’s live, online, unscripted and uncensored legal debate show, will feature a debate between a fierce advocate and a fierce opponent of the legalization of same-sex marriage. Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, one of the nation’s strongest opponents of legalizing gay marriage, whose self-stated organizational mission is “to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it,” and Brian Rice, Esq., board of governors, Human Rights Campaign, which describes itself as the nation’s “largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality,” will face off in what’s sure to be an anything-but-dull debate.  Is national legalization just a matter of time?  What does President Obama’s decision to no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act mean?  Following the debate, Kaplan LSAT experts will give a mathematical analysis showing test takers how and why they can know exactly what to expect on Test Day.  The show will air live at 9 pm EDT/6 pm PDT at http://the180.com.

Thursday’s show will be the second in Kaplan Test Prep’s “The 180” series (for non-legal viewers, 180 represents a perfect LSAT score, in addition to its geometric meaning), which debuted February 24 on computer screens everywhere.  On each show, which airs at 9:00 PM EDT on the last Thursday of every month, participants can watch experts go head-to-head on today’s most controversial legal topics, in a gloves-off debate.  Then they can watch additional lively segments on the law school admissions process, including preparing for the LSAT and how to put together a strong law school application. Viewers have the opportunity to ask questions and join the discussion throughout each show.  After each program, viewers can submit video responses to a just-discussed issue and win valuable prizes, including cash, Black’s Law Dictionaries and much-coveted “180” t-shirts.

“‘The 180’” gives today’s pre-law students divergent viewpoints on current headlines and topics being debated in dorm rooms, courtrooms and state legislatures across the country, from a legal perspective,” said Howard Bell, executive director, pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep.  “We know that today’s aspiring lawyers are opinionated, passionate and eager to be a part of the discussion.  ‘The 180’ provides them with a forum to learn and also air their own views on topics that will likely still be debated when they become lawyers in a few years.”

The first show focused on Four Loko, the recently banned “energy” drink and debated whether the FDA was right to prohibit the sale of the beverage or if it was a step too far.  Experts also discussed hot topics in the law school admissions process, including whether now is the right time to apply to law school, given the highly competitive legal jobs market.  Highlights from that rip-roaring debate between Glen Stohr, a Kaplan LSAT expert, and Elie Mystal, editor of Above the Law, a leading online blog that covers the most interesting issues and personalities in the legal industry, can be viewed at http://the180.com.  Kaplan experts then delved into what’s in store for the LSAT this year.  Given the big changes ahead for other graduate-level admissions exams like the GRE in 2011 and GMAT in 2012, are big changes for the LSAT right around the corner?  Kaplan experts say LSAT takers can expect little if anything to change for the near future.  To register for Kaplan Test Prep’s live legal talk show, “The 180,” and view previous broadcasts of the show, visit http://the180.com.

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

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Available for Interview: Kaplan Test Prep Admissions Expert 

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

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

New York, NY (March 21, 2011) –  For thousands of applicants across the country, the just-released annual rankings by U.S. News & World Report of the country’s top graduate, business, law and medical schools will play a significant role in influencing where they apply and enroll.  But should they?  

A Kaplan Test Prep survey shows that for pre-law students, rankings can be a dealmaker or deal breaker. In the recent survey of 1,383 LSAT takers, students selected “school ranking” over any other listed factor (affordability/tuition; academic programming; availability of clinics/internships/extracurriculars; geographic location; job placement statistics) when asked, “Which is most important to you when picking a law school to apply to?” Additionally, 86% said that a law school’s place in the rankings is “very important” or “somewhat important” in deciding where to apply.  But while pre-law students place a lot of trust in the rankings, law schools themselves don’t – according to a separate 2010 Kaplan survey of law school admissions officers, 80% said the rankings process is unfair, regardless of where their school stands.  Among medical schools surveyed, about 60% said the rankings process is unfair, regardless of their school’s standing.

“The rankings play a role in helping to aggregate certain data points that help applicants get a snapshot of the schools, but even the rankings lists makers themselves say they are only one factor to take into consideration,” said Jeff Olson, vice president of research, Kaplan Test Prep.  “Applicants should do their own research, which should also include speaking with current students and recent alumni and making campus visits.  Then they should consider what’s most important to them personally and ultimately enroll in the program that best fits their individual needs and professional goals.”

In 2010, well over 1 million students and aspiring professionals took the GRE®, GMAT, LSAT or MCAT as admissions prerequisites to get into graduate, business, law and medical schools, respectively.

To speak with a Kaplan Test Prep admissions expert on how prospective students can best use the rankings as part of the admissions process, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com  or 212.453.7538.    Also be sure to visit Kaplan Test Prep’s virtual press center at http://press.kaptest.com and follow on Twitter: @KapTestNews.                                                                                         

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

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Time is Running Out for More Than 600,000 Aspiring Graduate and Business School Students to Take
the Current GRE® and Guarantee Scores Back Before 2012 Application Deadlines

For a 2-minute video discussing the upcoming changes to the GRE®, click here.  
Feel free to share the video as part of your story, crediting Kaplan Test Prep.

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 (Feburary 3, 2011) – In six months, aspiring graduate school and business school students will face a vastly different and more difficult GRE® – one that will be about an hour longer than the current exam. Beginning August 1, the new GRE® will feature the following major changes:

• The current 200 to 800 point scoring scale, in ten-point increments, will be replaced by a scoring scale of 130 to 170 points, in one-point increments.
• The Quantitative section will include less geometry, but more data analysis. It will also introduce Numeric Entry questions, where test takers must provide an answer without having a selection of choices from which to choose.
• An on-screen calculator will be available for test takers, which will likely mean more complex math problems.
  The new GRE’s® Verbal section won’t include antonym and analogy questions, but will include in-context questions that test reasoning skills, in addition to vocabulary.
• The new GRE® will also contain a new “strengthen/weaken” reading comprehension question type, similar to those on the GMAT – the primary admissions exam for business schools.
• The current GRE® is adaptive at the question-level: answer a question correctly, and the next question is more difficult. The new GRE® will be adaptive at the section level: the better a test taker performs in one section, the more difficult the next section will be. This new format will also allow test takers to skip questions within a section and come back to them, a function not available on the current test.

“Application deadlines are a key consideration for students deciding whether to take the current GRE® or the new one. Because ETS, the exam’s administrator, needs to collect a statistically significant sample size of test takers to ensure score accuracy of the new test, test takers who take the exam in August, September and October won’t receive their official scores back until November – meaning they’ll have to wait up to 3 months for their official scores. This will force many to miss application deadlines, and create undue stress for scrambling to retest if they’re not happy with their scores. If you need your score before November, you must take the current GRE® before July,” said Liza Weale, executive director of pre-business and pre-graduate programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “Our advice to students: if you can take the current GRE® do so – it’s to your advantage.”

According to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2010 survey of graduate school admissions officers at top programs across the United States, a GRE® score is the most important admissions factor, ahead of an applicant’s undergraduate GPA, work experience, letters of recommendation and personal statement.

For more information about the upcoming changes to the GRE®, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

About Kaplan Test Prep

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