Today, Kaplan, Inc. Chairman Andrew S. Rosen will join President Obama, the First Lady, and Vice President Biden along with hundreds of college presidents and other higher education leaders to announce new actions to help more students prepare for and graduate from college.

The White House College Opportunity Day of Action helps to support the President’s commitment to partner with colleges and universities, business leaders, and nonprofits to support students across the country to help our nation reach its goal of leading the world in college attainment.

Kaplan will commit two programs toward the “Reach Higher Initiative”: Kaplan ACT or SAT Advantage Curriculum with Instructor Training, and Kaplan’s On Demand ACT or SAT Program with Mentor Training.

Kaplan Advantage is a classroom-based program designed to bridge the gap between content knowledge and test-taking strategy through a targeted review of the key skills assessed on college entrance exams. Kaplan will pair its ACT and SAT Advantage curriculum with comprehensive instructor training to enable districts, schools and CBOs to provide students with high-quality test preparation.

Kaplan On Demand provides online, adaptive instruction tailored to individual student needs with a structured course syllabus, high-quality, web-based instruction, adaptive independent practice and in-depth answer analysis that allow students to monitor and measure their progress. Recognizing that face-to-face adult support is critical for students completing independent online work in order to maintain motivation and encourage successful completion, Kaplan will pair its On Demand program with mentor training to facilitate a blended learning experience for students.

“The First Lady’s Reach Higher Initiative is a groundbreaking effort in its commitment to first-generation college aspirants -- a population Kaplan has worked with throughout our 76-year history,” said Seppy Basili, Senior Vice President, Kaplan K12 and College Prep Programs. “We’re pleased to support the initiative by providing a comprehensive set of services that will support students academically and help them achieve their goals. Success on the ACT and SAT is essential for all students preparing for college admissions not only as part of the application process, but in helping to secure scholarship funding, which in turn enables greater access to college. Kaplan’s deeply researched, adaptive, and easily accessible curriculum provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed on test day.”

Today’s participants were asked to commit to new action in one of four areas: building networks of colleges around promoting completion, creating K-16 partnerships around college readiness, investing in high school counselors as part of the First Lady’s Reach Higher initiative, and increasing the number of college graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Expanding opportunity for more students to enroll and succeed in college, especially low-income and underrepresented students, is vital to building a strong economy and a strong middle class. Today, only 9 percent of those born in the lowest family income quartile attain a bachelor’s degree by age 25, compared to 54 percent in the top quartile.

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. Kaplan Test Prep’s K12 unit (www.kaplank12.com) partners with schools to measurably propel student achievement and accelerate college readiness. Kaplan K12 offers state test readiness programs to help students meet and exceed state standards, and college preparation solutions that support students as they prepare for college entrance exams and the admissions process. Its solutions also provide teachers with robust Kaplan K12 resources and professional development support to impact achievement in their classrooms. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps Dev Bootcamp and Metis, designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

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