Press Release

August 23, 2009

Stanley H. Kaplan, Founder of the Test Preparation Industry, Dies at 90

Carina Wong

Kaplan

New York, NY – Stanley H. Kaplan, founder and former chairman of Stanley H. Kaplan Educational Centers, Ltd. (now Kaplan, Inc.) died on August 23, 2009 at age 90. Considered the father of the test preparation industry, Stanley H. Kaplan founded the nation’s first and largest test preparation business in 1938. The small company he began in the basement of his parents’ Brooklyn home became a nationally recognized brand name synonymous with test preparation. He is credited not only with creating an industry, but also with starting one of the country’s first and largest for-profit education companies. Stanley H. Kaplan remained with the company that bore his name until his retirement in 1994.

Rejected from medical school during an era of ethnic quotas, Mr. Kaplan believed that students should have access to higher education based on academic merit, rather than privilege. In the 1940s, he embraced the SAT and other admissions tests as opportunities for students to prove themselves in the admissions process and dedicated his career to helping students excel on these important exams.

Among his many accomplishments was the recognition that, contrary to test makers’ claims, preparation from companies such as Kaplan could in fact improve students’ scores on the SAT and other admissions tests. The Federal Trade Commission came to such a conclusion in 1975 after a thorough investigation of Kaplan’s business practices.

A noted philanthropist, Mr. Kaplan leveraged his success in business to generously support programs and causes. Following the sale of his business to The Washington Post Company in 1984, he and his wife Rita established the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation to provide funding for many causes including education, health care, arts and Jewish programs. Mr. Kaplan’s commitment to the advancement of cancer research and treatment led to the creation of the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Comprehensive Cancer Center at New York University Hospital. A lifelong lover of the arts, Mr. Kaplan later established the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center. Through their Foundation, Mr. Kaplan and his wife gave generously to such organizations as Bellevue Hospital Center, the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services, the Jewish Museum and the City College of New York. Mr. Kaplan’s career also included service on the Boards of Directors of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Brooklyn Academy of Music, City College of New York, NYU Medical Center, City Parks Foundation, and Ben Gurion University in Tel Aviv.

Mr. Kaplan was born in New York City in 1919 and grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. At age 14, he received his first paid job tutoring other students, earning 25 cents an hour. At age 16, he entered City College of New York and continued to tutor professionally. After graduating from City College, he started his tutoring business in the basement of his parents’ home. In 1946, a student Mr. Kaplan was tutoring asked him if he could help her study for a college admissions test called the Scholastic Aptitude Test (the name was subsequently changed to the Scholastic Assessment Test and is commonly referred to as the SAT).

His introduction to the SAT ignited a half-century-long love affair with a test that would eventually lead him to expand his modest home business into an international enterprise of private education.

A teacher at heart, Mr. Kaplan seized opportunities to expand his business to meet growing demand. By the 1960s, as admissions tests for graduate schools came into widespread use, he expanded his classes to serve students preparing for law school, business school and medical school. When he discovered that one of his students was flying from the University of California at Berkeley to attend his classes in New York, he expanded nationally. The first center outside of New York opened in Philadelphia in 1970, followed by others soon after in Washington, DC; Boston; Chicago; Los Angeles; and Miami. By 1975, Mr. Kaplan had opened test preparation centers in 23 cities from coast to coast.

By 1984, Kaplan had expanded to more than 100 centers nationally with about 600 part-time satellite offices serving 95,000 students a year. In 1984, The Washington Post Company purchased Stanley H. Kaplan Educational Centers, Ltd. and Mr. Kaplan remained with the company for the next 10 years.

After retiring in 1994, Mr. Kaplan served as the President and Director of the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation. He published his biography Stanley H. Kaplan Test Pilot: How I Broke Testing Barriers for Millions of Student and Caused a Sonic Boom in the Business of Education (Simon & Schuster) in 2001.

Mr. Kaplan is survived by his wife Rita J. Kaplan, daughters Susan B. Kaplan and Nancy Kaplan Belsky; son-in-law Mark Belsky and grandchildren, Scott Kaplan Belsky and his wife Erica Roizen, Julie Kaplan Belsky and Gila Kaplan Belsky. In addition, he leaves step grand-children Stephen, Cherrie, Douglas and Tracey. He is also survived by his sister Rosalie Sporn and sister-in-law Beatrice Kaplan.

The family requests that donations be made to the following organizations:

The City College of New York
Designated to: The Stanley H. Kaplan Institute for the Advancement of Mathematics Education in Middle Schools
160 Convent Avenue, S-154
New York, NY 10031

Jewish Theological Seminary
Designated to: Paul A. Kaplan Clinical Pastoral Counseling Program
3080 Broadway
New York, NY 10027

NYU Langone Medical Center
Designated to: Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplant Center
One Park Avenue, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10016

About the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc.

The Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc. is a private, non-operating foundation dedicated to enhancing the continuity of the Jewish people and to supporting programs in the fields of health, medical research, education, the arts, and social justice/social welfare.About Kaplan, Inc.

Kaplan, Inc. is a leading international provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Kaplan serves students of all ages through a wide array of offerings including higher education, test preparation, professional training and programs for kids and schools. Kaplan, which had 2008 revenue of $2.3 billion, is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE:WPO – News) and its largest and fastest-growing division. For more information, please visit www.kaplan.com.

Kaplan is the largest revenue producer and fastest-growing business unit of The Washington Post Company. It remains a pioneering force in for-profit education and is a leading international provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses.

For more information about Stanley H. Kaplan or Kaplan, Inc., please contact:

Gali Cooks, Executive Director, Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc.
Office: 212-688-1047 ext. 1
gali.cooks@kaplanfoundation.org

PRESS CONTACTS:

Carina Wong
Office: 212-453-7571
Mobile: 646-467-2241
carina.wong@kaplan.com

Press Release Archive

ChatGPT Image Apr 7, 2025, 12_50_27 PM.png

Press Release

Kaplan Survey: Law School Admissions Officers Increasingly Say the Rankings Have Lost Prestige

by Kaplan

Stanley H. Kaplan, Founder of the Test Preparation Industry, Dies at 90

Press Release Archive

Kaplan Survey: Law School Admissions Officers Increasingly Say the Rankings Have Lost Prestige

Kaplan Survey: Pre-Law Students Want Clarity from Law Schools on Using GenAI in Admissions Essays…Clarity That’s Currently Lacking

Kaplan Earns 2025 Great Place To Work Certification™

Illinois Student Assistance Commission and Kaplan Announce Free Test Prep Courses

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company to Provide Scholarships to Volunteers with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program in Puerto Rico

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company and iShares® by BlackRock Launch ETFs and Portfolio Construction Certificate Program for Financial Advisors

Kaplan’s 2024 $20K Tuition Sweepstakes Winner is University of California, Berkeley Pre-Med Student Ella Mayor

Kaplan Named as a Double Winner in the American Consortium for Equity in Education’s 2024 Excellence in Equity – Industry Impact Awards

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Joins the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program

Kaplan Schweser Releases 2024 CFA® Program Survey: Charterholders and Candidates Say Artificial Intelligence is Having Big Impact on Careers and Express Overall Job Satisfaction

Kaplan Releases Findings from Annual Medical School Admissions Officers Survey, Revealing Key Insights on Application Trends

Kaplan Named to Inc.’s 2024 Best in Business List for Groundbreaking Career Pathing Initiative

Association for Program Administrators of CSTEP and STEP, Inc., Now Providing All Students at its Member Institutions with Free Kaplan Test Prep Courses for Graduate School Admissions Exams

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s America's Top Online Learning Schools 2025 List

Albion College Becomes First School to Offer All Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Free Skills Development Courses and Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through Partnership with Kaplan

Kaplan Earns 2025 Military Friendly® Employer Designation

Syracuse University College of Law Partners with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Inc. Names Kaplan as a 2024 Power Partner Award Winner in Recognition of Being a Leading B2B Company

Kaplan Survey: Law Schools Lag on Official Policies on How Applicants Can Use AI in Admissions Essays, Potentially Leaving Them in Limbo

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces® in America 2024 List

Kaplan Survey: 75 Percent of Admissions Officers Believe College Rankings Have Lost Their Luster

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Launches Accredited Investment Fiduciary® Training for Financial Professionals Pursuing the AIF® Designation

Kaplan Survey: Most Buyer’s Agents Don’t Think New Commission Rules are a Good Thing, But are Ready to Face the Challenge

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Most MBA Applicants Consider Their Social Media Posts “Fair Game” in the Admissions Process

Kaplan Comments on Major Changes to the ACT® Exam, Set to Launch in 2025

Kaplan’s All Access License Wins “Test Prep Innovation Of The Year” For Second Consecutive Year in the 6th Annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards Program

The City University of New York School of Law Expands Partnership with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Sun Sentinel Names Kaplan a Winner of the South Florida Top Workplaces 2024 Award, Marking its Fourth Consecutive Annual Recognition

Kaplan Certified as a Most Loved Workplace® for Fourth Consecutive Year, a Recognition of Employees’ On-The-Job Happiness and Career Satisfaction

Fast Company Names Kaplan’s All Access License as a Winner in its 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Most Future Business School Applicants Wary about Unrestricted Use of AI in Admissions Essays

University of Detroit Mercy Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions and Licensing Exams

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Launches Financial Paraplanner Qualified ProfessionalSM Designation Program in Spanish to Better Serve Hispanic Investors

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Aspiring Business School Students Say the Rankings Have Lost Some Prestige, But Still Depend on Them

Kaplan Surveys: Law Schools Believe the Rankings Have Lost Their Luster, but Pre-Law Students Still Find Them Useful

Barron’s Partners with Brainfuse to Offer Students Premium Content to Succeed Academically and Prepare for College Admissions Exams

Kaplan Launches Buyer Agency Professional Designation to Help Real Estate Agents Navigate Looming Major Changes to the Industry’s Business Model

Poznan University of Medical Sciences Expands Partnership with Kaplan to Offer Students Additional Prep for Medical and Dental Licensing Exams

Available for Media Interviews: The New Digital SAT® Launches March 9. Kaplan Experts Can Provide Answers to Top Questions.

Yale University Joins Dartmouth, MIT, and Georgetown in Requiring Applicants to Submit Standardized Test Scores; Kaplan Survey Suggests Other Schools Will Join Them

Kaplan Earns 2024 Great Place To Work Certification™

Kaplan’s All Access License Named to Tech & Learning’s Best for 2023 List, Citing Its Ability to Expand Opportunities

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Releases 2024 Survey of Financial Planning Professionals

Kaplan’s $20K Tuition Sweepstakes Winner is Georgia Tech Student Emily Conn, a Future Doctor of America

Kaplan Survey: College Admissions Officers Think It’s OK to Visit Applicants’ Social Media, But Most Don’t

Kaplan Survey: Law Schools Concerned about Class Diversity, Amid Affirmative Action Ban Fallout

Kaplan Survey: Most Colleges and Universities Take Laissez Faire Approach Towards Use of GenAI in Admissions

Kaplan Survey: A Majority of Pre-Law Students Say It’s Important to Attend Law School With Students Having the Same Political Views

Kaplan’s AccelPro Platform Expands Peer-to-Peer Coaching and Career Development to New Audiences

Alabama A&M University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Kaplan Named to Fast Company’s 2023 “Brands That Matter” List

Kaplan Survey: Most Pre-Law Students Don’t Think Law School Applicants Should Be Allowed to Use GenAI in Admissions Essays

Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College Announces Partnership with Kaplan to Enhance Clinical Readiness and Education Outcomes for Aspiring Doctors

Rutgers Law School Partners with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Kaplan’s Graduate School Tuition Sweepstakes to Give One Lucky Student $20K

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s List of the Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplace for 2023

Kaplan’s All Access License for Colleges and Universities Wins “Test Prep Innovation Of The Year” in the 5th Annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards Program

Spelman College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams

Hampton University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions and Licensing Exams

Sun Sentinel Names Kaplan a Winner of the South Florida Top Workplaces 2023 Award, Marking its Third Consecutive Annual Recognition

Kaplan Survey: Medical Schools Keep COVID-Era Admissions Policies to Keep Application Process More Flexible

Fisk University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Kaplan Certified as a Most Loved Workplace® for Three Consecutive Years, a Recognition of Consistent Employee Happiness and Job Satisfaction

Stillman College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Junior Achievement Announces Kaplan Partnership to Help High School Students Secure Their Post-Graduation Goals

HelloFresh Partners with Kaplan to Provide Free GED® Prep for Hourly Workers to Earn High School Equivalency Diploma

The Creating Pathways and Access for Student Success™ Foundation Partners with Kaplan to Boost the Number of Underrepresented Illinois Students in STEM Fields

Kaplan Wins the Association for Talent Development’s Prestigious BEST Award for Exceptional Employee Learning and Development Success

Talladega College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Delaware State University to Offer its Students Free Prep Courses for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through New Partnership with Kaplan

College for Financial Planning®–a Kaplan Company Introduces Freedom Scholarships for Military Service Members and Veterans

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Many Business Schools Say the MBA Rankings Have Lost Prestige and Would Welcome its Demise

Denison University Offers Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through Partnership with Kaplan

Designed to Jump Start Careers, Financial Advising Accelerator Program Launched by College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company

Howard University to Offer its Undergraduate and Graduate Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Admissions and Licensure Exams Through New Partnership with Kaplan

Vela Wood Law Firm Partners with Kaplan to Provide Free LSAT® Courses to Boost Number of Black Attorneys

Kaplan Partners with Amazon to Provide Amazon Employees with Comprehensive Career and Student Support Services

Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards Recognizes Kaplan’s Career Core™