Kaplan Test Prep Comments on New At-Home LSAT® Scheduled For Second Half of May

#Press Releases

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, @KaplanLSATPrep

New York, NY (April 8, 2020) – The following statement about the Law School Admission Council’s announcement to offer an online, remotely proctored version of the LSAT called the LSAT-Flex in May so that test takers can safely sit for the exam at home during the COVID-19 pandemic comes from Jeff Thomas, executive director of admissions programs, Kaplan Test Prep:

“Creating a version of the LSAT that aspiring lawyers can take from the safety of their own homes is a win for test takers, many of whom had their admissions timelines disrupted because of COVID-19-related test cancellations in April. This makes an uncertain and stressful situation a lot more manageable. Our advice to students is to take the LSAT-Flex if they qualify, especially if they are planning to apply for enrollment in the fall 2020 semester. It seems likely that some parts of the country will still be hard hit by COVID-19 this summer, making it unlikely that normal test administrations can take place for a few months. The good news is that the format of LSAT-Flex is the same as LSAC’s new digital practice tool, so this will not be in a format with which students are unfamiliar.”

Candidates currently registered for the cancelled April 2020 exam will be automatically registered to take the LSAT-Flex, unless they choose otherwise. The test maker says it may make other LSAT-Flex test dates available this spring and summer if the situation warrants the cancellation of other test administrations currently on the calendar, but the May date is only for test takers who were scheduled for April’s test date.

LSAT-Flex will include one section each of Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning; there will be no second Logical Reasoning section or experimental section, as there usually are. The scoring scale of 120 to 180 will remain the same.

For more details, visit the Law School Admission Council’s LSAT-Flex information page.

To speak with an LSAT expert at Kaplan, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

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 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 200 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school. Among those tests are the SAT®, PSAT®, ACT®, GRE®, GMAT®, LSAT®, and MCAT®. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

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Press Releases

April 8, 2020

i-Human Patients® by Kaplan to Host Free, Live Streaming Virtual Simulation Event for Physicians in Training: Determining if the Diagnosis is COVID-19 or Influenza

Log on at 1 PM ET, Tuesday, March 31 at https://www.kaptest.com/live/events

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

New York, NY (March 27, 2020) – You have 100 patients in your waiting room, all with complaints. The incidents of influenza A outstrips those of COVID-19, but infection rates are on the rise. Your clinic was only provided 25 kits for COVID-19, so who gets tested? These are the hard questions doctors are making every day on the frontlines.

With third and fourth year medical students sidelined from clinical rotations due to the COVID-19 outbreak, i-Human Patients by Kaplan, a leader in cloud-based, interactive patient encounter simulations for medical and nursing professionals, will host an interactive, live online event at 1 PM ET on Tuesday, March 31, to demonstrate how a doctor might diagnose a patient showing signs of COVID-19.

The event is geared towards doctors in training, from pre-meds to fourth year medical students, as well as healthcare professionals who make diagnoses, such as physician assistants and nurse practitioner students. During the event, Dr. Judy Kalinyak, MD, PhD, vice president and director of clinical simulations, i-Human Patients by Kaplan, will introduce attendees to a virtual patient who is showing symptoms of COVID-19, and play out a full exam—from patient history all the way through to diagnosis. Dr. Kalinyak will interact with the event attendees, who are encouraged to suggest what to ask the patient to help identify if he actually has the virus, which is now affecting millions of people across the globe and has dramatically unsettled the world’s economy.

“Now with virtual patient simulation, we can train new students and hone the skills of practicing clinicians on how to diagnose new diseases rapidly and effectively without the risk of exposure,” said Dr. Kalinyak.

While doctors and nurses are in the trenches helping patients infected with COVID-19, medical school students are heeding the call to action too. Some of these physicians in training, for example, have created infographics and shareable videos to educate the public about the pandemic, while others have held mask drives for local hospitals. Recognizing the emergency, at least one medical school wants its students practicing even before the semester is over. NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine this week announced that it plans to allow senior students to graduate early in response to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “directive to get more physicians into the health system more quickly,” the school said in a statement. And there could be a lot more where that came from. Last week, the Association of American Medical Colleges recommended that medical students end contact with patients for at least two weeks, freeing up potentially 90,000 aspiring doctors for the time being.

For more information about the event or to speak with Dr. Kalinyak, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

To pre-register, visit https://shop.kaptest.com/i/covidcase.

About i-Human Patients by Kaplan

i-Human Patients (www.i-human.com), part of Kaplan, Inc. is dedicated to enabling active e-learning in healthcare to promote the delivery of high quality, cost-effective care, and to ensure an adequate supply of healthcare providers fully trained in patient assessment and diagnostic reasoning.

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Press Releases

March 27, 2020

Kaplan Survey: Most Parents of High School Students Concerned Their Children Will Fall Behind Academically, Amid COVID-19 School Closures

Also: Fewer than Half Are Confident in their Ability to Manage Their Child’s Learning at Home

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, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (March 26, 2020) – A majority (62 percent) of parents of high school students say they are concerned that school closures because of COVID-19 will cause their child to fall behind in their academic career, according to a recent Kaplan nationwide survey*. The survey also finds that less than half (48 percent) of the parents surveyed are confident that they can manage their child’s learning at home, given the support and information they currently have.

One study finds that as of March 25, almost every state has closed their schools because of COVID-19, affecting at least 55.1 million students.

The Kaplan survey also finds that a majority of high school parents are also thinking about a series of other COVID-19-related issues that may impact their children:

61 percent say they are concerned about their child’s mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic
71 percent express concern that their child will be distracted from their schoolwork by social media apps and video games
A majority are concerned about the effects of social distancing, with 57 percent saying they are worried about their child’s ability to get sufficient socializing and fun time with peers
Additionally, 54 percent say they are concerned about their child’s ability to get sufficient physical activity and exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic

“What we are seeing across the United States right now is an unprecedented situation, with parents, students, and schools all trying to adjust to ‘the new normal’ and figure out how to best navigate a series of social and academic challenges they’ve never anticipated having to tackle,” said Dennis Yim, director of academics, Kaplan Test Prep. “We know that many parents are in the new situation of either working from home or looking for a job because they were laid off, and also making sure their child is productive with their school work. It’s only natural that parents are expressing this level of concern for their child’s well being in a host of areas. This is a learning process for everyone involved and we are confident that as the weeks go by, everyone will be making adjustments to make things easier and more manageable. In the meantime, we encourage parents to lean on each other and learn from one another. Everyone is doing the best they can.”

To help keep families going through the college admissions process on track, Kaplan recently launched a series of no-cost study resources, including a free online SAT prep course. For more information, visit http://www.kaptest.com/study/pre-college/.

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

*Based on the results of a nationwide survey conducted by email of 304 parents of high school students, between March 19 and March 20.

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Press Releases

March 26, 2020

Kaplan Survey: Amid COVID-19 Uncertainty, Most Parents of High School Students Express Optimism that Schools Will Reopen Before September

Also: Less than Half Say Their Schools Have Provided Their Children With Homework Assignments

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, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (March 23, 2020) – Parents of high school students across the United States are bullish that schools closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic will reopen relatively quickly, according to a new Kaplan survey*. Of the parents surveyed, 33 percent think high schools will reopen at the start of the regularly scheduled fall semester; 30 percent think they will reopen before the current school year is over; 20 percent believe they will reopen over the summer; 4 percent think they will start up again within a few months after the regularly scheduled 2020-2021 year begins; two percent say in January 2021 or after; and 11 percent say they don’t know.

According to one study, as of March 21, 46 states had decided to close their schools because of the COVID-19 crisis, affecting at least 53 million students.

Overall, 77 percent of parents say their child’s high school has done a good job of communicating with them during the COVID-19 crisis. But when it comes to providing guidance as to what their child should actually be doing at home, that percentage was lower. While 67 percent of parents believe their high school has done a good job of providing the support their child needs to continue their learning from home, the range of support offered varies greatly across schools:

Less than half (43 percent) say their school has provided their child with homework assignments
37 percent say their school provided them with an online/virtual learning environment
28 percent say they have been provided with online tutorials
27 percent said they were provided with laptops or tablets
25 percent say they were provided with online study tools like the Khan Academy or Quizlet
20 percent report that their school recommended that their children read certain chapters in textbooks
18 percent say the high school has organized virtual study sessions with classmates
15 percent say their high school is not requiring any work while closed
8 percent report that their high school has provided stress management resources

In another survey result, nearly seven in 10 parents (69 percent) are confident that if their child’s high school switched to a virtual classroom environment for the rest of the year, their child has the necessary skills to succeed.

“Given the grim news we’ve been hearing lately about statewide shelter in place orders and the closures of all non-essential places of business, it may be surprising that so many parents of high school students are relatively optimistic that their children will be back within the walls of their school again so soon,” said Dennis Yim, director of academics, Kaplan Test Prep. “No doubt that every parent wants what’s best for their child and thinking positively is important, but it’s also quite possible that what many are calling ‘the new normal’ may be here for longer than many anticipate. It’s important that schools remain in close contact with both parents and students to provide guidance and support about how to continue learning. It seems likely that as the weeks go by, we may see even more guidance from schools in terms of how their students can keep up with their studies. Likewise, parents will have to consider what the best path forward may be for their children learning outside the traditional classroom, for the time being.”

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

*Based on the results of a nationwide survey conducted by email of 320 parents of high school students, between March 19 and March 20.

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Press Releases

March 23, 2020

Kaplan to Provide Students with Free SAT® Course to Keep Them Prepared and Focused During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (March 20, 2020) – With schools being closed, SAT administrations being cancelled or postponed, and college visits being postponed because of COVID-19, it’s a historically stressful time for high school students and their parents. To help make the college admissions process more manageable during this time, Kaplan Test Prep is providing students with free access for 30 days after signup to its SAT On Demand course.

This comprehensive online course taught by Kaplan experts provides students with instructional videos on test content and strategy; practice questions and explanations; and quizzes throughout each lesson, so they’ll always know if they’re on track. The instructors will also fill the lessons with words of motivation and encouragement and tips on how to stay balanced during this uncertain period. To register for the course, students can visit https://www.kaptest.com/sat/free/sat-on-demand-trial.

“We want high school students and their parents to know that Kaplan is there for them during this time of great uncertainty. While we realize that the college admissions process is just one of many issues that families are juggling with and trying to make sense of right now, we hope that providing them with this free SAT prep course will give them one less thing to be uncertain about and provide them with peace of mind,” said Isaac Botier, senior director of college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “As more and more families are affected by fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to help students and their families in the same way we’ve been successfully helping them for the past 80 plus years—by providing them with the quality resources they need to reach their educational goals.”

For the most up-to-date and accurate information about COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. Kaplan also encourages everyone to listen to state and local authorities for instructions on how their specific community may be impacted by the pandemic.

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

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

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Press Releases

March 20, 2020

Kaplan Test Prep Survey: Nearly 40 Percent of Pre-Med Students Say Stress Almost Caused Them to Drop their Plans to Become Doctors

Also: Kaplan to Host LinkedIn Live Event with Expert Guests to Discuss Results on Monday, March 9, at 3 PM ET

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

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

New York, NY (March 4, 2020) – The rigors of pre-med life are taking a toll on aspiring doctors, including lowering their self-esteem and even causing them to question their career plans, according to a Kaplan survey of more than 400 pre-meds*. Almost four in 10 aspiring doctors (37 percent) surveyed say that they have “seriously considered” dropping their plans for a medical career because of the level of stress they experienced as a pre-med.

Among the experiences pre-meds shared about grappling with their decisions to pursue a career in medicine are the following:

“I remember crying constantly throughout the day over how unhappy I was in my major and how trapped I felt studying biology. I wanted to do medicine but I felt I wasn’t smart enough or good enough.”
“I always think life would be much easier if I simply wanted an undergraduate degree. I never actually considered changing plans, but I would constantly envy the business majors on my campus whom I watched never study without a care in the world.”
“Pre-meds tend to be very competitive as well and constantly compare themselves to the other pre-meds, so that just exacerbates the stress and makes it almost embarrassing for a pre-med student to admit they’re stressed and seek out help.”
“I wondered if I’m this stressed out by undergrad, how will I ever manage medical school?”

The Kaplan survey also finds that 57 percent say “self-medicating” (alcohol and other drug use) is a common problem among their pre-med peers who are trying to deal with stress.

Additionally, more than a quarter (26 percent) of pre-meds surveyed say they experience stress “pretty much always,” while 45 percent say they experience it “frequently.” Twenty-eight percent say “occasionally,” while only 1 percent say “never.”

Dr. Jeff Koetje, director of pre-health programs, Kaplan Test Prep, said, “Between long hours in the lab, late nights studying for challenging courses like Organic Chem, studying for the MCAT, and thinking about how to finance medical school, life as a pre-med can be more than challenging. But when a pre-med’s stress becomes chronic and overwhelming, it’s essential they seek professional help, or at the very least speak with someone they know and trust like a family member, friend, or adviser. It’s important that we in the medical education community be part of the solution—we need to model, for example, a cultural shift from one that emphasizes competition, to one that focuses on collaborative learning and working. The fact that nearly 40 percent of pre-meds say they almost dropped their plans to become doctors could have significant effects on the healthcare system overall, as the U.S. is already suffering from an acute doctor shortage. Burnout is also a serious problem among practicing physicians.”

He also noted, “We are also concerned that so many pre-meds say that self-medication is a problem, as that’s not a healthy way to deal with stress and could lead to dependency issues. Pre-meds should feel supported on all levels throughout every step of the medical school admissions process. Just like these future doctors will be there for us in our time of need, we should be there for them now. Kaplan’s MCAT curriculum, for example, includes information, talks, and lessons about the importance of self-care and wellness. We want our students to know we’ve got their backs.”

On Monday, March 9, at 3 PM ET, Kaplan will host a LinkedIn Live event to discuss results of the survey and provide pre-meds with helpful information about how to better deal with elevated levels of stress. Dr. Jeff Koetje, director of pre-health programs, will moderate the hour-long discussion, and welcome Dr. Pamela Wible, who provides free crisis support for doctors and students struggling with suicide and devotes herself to root cause analysis of physician and medical student suicide; Dr. Isaiah Cochran, president, American Medical Student Association; and Elisabeth Fassas, author of the new book, Making Pre-Med Count and a Kaplan MCAT® instructor. To tune in, connect with Kaplan’s LinkedIn page. You will then receive a push alert when the event begins.

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

*Based on the results of a Kaplan e-survey conducted in December 2019—February 2020 of 414 pre-med students who took a Kaplan MCAT course.

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

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Press Releases

March 4, 2020

Kaplan Test Prep Survey: The Politics-Driven Law School Application Increase Continues

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

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

New York, NY (January 29, 2020) – According to a recent Kaplan Test Prep survey of more than 100 law schools across the United States, 84 percent of admissions officers believe that the current political climate was a significant factor in this past admissions cycle’s increase of 3.3 percent in law school applications*. This includes 26 percent who describe it as a “very significant” factor. In Kaplan’s 2018 law school admissions officers survey, a similar 87 percent said the political climate drove the cycle’s nearly nine percent increase in applications, the first significant increase after years of plummeting application volume after the Great Recession.

This application bump—driven by an interest in politics—may continue, according to a separate Kaplan survey of over 400 pre-law students**. Forty-one percent say that the political climate impacted their decision to apply to law school, a decrease from 45 percent in 2019, but a marked increase from 32 percent in a Kaplan survey released in 2018.

Among the students who said politics was a significant factor, one said: “It’s getting harder and harder for people to come together over basic policies, and as a result, those with less influence (i.e. marginalized individuals/communities) are being forgotten. I want to be a lawyer in large part to bring a voice back to these individuals and fight for equality under the law.” However, another student said it was technology, not politics, driving her interest in a career in law: “I am interested in studying and practicing intellectual property law, as I believe that with the growth of media technology like streaming, intellectual property attorneys will be in increasing demand.”

Further, the Kaplan survey found that an interest in politics was also driving the choice of where to attend law school. Nearly half (46 percent) say it is important to attend a law school where fellow students generally share their own political and/or social beliefs, the same percentage as last year’s survey found.

“Since 2017, we’ve seen increases in both LSAT® takers and law school applications, which has fueled speculation about how much impact the political climate is having on the law school admissions landscape. At Kaplan we thought it would be worth securing hard data on the issue and tracking this for subsequent cycles. We now have an answer: the impact remains significant and appears to have staying power,” said Jeff Thomas, executive director of admissions programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “As law school admissions officers point out, caring about politics alone is not a strong enough reason to attend law school. Your career in law will outlive any particular presidency. A term in the House lasts two years, law school lasts three years, and a presidency can be as short as four years, but your career will last decades. That’s why we continue to advise pre-law students to think carefully about why they are applying and what they plan to do with their degree in the long term.”

Thomas points out that although the number of law school applications was up this past cycle, the number of first-year students remained flat. “The fact that the number of 1Ls is essentially unchanged from last year despite an overall application increase suggests that law schools may be becoming more selective about who they let in. The number of jobs in the legal sector isn’t keeping up and they are mindful of that. It’s also worth noting that over the past year or so, several law schools have announced plans to close or not accept any new students. This is having an effect too.”

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

*Based on the results of a Kaplan survey conducted by phone of 101 American Bar Association-accredited law schools between August and September 2019. Among the law schools polled were 29 of the top 50, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

**Based on the results of a Kaplan e-survey conducted between April 2019 and February 2020 of 421 pre-law students who took a Kaplan LSAT course.

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

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Press Releases

January 29, 2020

Kaplan Survey: Percentage of College Admissions Officers Who Visit Applicants’ Social Media Pages on the Rise Again

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)
Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @KaplanSATACT

New York, NY (January 13, 2020) ⁠— Results from Kaplan Test Prep’s 2019 college admissions officers find that 36 percent of the nearly 300 admissions officers polled visit applicants’ social media profiles like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to learn more about them⁠—up from 25 percent last year and following a three year decline in the practice since the high mark of 40 percent in Kaplan’s 2015 survey*. This comes as teens are increasingly using newer social platforms such as TikTok and Twitch.

Of admissions officers who have checked out an applicant’s social media footprint, about one in five (19 percent) say they do it “often,” significantly higher than the 11 percent who said they checked “often” in Kaplan’s 2015 survey.

Of the admissions officers who say they check social media to learn more about their applicants, 38 percent say that what they found has had a positive impact on prospective students. On the flip side, 32 percent say that what they found had a negative impact. Both of these figures have fluctuated slightly over the past few years.

The Kaplan survey found that although less than half of admissions officers visit applicants’ social media profiles, 59 percent—slightly higher than last year’s 57 percent—consider it “fair game,” while only 41 percent consider it “an invasion of privacy that shouldn’t be done.” College applicants are notably more accepting of this practice than admissions officers; in a separate Kaplan survey completed last year, 70 percent of college applicants said they believe it’s “fair game” for college admissions officers to check social media profiles.

“In tracking the role of social media in the college admissions process over the past eleven years, what we’re seeing is that while admissions officers have become more ideologically comfortable with the idea of visiting applicants’ social media profiles as part of their decision-making process, in practice, the majority still don’t actually do it. They often tell us that while it shouldn’t be off limits, they are much more focused on evaluating prospective students on the traditional admissions factors like an applicant’s GPA, SAT and ACT scores, letters of recommendation, admissions essay, and extracurriculars,” says Sam Pritchard, director of college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep.

“We continue to believe 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 to the college of their choice. Our consistent advice to teens is to remain careful and strategic about what they decide to share. In 25 years, you’ll definitely remember where you graduated college from, but you’ll unlikely remember how many people liked that photo of what you did over winter break.”

For a two-minute video on Kaplan’s survey results, click here.

To schedule an interview about the survey results, contact Russell Schaffer at 212.453.7538 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com.

*288 admissions officers from the nation’s top national, regional and liberal arts colleges and universities – as compiled from U.S. News & World Report – were polled by telephone between July and August 2019.

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 200 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Among those tests are the SAT®, PSAT®, ACT®, GRE®, GMAT®, LSAT®, MCAT®, NCLEX-RN® and bar exams. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

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Press Releases

January 13, 2020

Kaplan Launches Online Resources Hub to Help Students Understand their PSAT® Scores

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

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

New York, NY (December 9, 2019) — For high school sophomores, December is more than just thinking about their much deserved days off from school and holiday gift buying and receiving. It also includes getting back their PSAT scores and understanding what’s ahead in the college admissions process. To help students and their families understand what their scores mean and how these can potentially help future college applicants secure merit-based financial aid, Kaplan Test Prep has created a PSAT online hub that will answer some of the most frequently asked questions, including:

The launch of the PSAT hub coincides with when test takers will receive their scores from the October exam. According to the test maker, students will be informed about their results December 9-11, depending on their region of the country.

“The PSAT is the starting line of the college admissions process and scholarship money,” said Sam Pritchard, director of college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “With tens of millions of dollars in National Merit scholarships awarded to top-scoring students, it’s to students’ and parents’ competitive advantage to be educated about all issues related to it. We’re excited to make these resources available, which will enable students and their families to be better informed about what’s at stake.”

For parents and students who have questions about understanding their PSAT scores and next steps, Kaplan is offering free consultations with SAT experts. To book an appointment, visit https://kaplan-psat-scores.youcanbook.me/

For reporters who want to speak with a Kaplan expert about how students and parents can best understand their PSAT scores and strategize for the next steps of the college admissions process, contact russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

Test names are the property of the respective trademark holders, none of whom endorse or 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 200 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Among those tests are the SAT®, PSAT®, ACT®, GRE®, GMAT®, LSAT®, MCAT®, NCLEX-RN® and bar exams. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

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Press Releases

December 9, 2019

Kaplan Survey: Aspiring Doctors Say Free Medical School Tuition is the Way to Go, but a Majority of Admissions Officers Say It’s Not on the Horizon

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

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

New York, NY (December 4, 2019) ⁠— Pre-med students have caught free tuition fever, but medical school admissions officers say that’s not something they will be able to offer within the next 10 years, find two new Kaplan Test Prep surveys. According to nearly 350 pre-med students who were polled, 47 percent say medical schools should go tuition free for all of their students, regardless of income, something NYU announced last year for its students; 19 percent favor free tuition, but only for students whose family income/ability to pay is below a certain threshold, something Cornell’s medical school recently announced; and 34 percent believe medical schools should continue to award financial aid however they see fit*.

The survey also found that an overwhelming 80 percent of pre-meds think that the cost of medical schools “is a major prohibitive factor, which keeps many talented people from pursuing a medical career.”

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the average cost (tuition and fees) of attending a private medical school in the United States hovers around $60,000 per year; for in-state students at a public medical school, the cost is lower, but still not an insignificant $35,000 per year. AAMC data also shows that students graduate from medical school with a median debt of $200,000.

A separate Kaplan survey of admissions officers at 70 medical schools, however, finds that free tuition is still largely a pipedream**. Just 4 percent say their school will adopt the NYU plan over the next five to 10 years, with an identically small 4 percent saying their school will adopt the Cornell plan. Kaplan’s 2018 survey of medical schools found similar results, suggesting little has changed over the past year, though strong majorities see free tuition as a good idea, in theory. As one admissions officers shared, “It’s a wonderful idea, but most schools can’t afford it.” Another admissions officers called free tuition “idealistic and hard to implement.”

“While pre-med students understandably want to see fundamental changes in how medical school financial aid is awarded, medical schools are telling us that the days of taking out loans and accruing debt for their medical education are unfortunately far from over. Most medical schools say they have no plans to implement their own free tuition programs, but the fact that so many support the idea shows a recognition that there’s a problem and they seem willing to do something about it in smaller, but significant ways, like upping financial aid amounts,” says Dr. Jeff Koetje, director of pre-health programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “At Kaplan, we strongly advise aspiring doctors to carefully plan how they are going to pay for medical school as far in advance as possible. FAFSA, for example, which many undergrads are familiar with, also applies to medical school, so the process will be familiar. The more money you have before you apply, the less limited you will be in deciding where to ultimately enroll, if cost is prohibitive. It’s important to keep the conversation about the price of medical school education going and that is part of the impetus behind our ongoing research in the area. ”

In 2018, Kaplan Test Prep awarded more than $4.3 million in scholarships for students preparing for admission to graduate, medical, law, business, pharmacy and dental school. To apply, students can visit www.kaptest.com/tuitionassistance.

To schedule an interview about Kaplan’s findings, contact Russell Schaffer at 212.453.7538 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com.

*349 pre-med students who either took an MCAT® course with Kaplan and/or planned to enroll in medical school were surveyed by email in November 2019.

**Admissions officers from 70 accredited medical schools across North America were polled by telephone between September and November 2019.

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 200 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Among those tests are the SAT®, PSAT®, ACT®, GRE®, GMAT®, LSAT®, MCAT®, NCLEX-RN® and bar exams. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

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Press Releases

December 4, 2019

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