Kaplan Schweser’s Andrew Temte Available for Comment On What to Expect, How to Prepare

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Gregory Ten Eyck, gregory.teneyck@kaplan.edu

Fort Lauderdale, FL (February 9, 2021) — On February 16, the CFAⓇ Exam, taken by financial professionals as part of industry requirements to earn the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst, will be administered as a computer-based test for the first time since its introduction in 1962. Like anything new, this brings challenges and uncertainty for candidates who are not prepared and are unfamiliar with the digital format.

“This is the most significant change to the CFA® exam in its history, but I think it offers many benefits,” said Dr. Andrew Temte, CFA, President of Corporate Training at Kaplan and co-founder of Kaplan Schweser, a leader in CFA education and test preparation. “While the global pandemic has accelerated this change, the computer-based format has been under development for years. In addition to opportunities for increased safety protocols, this innovation brings greater flexibility for both the CFA Institute and CFA candidates. Now with multiple exam windows offered each year, candidates can choose to compress or elongate their path to achievement of the Charter to suit their needs or life situation.”

To prepare candidates, Kaplan Schweser launched the Schweser Mock Exam Sim, a first-in-market tool that replicates the interface used on exam day to provide the most realistic experience possible. The mock exam also uses the same number of questions, question style, and timed breaks.

Level I of the CFA® Exam will be offered to candidates within an exam window of February 16 to March 1. (The first computer-based Level II and III exams will be offered between May 25 and June 1.)  In addition to adoption of computer-based testing, the CFA Institute is reducing the number of questions on the Level I exam from 240 to 180. The exam will still have two sessions, with each session consisting of 90 questions and time limits of 2 hours and 15 minutes apiece.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Andrew Temte, please contact Greg Ten Eyck at Kaplan (gregory.teneyck@kaplan.edu) or +1 954-515-3026.

Kaplan Schweser is part of Kaplan and a leading global provider of financial education for hundreds of thousands of students and business professionals around the world, including training for CFA®, CAIA®, and FRM®. Our comprehensive learning strategy, known as The Kaplan Way, utilizes learning science in the instructional design of our educational tools and courses. Follow us on Twitter @KaplanSchweser.

CFA Institute, CFA®, and Chartered Financial Analyst® are trademarks owned by CFA Institute.

About Kaplan 

Kaplan provides individuals, universities, and businesses a broad array of educational services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit kaplan.com.

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190

Twitter: @KapEdNews, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (February 9, 2021) ⁠— America’s most prominent social justice movement is having an impact on the college admissions process. According to the results of Kaplan’s 2020 college admissions officers survey, 28 percent of top colleges and universities across the country say that the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been building for years and reached a crescendo in summer 2020, has influenced changes to their admissions process*. The survey was conducted on the heels of a report from the The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, which found that the biggest college enrollment demographic decline this past summer was among Black undergraduate students, 8.3 percent. 

Among those changes that have already been implemented or are in the works, according to the more than 300 college admissions officers surveyed are:

• “The BLM movement has encouraged us to continue to examine our policies and reaffirm our commitment to engaging in the work of anti-racism and the role of admissions/higher education institutions in supporting social justice and demanding an end to racism. Admissions staff will actively participate in opportunities to educate and improve themselves with regard to unconscious bias and cultural competency.”
• “We have made clear in our review of any legal infractions that social justice/BLM arrests will not be counted against students.”
• “The BLM movement has certainly invigorated our diversity and outreach initiatives team in the office of undergraduate admissions. It has sparked conversations of how counselors can continue to evaluate our implicit biases throughout the recruitment cycle, including which high schools we visit and which applications we choose to accept.”
• “We are having more meaningful conversations with Black students about what they expect from their college experience and how campuses are supporting BLM and other movements that promote equity for marginalized populations.”
• “As a result of the Black Lives Matter movement, we have now started taking underrepresented groups into consideration when creating our overall recruitment strategies for the year and are beginning to reach out to students at the pre-college level so they begin engaging with the STEM professions earlier.”

Other admissions officers said they added supplemental essay prompts to their applications to allow prospective students to write about racial and social justice issues, while others said they hired outside consultants to identify areas to change in order to have a more equitable recruitment process.

But even as many admissions officers say BLM, which was recently nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, is impacting their admissions process, diversity efforts continue to lag among most colleges, with only 34 percent saying they have a specific program to recruit Black students. One school shared, however, that it has established a goal of doubling the enrollment of Black students by 2025.

For more information about the Kaplan survey, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190. 

*309 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 e-mail between September 16 and September 29, 2020. Percentages are rolled up to the nearest whole number.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.   

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190

Twitter: @KapEdNews, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (January 28, 2021) ⁠— Kaplan’s 2020 college admissions officers survey shows that a growing percentage of admissions officers think that it’s “fair game” for them to visit applicants’ social media pages to help them decide who gets in*. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of the 300-plus college admissions officers surveyed see no issue with social media being part of the admissions equation, a point of view that has gained support in recent years. In Kaplan’s 2019 survey, 59 percent of admissions officers reported a “fair game” view, while the 2018 survey found it to be 57 percent. On the flip side, 35 percent of admissions officers consider viewing applicants’ social media “an invasion of privacy and shouldn’t be done.” 

The survey results come on the heels of teens increasingly using newer social platforms like TikTok, which recently surpassed Instagram as teenagers’ second favorite social media app; SnapChat remains number one. 

Among other survey findings:

• The survey found that 36 percent of admissions officers polled visit applicants’ social media profiles like Facebook, TiKTok, and Instagram to learn more about them⁠—holding steady from Kaplan’s 2019 survey, but up significantly from 25 percent in Kaplan’s 2018 survey.
• Of admissions officers who have checked out an applicant’s social media footprint, about 17 percent say they do it “often,” about the same as in 2019’s survey, but significantly higher than the 11 percent in Kaplan’s 2015 survey. 
• Of the admissions officers who say they check social media, 42 percent say that what they found has had a positive impact on prospective students, up from 38 percent in 2019. On the flip side, 58 percent say that what they found had a negative impact, up significantly from 32 percent in 2019.

“We’ve been tracking the role of social media in the college admissions process since 2008 and while it’s clear that admissions officers are becoming philosophically more comfortable with the idea of visiting applicants’ social media profiles as an evaluating factor, in practice, the majority still don’t do it. Most will tell you that while social profiles shouldn’t be off limits, they are much more focused on evaluating prospective students on the traditional admissions factors like GPA, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, admissions essay, and extracurriculars,” says Isaac Botier, executive director of college admissions programs, Kaplan. 

“The upshot is that applicants’ social media content remains a wildcard in the admissions process, with what they post possibly being the tipping point of whether or not they’re admitted. Our consistent advice to teens is to remain careful and strategic about what they decide to share. In the age of COVID, for example, how might an admissions officer react to seeing a photo of you in a large group of friends, with local social distancing and safety precautions not being followed? These are things applicants didn’t have to think about last cycle, but may have to do so now.”

To schedule an interview about the survey results, contact Russell Schaffer at 917.822.8190 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com. 

*313 admissions officers 301 from the nation’s top national, regional and liberal arts colleges and universities – as compiled from U.S. News & World Report – were polled by e-mail between September 16 and September 29, 2020. Percentages are rolled up to the nearest whole number.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.   

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190

Twitter: @KaplanEdNews

New York, NY (January 21, 2021) — The coronavirus pandemic is causing major disruptions to the MBA landscape, including in one traditionally controversial area, according to a new Kaplan survey of business schools across the United States*. Of the programs surveyed, 10 percent say they don’t plan to participate in any of the business school rankings, long a mainstay of the MBA admissions process; 62 percent say they plan to participate in only some of the rankings; and 28 percent say they plan to participate in all the rankings**.

“The majority of business schools have made their admissions process more flexible, including making the GMAT® or GRE® optional, so many schools are lacking in test score data this year. Another major data point that goes into the rankings is job placement rate, and with the economy struggling as it is, it’s likely that it wasn’t as easy for Class of 2020 graduates to find employment as it was for Class of 2019 graduates. While many business schools are still reporting this data point for transparency, it’s also likely that others are reluctant to publicize it,” said Brian Carlidge, vice president of admissions, Kaplan. 

“Absent reliable GMAT or GRE test scores and other complete pandemic-impacted data points, most business schools are opting out of full participation in this year’s rankings. One bright spot for business schools: most top MBA programs are reporting year-over-year growth in starting salaries, another key rankings data point.”

Kaplan’s survey comes on the heels of many top business schools (Chicago Booth, Stanford, Columbia, Harvard, MIT Sloan, Northwestern Kellogg, and UPenn Wharton) already publicly stating their non-participation in at least one global rankings list and after the Graduate Management Admission Council called for a pause in all MBA rankings because of a lack of complete data.

An admissions officer at one school that still plans to participate in some of the rankings shared, “We still believe that rankings give students some information to compare different schools. It is hoped that rankings organizations will take into consideration the issues schools have faced during the Covid pandemic and adjust their metrics.” But another admissions officer whose school says it won’t participate in any of the rankings stated, “The challenges associated with test centers closing and admissions processes changing to accommodate this made for a less quantitative decision making model. It does not easily translate to the criteria forced by the ranking methodology.” And another admissions officer observed, “Everyone is in the same boat, although some are in more serious financial straits than others. I see no reason not to report.”

Carlidge adds, “We understand both sides of the rankings debate. Where a school places in the rankings is an important recruitment tool for prospective students, and publicizing a high ranking can help boost alumni giving. But at the same time, with so much tumult, it’s hard to get a clear picture of where each business school lands. With so many top MBA programs not participating this year, it may make the rankings released in 2021 feel much less potent and relevant for aspiring business school students than in years past. We plan to ask this question again later this year to see whether this is a temporary situation or if the pandemic has instigated a longer-term trend.”

For more information about Kaplan’s survey, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*Admissions officers from 90 full-time business schools across the United States were polled by e-mail in October 2020. Among those polled are 14 of the top 50 programs as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Percentages are rounded up to the nearest whole number. 

**Exact wording of the question: About a dozen top business schools have announced that they will not participate in any MBA rankings this academic year due to the historic nature of the admissions cycle. Which of the following best describes your school’s plan?

• We plan to participate in all MBA rankings: 28%
• We plan to participate in some MBA rankings 62%%
• We do not plan to participate in any MBA rankings: 10%

Test names are the property of the respective trademark holders, none of whom endorse or are affiliated with Kaplan.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.  

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

Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190
Twitter: @KaplanEdNews, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (January 19, 2021) — The following statement about The College Board’s decision to eliminate the SAT’s optional Writing Section and all SAT Subject Tests comes from Isaac Botier, executive director of college admissions programs, Kaplan:

“The Writing Section was added to the SAT in 2005 as part of a broader overhaul that sought to make the test more academically relevant, but according to our tracking research, very few colleges made the SAT Writing Section a mandatory part of their own admissions process. The reality is that although there was a lot of initial interest in the Writing Section, it didn’t live up to expectations and as the years went by, colleges became less enthusiastic about it, citing their existing ability to gauge applicants’ writing skills through their own application essays. This eventually led to the Writing Section becoming an optional, separately graded part of the exam beginning in 2016. At this point, many are likely thinking, ‘What took them so long?’ Its elimination creates one less pressure point for college applicants, helping to reduce their stress as it’s one less thing to prepare for.

“SAT Subject Tests were another piece of the college admissions pie that have steadily lost favor with both colleges and prospective students. While a few decades ago, many top colleges required them, in the past decade many colleges have dropped this requirement completely, including most recently the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Not surprisingly, this has led to a decrease in the number of Subject Test takers, so it’s not a coincidence that Advanced Placement® tests have become an increasingly important part of the College Board’s business portfolio.

“Overall, we think it’s safe to say that neither colleges nor students will be disappointed to see the departures of the Writing Section and Subject Tests. For college applicants, this shift allows them to focus more on the tests that can help them secure college credit and win merit-based aid, which are the AP exams. And a strong SAT score remains an effective way for applicants to distinguish themselves in what continues to be a competitive college admissions process.”

To schedule an interview with a college admissions expert at Kaplan, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

Test names are the property of the respective trademark holders, none of whom endorse or are affiliated with Kaplan.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190

Twitter: @KaplanEdNews

New York, NY (December 2, 2020) — The competition to get into business school, especially a top ranked one, will always remain fierce, but according to a new Kaplan survey, now may be the most convenient time in recent memory to apply*. According to admissions officers at more than 100 business schools across the United States, 82 percent say that due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis, they have made their admissions process more flexible this cycle. 

When asked specifically about the role that the GMAT or GRE play in their school’s 2020-2021 admissions cycle, 36 percent say they’ve suspended the testing requirement for all applicants; 24 percent say they have suspended the requirement for some applicants; 18 percent say they have kept the requirement in place; 17 percent say they have suspended the requirement and may keep it permanent; and 6 percent say they are considering suspending the requirement.

Survey respondents also cited a number of additional  ways that business schools have become more flexible this cycle, such as:

• Dropping the application fee
• Waiving the deposit fee
• Allowing applicants to submit scores from the significantly shorter Executive Assessment instead of the GMAT or GRE
• Relaxing the number of work years requirement
• Extending application deadlines

“This is an admissions cycle like no other and business schools recognize this, which is why they are taking steps to make the process as student-friendly as possible,” said Brian Carlidge, vice president of admissions programs, Kaplan. “Applicants should keep in mind, though, that although most business schools are taking steps to streamline the process, it won’t be any easier to get into business school than in recent years. In fact, with applications surging at MBA programs across the U.S., it’s more important than ever to put together the strongest application possible to stand out from the competition.”

The survey results come on the heels of a recent report from the Graduate Management Admission Council, conducted in August and the first half of September, showing a massive global rebound in the number of business school applications, possibly signaling stronger than usual competition to get in. In the U.S. specifically, 66 percent of programs reported an increase, up from only 40 percent the previous year. 

“It’s surely not how business schools wanted it to happen, but the pandemic and struggling economy that it created have been a lifeline to many full-time MBA programs, which have been struggling for applicants for a number of years. From what they tell us, they think this application surge will continue,” added Carlidge.  ”And when thinking about possible increased competition, it’s important to consider both the number of applications and the quality of applicants. Prospective students could just be applying to more schools than they did a year ago and they could be applying to more reach schools. And we still don’t know what their professional experience is, what their GPAs are, and how they scored on the admissions tests. Knowing that data would tell us a lot more about the state of play.”

Kaplan will release additional findings from its 2020 business school admissions officers survey over the coming months. Other issues explored include the potential boycotting of the rankings, how the Black Lives Matter movement affected admissions, and other topics in diversity. Kaplan has conducted this survey annually for the past 15 years to ensure that pre-MBA students get the most accurate and up-to-date information on the issues that impact them most.

For more information about Kaplan’s survey, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*Admissions officers from 104 full-time business schools across the United States were polled by e-mail in October 2020. Among those polled are 15 of the top 50 programs as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Percentages are rounded up to the nearest whole number. 

Test names are the property of the respective trademark holders, none of whom endorse or are affiliated with Kaplan.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.  

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190

Twitter: @KaplanEdNews, @KaplanMCATPrep

New York, NY (November 9, 2020) — Competition to secure a coveted seat in medical school will always remain fierce, but according to a new Kaplan survey, now may be the most convenient time in recent memory to apply*. According to medical school admissions officers across North America, 93 percent say they have made their admissions process more flexible due to the impact that the coronavirus crisis has had on everything from MCAT® testing dates to the ability to visit campuses to securing the recommended number of clinical hours. Among the most common ways that medical schools have become more flexible this cycle, according to those surveyed, are:

• Accepting pass/fail grades for prerequisite courses
• Extending MCAT score submission deadlines
• Moving admission interviews online
• Adding a place for prospective students to explain COVID-19’s impact on their overall application 
• Evaluating applicants from a more holistic perspective

And while medical schools say they are extending MCAT submission deadlines, they are far more stringent and traditional when it comes to other uses for the exam. Only 27 percent think that the Association of American Medical Colleges—the organization that writes the MCAT—should launch an at-home version of the exam, like test makers for other graduate-level exams have done, primarily citing test security concerns. The MCAT is still only administered in official testing centers, though to accommodate as many test takers as possible because of previously cancelled exams, the test was temporarily shortened by more than 60 minutes in 2020. Admission officers also say that an applicant’s MCAT score is the most important admissions factor, followed by undergraduate GPA.

Another major way that medical schools are making their admissions requirements more flexible is by being more lenient regarding prospective students’ clinical experience. During normal times, this often includes applicants logging many hours of shadowing doctors, volunteering in a hospital, being an EMT volunteer, or becoming a caretaker. According to Kaplan’s survey, 61 percent have relaxed their requirements in this area, citing the inability of pre-meds to practice social distancing in such intimate settings. Many of those surveyed, however, indicated that clinical experience remains an important admissions factor.

“This is not the application cycle that any aspiring doctor could have predicted or wanted when they took their first pre-med class as a freshman, but medical schools seem to be taking steps to make the process as straightforward as possible under extraordinary conditions,” said Petros Minasi, senior director, pre-health programs, Kaplan. “Pre-meds should keep in mind, though, that although most medical schools are taking steps to remove roadblocks, that it won’t be any easier to get into medical school than in recent years. In fact, with applications surging, it’s more important than ever to put together the strongest application possible.”

The results come on the heels of a new report from the AAMC showing that the number of medical school applicants rose nearly 17% from a year earlier, marking an interest not seen in more than 10 years, and signaling stronger than usual competition to get in. 

Kaplan will release additional findings from its 2020 medical admissions officers survey over the coming months. Other issues explored include the Black Lives Matter movement and whether we can expect to see an increase in the number of medical school seats. Kaplan has conducted this survey annually for about 15 years to ensure that pre-meds get the most accurate and up-to-date information on the issues that impact them most.

For more information about Kaplan’s survey, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*Admissions officers from 69 accredited medical schools across North America were polled by e-mail between August and September 2020. Percentages are rounded up to the nearest whole number.

MCAT® is a registered trademark of the AAMC. Test names are the property of the respective trademark holders, none of whom endorse or are affiliated with Kaplan.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.  

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190

Twitter: @KaplanEdNews, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (October 19, 2020) — When evaluating how they reopened their campuses this fall amid coronavirus, most colleges and universities acknowledge that they have not earned high marks, according to a new Kaplan survey of admissions officers at over 300 institutions of higher learning across the United States*.  When asked to give a grade to their industry’s ‘reopening’ performance as a whole, taking into account factors like implementing new safety precautions, delivering courses, and communicating with students and parents, only 4 percent gave an A; 36 percent gave a B; 51 percent, a C; 9 percent, a D; and 1 percent, an F.

The survey, which spanned two weeks from mid to late September, was conducted amid reports of coronavirus outbreaks at several large universities across the country. It came at the same time when some schools, which had decided to conduct classes in-person, did an about face and instead moved to strictly online. 

Admissions officers who gave reopening a poor grade shared the following anecdotes and opinions:

• “Both parents and students wanted to come back to campus.  The schools that went online only tended to have huge endowments or other financial support. Schools did the best they could in the environment they are in and the lack of strong leadership at the national level made it almost impossible for any school to open well.”
• “I think that too many tried to reopen in person without enough safety precautions in place. Too many students got sick, and then if those universities closed and switched to online, then those students potentially spread the virus even more when they moved back home.”
• “Very few schools did this well…The ‘waffling’ by most institutions did nothing but create confusion and anxiety with students and parents.”
• “A majority of the reopening plans that have been implemented were based on the idea that college students will suddenly stop acting like college students. Expecting students to sit in their dorms and not try to be social at all (whether on or off campus) was not realistic. Also testing plans were not thought out well at all. Some schools have not made access to testing easy, whether it be charging students for testing or threatening disciplinary action if students have a positive test. In some cases on our campus, students do not feel that they can reach out for health services and other support without having a ‘COVID witch hunt’ come after them.”

Admissions officers who awarded above average scores shared the following:

• “I know that great amounts of time and attention were given to reopening steps by most institutions, and only a few have experienced high numbers of COVID-19 infections after reopening. The safety steps for most schools are extensive.”
• “I think many colleges and universities reopened in accordance with state guidelines. In my experience, universities also developed internal steering committees and COVID-19 response teams that evaluated all factors at play in reopening. Often these review committees and standards of reopening were more cautionary than the state’s phased return plan.”
• “Students should have access to in person study and an in person community during their college years. I believe we can do this even amidst a global pandemic. Colleges have taken the necessary procedures to mitigate the spread while students are on campus.”
• “It is the first time for all of us. I would be less lenient come fall 2021.”

“We know how challenging a time this has been for everyone on the higher education landscape, from administrators to health officials, to faculty and staff, to students, to parents, and everyone else that is part of a college community. To say that the past six months have been ‘unprecedented’ would be an understatement. What college admissions officers are telling us in this survey is that there is a lot of room for improvement in multiple areas, from education delivery, to communication, to safety procedures. We think this self-awareness is positive, and many shared plans on how they’ll be making improvements in the coming weeks and months. Fundamentally, they all understand that safety comes first,” said Isaac Botier, executive director of college admissions programs, Kaplan. 

Kaplan will release additional findings from its 2020 college admissions officers survey over the coming months. Issues explored include the Black Lives Matter movement and the role social media plays in the admissions process. Kaplan has conducted this survey every year since 2005 to ensure that parents and students get the most accurate and up-to-date information on the issues that impact them most.

For more information about Kaplan’s survey, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*301 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 e-mail between September 16 and September 29, 2020. Percentages are rolled up to the nearest whole number.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.  

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190

Twitter: @KapTestNews, @KaplanLSATPrep

New York, NY (September 22, 2020) — There’s good news for law school applicants amid the most unpredictable admissions cycle in recent history. According to a new Kaplan survey of nearly 100 law schools across the United States, taking the shorter, one-hour and 45 minutes, at-home version of the usual LSAT exam—called the LSAT-Flex—will not put aspiring attorneys at an admissions disadvantage compared to those who submit scores from the regular exam*. According to the survey, 92 percent say they will evaluate applicants equally regardless of which LSAT version they take.

Another survey result finds that 60 percent agree that an at-home version of the LSAT “would produce a fair, reliable score for test-takers that I would have confidence in as an admissions officer evaluating applicants”; 13 percent disagree, while the remaining 27 percent didn’t offer a definitive opinion. 

This vote of confidence in the LSAT-Flex comes after an initial unease among some in the legal education community about the 2020-2021 academic year and admissions cycle, with administrations of the LSAT being cancelled for health reasons. This was followed by the news that an at-home version of the LSAT would take its place only temporarily, allowing students whose tests were cancelled to stick with their application plans. Subsequently, the Law School Admission Council, the makers of the exam, has announced that the only version available the rest of 2020 will be LSAT-Flex. As recently as June, law school applications were down 2.5 percent from the same time last year, but more recent data show applications slightly up.

“The most asked question we’ve received from pre-law students this year has been, ‘Will I be at an admissions disadvantage if I take the shortened LSAT-Flex instead of the longer regular LSAT?’ Now we have an answer. Almost every law school reports that a strong score is a strong score no matter which version of the test you take. There has been lagging skepticism among some prospective law school applicants, but hopefully these survey results erase those doubts,” said Jeff Thomas, executive director of legal programs, Kaplan. 

Mr Thomas continues: “At Kaplan, we strongly encourage aspiring law school students to take advantage of the at-home version of the LSAT instead of waiting for testing centers to reopen. Not only is the exam significantly shorter than the regular LSAT, but there’s also no telling when the regular LSAT in testing centers will be offered again, as LSAT-Flex is the only version being administered through the end of 2020. The bottom line is that not only is LSAT-Flex your best option, but it’s your only option until at least early 2021.”

LSAT-Flex is composed of three 35-minute scored sections instead of the traditional five 35-minute sections (four scored and one unscored), potentially an advantage for test-takers for whom endurance is a challenge. LSAT-Flex is available on any laptop or desktop computer with a Windows or Mac operating system. Test takers are monitored by a live proctor through webcam and microphone.

For more information about the Kaplan survey and preparing for the LSAT, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*Based on the results of a Kaplan e-survey conducted between June 2020 and July 2020 of 91 American Bar Association-accredited law schools. Among the 91 law schools surveyed are 16 of the top 25, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law School Admission Council, Inc. which does not review or endorse specific test preparation materials or services.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.  

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

Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190
Twitter: @kaptestnews

New York, NY (September 14, 2020) – Kaplan, the world leader in educational services, has created a preparation (prep) course for the Financial Data Professional Institute, which educates financial professionals about the emerging field of data science and its practical applications in the financial sector. The prep course is intended to help candidates earn the Financial Data Professional (FDP) credential, which reflects expertise in the intersections between data science and finance. The FDPI was created in 2019 by the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association, a global professional credentialing body dedicated to creating greater alignment, transparency, and knowledge for all investors, with a specific emphasis on alternative investments.

The live, online prep course will feature four 3-hour sessions delivered over the evenings of October 5-8 and will be taught by Dr. Javed Ahmed. With experience in banking, finance, forecasting, risk management, consulting, policy, and behavioral economics, Javed has led development of analytic applications for large organizations including Amazon and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and has served as a researcher with the Office of Financial Research (U.S. Treasury). The FDP Charter will be granted by the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association to individuals who successfully complete prerequisite requirements and pass the high-stakes exam focused on big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning applications in the financial industry. All pre-course sessions will be recorded to allow students to review them at any time until the day of their test. Unlike some other online course options available, the Financial Data Professional Charter review prep course allows for engagement with the instructor and other students. These prep courses are  intended to augment the 200 hours of expected preparation for the exam.

According to reporting by Bloomberg and data from LinkedIn, job listings requiring data science skills in the financial industry increased nearly 60% last year. 

“The importance of having strong data science knowledge among those working in the financial sector has never been greater. For financial professionals to succeed in their current job and also have the opportunity to advance in their career tracks, having these data science skills along with the credential can be invaluable,” said Dr. Ahmed. “We are excited to work with the Financial Data Professional Institute to help their students pass the exam and look forward to launching the prep course in October.”

“The pace of digital transformation has accelerated and at its core, mass scale adoption of AI and data science is driving the future of financial services. The FDP Charterholders have the skills and tool sets to enable the application of data science in finance,” said Mehrzad Mahdavi, PhD, executive director of FDP Institute. “We are delighted to have Kaplan provide the prep course to augment the FDP curriculum. This combination will provide candidates with a rich set of practical training material.”

To help prospective students decide if the course is right for them and to explain the essentials for people at various job-levels to know about data science, Kaplan and FDP are holding a free webinar on September 24 at 1 PM. To register, visit https://caia.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b2rGNFvjQhKZIkgJm-FEmA.

To enroll in the course, visit https://www.kaptest.com/financial-data-professional-review.

To speak with a Kaplan spokesperson about data and analytics training, please contact Russell Schaffer at 917.822.8190 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com. 

About Kaplan

Kaplan provides individuals, universities, and businesses a broad array of educational services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaplan.com.

About the Financial Data Professional Institute

The FDP Institute educates financial professionals about the emerging field of data science and its practical applications in the financial sector. It awards the FDP Charter to candidates who complete its exam successfully. The FDP curriculum prepares professionals to gain deeper knowledge of data science and its use. For more information, please visit www.fdpinstitute.org. 

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