The Daily Collegian (Penn State University): “Experts say GPAs on the rise”
Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO)
Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Carina Wong, carina.wong@kaplan.com, 212.453.7571
New York, NY (March 15, 2010) – This year, thousands of low-income families across the country have a new way to bring learning into their homes through a groundbreaking joint effort between Kaplan Tutoring and Computers for Youth (CFY). Kaplan Tutoring, a division of Kaplan and a leading provider of after-school learning programs for children in grades K through 9, has teamed up with CFY, the nation’s foremost organization dedicated to improving the Home Learning Environment of low-income children, to provide free access 1-year access to Kaplan Smart Track to all the 6th grade students participating in its Take IT Home program.
Through its Take IT Home program, CFY partners with high-poverty middle schools to offer each participating family with free learning-focused training, a computer which is theirs to take home after the workshop, and robust tech support. Each computer is Internet-ready and loaded with carefully selected educational software. Now, thanks to Kaplan Tutoring, CFY also provides families with orientation and sign-up instructions for a free one-year subscription to Kaplan Smart Track, a customized online learning program that engages students and their parents in learning reading and math. Kaplan Smart Track drives academic progress through online assessment, customized learning, and measurable progress and features a reward system designed to motivate child to practice important math and reading skills.
“We are thrilled to partner with Kaplan Tutoring,” said Elisabeth Stock, CEO and Co-Founder of Computers for Youth. “We’ve seen first-hand how Kaplan’s Smart Track program motivates the children in our program to learn and keeps the whole family engaged. Programs like Kaplan’s go a long way to helping to improve the Home Learning Environment of the children who participate in Take IT Home.”
“We applaud Computers for Youth’s commitment to using technology to engage families and propel student achievement, as its mission reflects our own,” said Justin Serrano, President of Kaplan Tutoring. “We’re pleased to work with an organization so dedicated to helping to bring a rich array of learning opportunities into the homes of underserved students.”
Kaplan Smart Track is available to all families served by CFY’s Take IT Home program during the 2009-2010 school year. More than 4,000 participating families in New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay area are eligible to take advantage of this opportunity.
About Kaplan Tutoring
Kaplan Tutoring (www.kaplantutoring.com) helps K-8 students reach their academic potential, build self-confidence and develop a love of learning. Kaplan Tutoring is part of Kaplan Test Prep, a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan Test Prep is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings and a complete array of books, Kaplan Test Prep offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as English language and professional licensing exams. Kaplan Test Prep is a division of Kaplan, Inc. (www.kaplan.com), a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).
About Computers for Youth
Computers for Youth helps low-income children do better in school by improving their learning environment at home. CFY’s signature program selects high-poverty middle schools and then offers all sixth-grade families both a home computer loaded with educational software and training designed to help parents become more effective learning partners. Studies confirm that CFY’s programs have significantly improved students’ test scores and class effort and have increased parents’ confidence and involvement. Since beginning operations in 1999, CFY has reached more than 40,000 students and parents from more than 50 schools in New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. CFY is building a national Home Learning field within the education sector, including extending its affiliate network to all 50 states and working to influence national education policy. For more information, please visit www.cfy.org.
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While More Business Schools Accept the GRE, Aspiring MBAs Overwhelmingly
Stick with the GMAT Even As They Consider it a Harder Test
Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO)
Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Carina Wong, carina.wong@kaplan.com, 212.453.7571
New York, NY (March 9, 2010)—A new Kaplan Test Prep survey shows that even as the maker of the GRE announces significant test changes intended to make it an attractive option for business school admissions, most students would still opt for the GMAT. When asked, “If you knew that your top choices for business schools offered the option of allowing you to take either the GMAT or GRE entrance exam to qualify for their program, which would you be most likely to take?” 55 percent of respondents said they would take the GMAT, compared to 12 percent who would take the GRE. Twelve percent said they would take both.
Ironically, according to the same survey of 300 aspiring MBAs polled in January and February 2010, 47 percent said they think the GMAT is more difficult than the GRE—while only 10 percent think the GRE is more difficult. (29% were not sure which was more difficult; 14% said the exams were equally difficult.)
The findings come as the GRE test maker reveals further details on major test changes scheduled for 2011, which would seem to make the test more difficult. Historically, the GRE has been the required admissions test for most competitive graduate school programs, while the GMAT has been the required admissions test for business schools. In recent years, competitive business schools have begun accepting the GRE as an alternative to the GMAT.
“The GRE test maker has made headway in gaining acceptance with many competitive MBA programs, and the announced test changes are most likely designed in part to make it more attractive to business schools,” said Liza Weale, director of graduate programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “According to a recent Kaplan survey, the majority of top business schools are still GMAT-only and report that they are not currently planning to accept the GRE, so for now, we’re recommending that students applying to business school take the GMAT, and students applying for other graduate programs take the GRE. Aspiring MBAs who only take the GRE may be limiting their options.”
Newly Announced Key Changes to the Verbal Section of the GRE:
Newly Announced Key Changes to the Quantitative Section of the GRE:
Additionally, while the GRE will still use computer-adaptive technology, test takers can skip around within a section, making it a Multi-Stage Test (MST). ETS also announced that the first administration of the new GRE will be August 1, 2011. Test takers who need their score before November 1, 2011 should take the current GRE.
In December 2009, ETS announced a narrower scoring scale; the addition of an online calculator; the elimination of antonyms and synonyms; and the ability to skip and return to questions.
For more information about the GRE’s planned 2011 changes, how it may affect its 600,000 plus annual test taking population and possibly alter the business school admissions process, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.
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