Kaptest.com Expands into Medical Student Market With Introduction of Only Customized Online Question Bank for United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE)

Building Foundation For Full Range of Online Services for Worldwide Med Students Who Aim To Practice Medicine in the U.S.

New York, March 15, 2000- Kaplan, the nationís premier educational and career services company, this week introduced the only customized online exam preparation service for Step One of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) at www.kaptest.com. Called Qbank, the new service enables medical students the unique ability to custom design their own practice test online for the USLME Step One, the first of three exams necessary to become a licensed U.S. physician. More than 46,000 U.S. medical students and foreign doctors take the USMLE annually.

Qbank is the latest addition to Kaplan's comprehensive USMLE prep options which includes lecture-based and self study courses. Qbank offers 1,000 USMLE-only style questions, which are presented in the current computer-based test (CBT) format. Students receive both instantaneous performance results on individual tests and cumulative performance feedback.

"The Qbank will become the foundation for a full range of online education tools that will be introduced later this year," said Leigh-Ellen Louie, President, Kaplan Medical. "Distance learning tools are quickly becoming an integral part of student preparation and we are very excited about extending the quality of our live and self-study programs into the online arena."

Kaplanís Qbank includes 1,000 new exam-style questions, with additional questions being added monthly to total 2000 by May. Allowing maximum customization, students can take tests covering all the USMLE topics, or they can choose a specific combination of organ systems and disciplines they want included in their exam. After completing an exam, they can review Kaplanís comprehensive "5-in-1" explanations, which discuss not only why the right answer is correct, but also why all of the others are not. Other features include email help from Kaplanís USMLE experts within 24 hours or less, and on-screen performance analysis that graphically displays performance by discipline and organ system.

"Unlike any other website out there, Kaplanís technology now allows medical students to create a completely tailored study session each and every time they use the Qbank," said Rochelle Rothstein, MD, Vice President Kaplan Medical. "Qbank will meet the needs of all kinds of students, ranging from those pressed for time who want nothing more than a quick assessment tool, to those taking our center-based courses who seek additional computer-delivered questions, to international students who may not be able to take a live course because of geographic constraints. The market for this service among foreign doctors who wish to practice in the U.S. is tremendous."

Qbank is being launched at the introductory price of $79 for three months of unlimited use. This price is valid until May 1, 2000. Qbank can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

USMLE Step 1 Qbank adds to the suite of kaptest.comís test preparation and admissions services. The site also offers online preparation for the SAT, GMAT, GRE, LSAT, NCLEX-RN, AP and CPA exams, as well as a college admissions course and application essay review. Since its September 1999 launch, kaptest.comís response has dramatically exceeded company expectations. Students from countries such as Pakistan, Australia and China have enrolled in kaptest.com courses, demonstrating kaptest.comís reach as well as the demand for increased access to admissions services.

About Kaplan, Inc.

Kaplan, Inc. (kaplan.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Its divisions include Test Preparation and Admissions; SCORE! Learning Corporation, offering after-school programs for kids and resources for parents and kids through eSCORE.com (www.escore.com); Kaplan Professional educational programs for adults; and KaplanCollege.com, a distance learning division which includes Concord University School of Law. Kaplan is the majority shareholder in BrassRing Inc. (BrassRing.com), which combines recruiting, career development and hiring management services for employers and employees. Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company.

Press Contact: pubrel@kaplan.com, (212) 492-5965

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