Kentucky Living: “Supplement to “10 Steps to Acing the College Application Process”

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

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

New York, NY (January 28, 2014) – Good news for pre-med students concerned about a lack of MCAT seats before the test changes in Spring 2015: the maker of the exam (the Association of American Medical Colleges) has added October and November test dates in 2014, as well as testing dates in January 2015. These additional testing dates are the first time in recent MCAT history that the exam will be offered later than September, which may help alleviate the rush to take the MCAT before changes hit.  Historically, test changes have caused a surge of pre-change exam takers anxious to take a familiar test rather than an unknown, new exam — a trend seen with GRE and GMAT test takers preceding recent changes to those tests.

In fact, a January 2014 Kaplan Test Prep survey of MCAT takers shows that most pre-med students believe the 2015 test will be more challenging than the current version. Among the results:

• A More Challenging Exam: 66% of pre-med students surveyed think the MCAT changes will make the new exam more difficult than the current one; just 8% say the changes will make the exam easier; 16% say the level of difficulty will stay about the same; 11% are unsure.
• New MCAT, New Material To Be Taught: A majority (56%) of pre-meds surveyed say that if the current exam included the new topics coming in 2015 (such as psychology, sociology, and more in-depth biochemistry), they wouldn’t have been prepared for it.  Note: Pre-med programs around the country are changing their curricula to ensure that all students who will take the new MCAT (current freshmen and sophomores) are prepared for the new exam’s content.
• A Deterrent to a Career in Medicine?: While a majority (55%) of pre-meds surveyed say the new MCAT will neither encourage nor discourage students from seeking a career in medicine, 39% think it will discourage future doctors; just 5% say the new exam will actually encourage students to pursue a career in medicine.

“This unprecedented addition of MCAT test dates in the fall is great news for pre-med students concerned about not being able to take the exam before it changes.  In the past, many students have been forced to travel out of state to take the MCAT because of a lack of local seats,” said Aaron Lemon-Strauss, executive director of pre-med programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “We encourage students to reserve their MCAT testing spot as soon as they know when they want to take the test. This will give them one less thing to worry about as they navigate the medical school admissions process.  Knowing exactly when Test Day is will provide students with even more focus as they prepare for the exam.”

Among the approved changes coming to the MCAT in 2015:

• More Topics Tested: The 2015 MCAT will include three additional semesters of material in college-level biochemistry, psychology, and sociology, increasing the number of prerequisite classes from eight to eleven.
• Almost Double the Length: Takers of the revised MCAT will face 261 questions over six hours and 15 minutes. The current MCAT has 144 questions that are taken in three hours and 20 minutes. In addition to more stamina and focus required, the new MCAT will be so long that there is even time built in for a lunch break!
• New Question Types and Skills:  The current MCAT focuses on content knowledge and critical thinking, but the 2015 MCAT tests two additional skills: Research Design, which focuses on the fundamentals of creating research projects, bias, faulty results, and variable relationships; and Graphical Analysis and Data Interpretation.

For more information about the upcoming changes to the MCAT and the additional testing dates in 2014, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.  Students can visit Kaplan’s comprehensive website on the upcoming MCAT changes at www.mcat2015.com.

*The online survey was conducted in January 2014 of 247 pre-med students who took an MCAT prep course with Kaplan Test Prep.

About Kaplan Test Prep

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

# # #

American Medical Student Association: “MCAT 2014 or 2015, What Should Your Students Take”

Financial Times: “How to apply for an MBA programme”

BBC: “How to capture the right kind of talent” 

Forbes: “Work From Home: The Top 100 Companies Offering Flexible Jobs In 2014″

Parade: “Want to Work from Home? Start Looking Here!”

CNN Money: “Top employers for flexible and work-at-home jobs”

Sun Sentinel: “100 top companies for remote jobs: FlexJobs 2014 list”

The Street: “If You’re Looking for College Financial Aid, Start Right Now”

The Hamilton Observer: “Checking Facebook becoming college admissions routine”

South Brunswick Post: “Checking Facebook becoming college admissions routine” 

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

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

New York, NY (January 15, 2014) – With average tuition at four-year private colleges topping  $30,000 annually, more than 80% of today’s college students receive financial aid — which means paying for college is likely top-of-mind for the vast majority of the nation’s more than 25 million undergraduates and their parents.  The competition to secure much-needed financial aid packages remains as fierce as the admissions process and the academic environment.  Below are key tips in the quest for college financial aid – which unofficially kicked off January 1 with the opening of FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

• Tip #1: Apply ASAP.  Many students and their parents don’t apply for FAFSA money because they assume their family earns too much to qualify. That’s a costly assumption.  Billions of dollars – which includes everything from Pell Grants, to work-study opportunities, to Federal Stafford Loans, and more – are awarded to millions of students from all income brackets.  Submitting a FAFSA doesn’t guarantee you’ll get financial aid, but not submitting one guarantees you won’t.  And since FAFSA is first come, first serve, the sooner you apply, the better. FAFSA can be completed online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.  It will likely take you about 90 minutes to complete.
• Tip #2: Treat the Hunt for Scholarship Dollars like a Part-Time Job.  Many students miss out on scholarship opportunities because they simply don’t put in the time. Yet millions of scholarship dollars go unclaimed because students have not applied for the funds.  Fact: You don’t necessarily have to be a 4.0 student or have achieved a perfect 2400 on the SAT or 36 on the ACT (though that definitely helps!). There are thousands of “niche” scholarships available for those who aren’t necessarily at the head of the class: i.e. for left-handed students; women over 5’10”; anybody under 4’10”; potato-industry boosters; and duck callers – it’s a big world out there!  If you invest the same amount of time and effort into finding scholarship money that you did in putting together your college application, you might be pleasantly surprised at the scholarship options available to you. Visit your school’s guidance office and sites like www.cappex.com.  Keep in mind that you can start banking scholarship money even before senior year. The more money you have by the time acceptance letters come, the more flexibility you’ll have in choosing your school, as your ability to pay will be less of an issue.
• Tip #3: A College’s First Financial Aid Package Offer is Negotiable.  If your top school choice offers you a financial aid package, but it’s not enough, it’s alright to try to negotiate up.  Unlike FAFSA offers, which are non-negotiable, financial aid packages awarded directly by colleges can sometimes be upped.   Respectfully tell the financial aid office why you are a “must have” student or how your family’s financial situation may have changed to warrant more aid.  The worst they can say is no. It’s also a good idea to get to know the financial aid office BEFORE you even apply. Stop by the office during a campus visit. That way they’ll know your face and story when they see your application. It might make the difference.

“The cost associated with going to college is not decreasing, so it continues to be critical for students and their families to be savvy consumers when it comes to planning for college costs,” said Christine Brown, executive director of K-12 and college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “Students and parents need to be strategic and proactive in order to improve their chances of securing strong financial aid packages and scholarships.”

To schedule an interview with a Kaplan Test Prep college financial aid expert, please contact Russell Schaffer at 212.453.7538 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com.

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.

# # #

The Sun Sentinel: “100 top companies for remote jobs: FlexJobs 2014 list”

Latin Post: “Kaplan and App- Maker thoughtbot Giving Scholarships for Web Development Bootcamp”