Illinois’ public universities and select community colleges will prepare students for professional licensing exams, graduate-level admissions exams, and credential exams

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state’s college access and financial aid agency, has contracted leading global education company Kaplan to provide free test preparation courses to all students enrolled in Illinois’ public universities. Five Illinois community colleges are also included as part of a pilot program. Students at these institutions will have free access to Kaplan’s best-in-class preparation for professional licensing exams, graduate-level admissions exams, and credential exams, including comprehensive prep for the GRE®, GMAT®, LSAT®, MCAT®, NCLEX-RN®, USMLE®, Illinois State bar exam, real estate and securities exams, and more. They will also have access to a suite of professional and academic skills development courses from Kaplan.

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“Providing free test and licensing preparation courses for students is an important measure to help remove some of the financial barriers students face in advancing their education and careers,” said ISAC Executive Director Eric Zarnikow. “ISAC is pleased to partner with Kaplan to provide these services, and I highly encourage all eligible students to enroll in a relevant course this year.”

In addition to providing an incentive for students to stay in Illinois, the Program may ultimately help reduce shortages in the Illinois workforce, including projected deficits of more than 14,000 nurses and more than 6,000 doctors by 2030.

“The State of Illinois’ bold initiative has the potential to create lasting benefits for millions of residents across the state by addressing acute shortages in critical fields such as healthcare and education, producing more doctors, nurses, teachers, and other essential professionals,” said Gregory Marino, CEO, Kaplan North America. “Providing free access to our comprehensive suite of test prep and career development resources will help aspiring professionals thrive and lift up their communities.”

In addition to offering the program to students at all 12 Illinois public 4-year universities, the program is being piloted at five community colleges chosen to reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state, including Joliet Junior College, Carl Sandburg College, Southwestern Illinois College, Malcolm X College, and Morton College. Kaplan has already begun working with these community colleges and the state’s public universities to launch the program so students can access these courses.

In May, Fast Company named Kaplan’s All Access License, which will power the Illinois partnership, as a winner in its 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards. Launched in 2022, All Access enables colleges and universities to help their students prepare for a variety of high-stakes admissions and licensing exams that they need to score well on to reach their professional goals — with zero out-of-pocket costs for students. And in December, Inc. named Kaplan to its 2024 Best in Business list, which recognizes companies that have achieved significant industry milestones, citing All Access. Additionally, in October, Inc. named Kaplan a winner in its third annual Power Partner Awards, which honors business-to-business (B2B) organizations with proven track records of helping businesses grow. The License has already saved thousands of students millions of dollars at schools like Cleveland State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Howard University, Delaware State University, Hampton University, and Spelman College. And Kaplan’s most recent partners include Syracuse University College of Law and Albion College.

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About ISAC The mission of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is to provide Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable. ISAC provides comprehensive, objective, and timely information about education and financial aid for students and their families—giving them access to the tools they need to make the educational choices that are right for them. Then, through the state scholarship and grant programs ISAC administers, ISAC can help students make those choices a reality. Find us at isac.org and on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Kaplan Kaplan, Inc. is a global educational services company that helps individuals and institutions advance their goals in an ever-changing world. Our broad portfolio of solutions help students and professionals further their education and careers, universities and educational institutions attract and support students, and businesses maximize employee recruitment, retainment, and development. Stanley Kaplan founded our company in 1938 with a mission to expand educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Today, our thousands of employees working in 27 countries/regions continue Stanley’s mission as they serve about 1.2 million students and professionals, 15,000 corporate clients, and 3,300 schools, school districts, colleges, and universities worldwide. Kaplan is a subsidiary of the Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). Learn more at kaplan.com.

ISAC: Lynne Baker, 847.831.8024 Lynne.Baker@Illinois.gov

Kaplan: Russell Schaffer Russell.Schaffer@Kaplan.com

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