U.S. News University Directory: “Survey: College Admissions Officers Largely in Favor of New SAT”
Her Campus, Williams College: “MCAT: “The Changes You Need to Know”
Press Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @KaplanSATACT
New York, NY (September 15, 2014) — There are big SAT changes in store for test takers who are members of the class of 2017 and beyond: harder math, the addition of historical reading passages, shifting of the essay from mandatory to optional, reverting back to a 1600 point scoring scale, no wrong answer penalty, no more fill-in-the-blank vocabulary, and a computer-based option. But what do college admissions officers, who will be evaluating these test scores, and teens, who will take the revamped admissions test, think of the upcoming changes? In separate surveys of admissions officers from over 400 of the nation’s top colleges and universities* and of nearly 700 high school students**, Kaplan finds admissions officers are generally more supportive of the SAT changes than college applicants — with particularly wide disparity in support on the issues of computer-based testing and calculator elimination.
Overall, 79% of admissions officers surveyed support the SAT changes — up from 72% last year.
“College admissions officers strongly support the upcoming changes to the SAT, but students are a bit wary about certain elements. Specifically, students are most concerned about shifting to a computer-based format and having to answer some math questions without a calculator,” said Christine Brown, executive director of K-12 and college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “The good news for students is that the wrong answer point penalty and the unpopular fill-in-the-blank vocabulary questions will be eliminated. The best thing students can do, no matter which test they plan to take, is to practice in a realistic setting. Practice boosts confidence on test day, which is key to scoring well. For those who are particularly anxious about taking a new test, there’s always the option of taking the ACT, which is equally accepted by colleges. Keep in mind that the ACT is changing in 2015, but not dramatically.”
For more information, students, parents and educators can visit Kaplan’s SAT Test Change information center at www.kaptest.com/satchange.
*For the 2014 survey, 403 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 2014.
**From a Kaplan e-survey conducted between March and June 2014 of 684 students from across the United States, who took a Kaplan SAT course .
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.
About Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.
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5 CommentsPress Contacts: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @KaplanBarReview
New York, NY (September 10, 2014) — Kaplan Bar Review has announced it will be expanding its complete bar review courses to aspiring lawyers in all 50 states by the end of 2015. Currently serving 44 jurisdictions across the United States, Kaplan’s seven-state expansion includes Delaware, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.
“Kaplan’s expansion of full-service bar review to these final seven states completes our long-term vision of helping aspiring lawyers in all U.S. jurisdictions pass the bar exam. We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to help every single law school graduate reach their career goals,” said Steven Marietti, Vice President and General Manager of Kaplan Bar Review. “We want to thank the tens of thousands of students who have already chosen Kaplan Bar Review, and who have inspired us to continuously improve our programs. They are a big reason why more students take Kaplan Bar Review every year.”
Now one of only two bar companies that services students in all U.S. jurisdictions, Kaplan entered bar review in 2006, when it began offering courses for the MBE, a national, 6-hour, 200-question multiple-choice test that is a part of nearly every state bar exam across the country. The company has steadily added state-specific bar review since that time, culminating with today’s announcement to offer complete prep courses in all 51 jurisdictions.
Kaplan Bar Review has more course locations featuring a live professor than any other bar review company. All full-service courses give students unlimited essay grading that provides them with clear and specific feedback; exam-like, multiple-choice practice questions; and an adaptive, exam-focused daily syllabus that progressively tailors learning to individual students and helps them improve their weakest areas.
About Kaplan Bar Review
Kaplan Bar Review (www.kaplanbarreview.com) provides full-service bar review programs in 51 jurisdictions (all 50 states and Washington, DC). Additionally, Kaplan Bar Review offers supplemental preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE).
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