Kaplan Test Prep Survey: Among Parents of College Applicants, 43% Say Their Child is Taking Both the SAT® and the ACT®

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A Kaplan survey of parents of college applicants shows that 43% say
their child plans to take both the SAT and the ACT.* The most cited
reason? Their child wants to see which test earns them the higher score
and send that score to schools.

Another frequently-cited response: their child “plans on applying to
schools in different states and I think schools in different geographies
prefer one over the other.” Historically, the New York City roots of the
SAT administrator and the Iowa City, IA roots of the ACT administrator
drove public perception that schools on the East Coast preferred the SAT
while schools in the Midwest preferred the ACT — a misconception today,
as all schools nationwide accept both tests equally.

“We recognize that motivated students are always seeking a competitive
edge in the college admissions process, so it’s not surprising that so
many are taking both tests,” said Michael Boothroyd, executive director
of college admissions programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “By senior year, most
factors in a student’s college application are fairly well established
— their grades, their coursework, their history of extracurricular
activities. SAT and ACT performance is the last major piece of the
college application that students can influence at this stage of the
process, and we fully support their wanting to put their best foot
forward.”

“Preparing for the tests will help reduce the anxiety of test day,
especially as the new SAT will not be easier,” said Boothroyd. “But the
new SAT will also be much more similar to the ACT in many ways, so
taking both tests may be less onerous than it has been in years past.”

To help students get a feel for both tests, Kaplan Test Prep will hold
its free National Practice Day on Saturday, November 14 and Sunday,
November 15 at locations around the country as well as live, online.
Thousands of students have already registered for the event, which will
feature a test with realistic practice questions for both the ACT and
the new SAT, which debuts in March 2016. In addition to the free
practice, each participant will receive a personalized detailed
performance analysis. This will give students an idea of which exam they
should prep for and take. Students who choose to take the practice test
online will receive detailed score reports of their performance
immediately following the practice test.

Online registrants will also be able to take the practice test on
Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8.

Differences between the New SAT and the ACT include:

• Length: The New SAT is 3 hours and 50 minutes long (with Optional
  Essay), while the ACT is 3 hours and 35 minutes long (with Optional
  Essay).
• Sections: The New SAT has Evidence-Based Reading, Writing, Math
  without a calculator, and Math with a calculator sections, plus an
  Optional Essay. The ACT has English, Math, Reading, and Science
  sections, plus an Optional Essay.
• Scoring: The New SAT is scored on a 1600 scale, while the ACT is
  scored on a 1-36 scale. Neither test penalizes students for wrong
  answers.

To register for Kaplan’s free national practice event or for more
information, please call 1-800-KAPTEST or visit www.kaptest.com/satvsact.

*From two Kaplan e-surveys conducted in May 2015 and October 2015;
total number of respondents was 1,083.

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. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc, 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.

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

Contacts

Press:
Kaplan Test Prep
Russell Schaffer, 212-453-7538
russell.schaffer@kaplan.com
Twitter:
@KapTestNews, @KaplanSATACT