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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