Washington Post 2002 Annual Report Download - page 14

number of smaller conferences and events, including awards dinners honoring leading individuals and companies in
the government information technology community.
Education
Kaplan, Inc., a subsidiary of the Company, provides an extensive range of educational services for children,
students and professionals. Kaplan’s historical focus on test preparation has been expanded as new educational and
career services businesses have been acquired or initiated.
Through its Test Preparation and Admissions Division, Kaplan prepares students for a broad range of admissions and
licensing examinations including the SATs, LSATs, GMATs, MCATs, GREs, and nursing and medical boards. This
business can be subdivided into four categories: K-12 (serving schools and school districts seeking assistance in
preparing students for state assessment tests and for the SATs and ACTs); Graduate and Pre-College (serving high
school and college students and professionals, primarily with preparation for admissions tests to college and to
graduate, medical and law schools); Medical (serving medical professionals preparing for licensing exams); and
English Language Training (serving foreign students and professionals wishing to study or work in the U.S.). Many of
this division’s test preparation courses have been available to students via the Internet since 1999. During 2002 the
Test Preparation and Admissions Division enrolled nearly 250,000 students (including over 60,000 enrolled in
online programs), and provided courses at 157 permanent centers located throughout the United States and in
Canada, Puerto Rico, London and Paris. In addition, Kaplan licenses material for certain of these courses to third
parties who during 2002 offered such courses at 29 centers located in 13 countries.
The Test Preparation and Admissions Division also includes Kaplan’s publishing activities. Kaplan currently co-
publishes more than 150 book titles, predominately in the areas of test preparation, admissions, career guidance
and life skills, through a joint venture with Simon & Schuster, and also develops educational software for the K
through 12 and graduate markets which is sold through arrangements with a third party who is responsible for
production and distribution. Kaplan also produces a college newsstand guide in conjunction with Newsweek.
Kaplan’s Professional Division offers licensing, continuing education, certification and professional development
services for corporations and for individuals seeking to advance their careers. This division includes Dearborn
Publishing Group, a provider of pre-licensing training and continuing education for securities, insurance and real
estate professionals; Perfect Access Speer, a provider of software education and consulting services to law firms and
businesses; Schweser’s Study Program, a provider of materials aimed at preparing individuals for the Chartered
Financial Analyst examination; Self Test Software, a provider of preparation services for software proficiency
certification examinations; and Contact Center Solutions, a provider of assessment and training services for the call-
center industry.
Kaplan’s Score Education Division offers computer-based learning and individualized tutoring for children in grades
K through 10. In 2002 this business, which provides educational after-school enrichment services through 147 Score
centers located in various areas of the United States, served nearly 70,000 students, up from 60,000 students in
2001. Score’s services are provided in facilities separate from Kaplan’s test preparation centers due to differing
configuration and equipment requirements.
The Higher Education Division of Kaplan consists of 46 schools in 14 states which provide classroom-based
instruction and three institutions which specialize in distance education. The schools providing classroom-based
instruction offer a variety of bachelor degree, associate degree and diploma programs in the fields of healthcare,
business, paralegal studies, information technology, criminal justice and fashion and design. These schools were
serving more than 20,600 students at year-end 2002 (which total includes the classroom-based programs of Kaplan
College), with approximately half of such students enrolled in accredited bachelor or associate degree programs.
Each of these schools has its own accreditation from one of several regional or national accrediting agencies
recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The institutions which specialize in distance education are Kaplan
College, Concord University School of Law and The College for Professional Studies. Kaplan College offers various
bachelor degree, associate degree and certificate programs, principally in the fields of financial planning, criminal
justice, paralegal studies, information technology and management, and is accredited by the Higher Learning
Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Some of Kaplan College’s programs are
offered online while others are offered in a traditional classroom format at the school’s Davenport, Iowa campus. At
year-end 2002, Kaplan College had approximately 6,000 students enrolled in online programs. The College for
Professional Studies had over 4,400 students enrolled at year-end 2002. Concord University School of Law, the
nation’s first online law school, offers Juris Doctor and LLM degrees wholly online. At year-end 2002, approximately
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