Spelman College, a global leader in the education of women of African descent, announced today a new partnership with global educational services provider Kaplan that will provide Spelman students with free test prep courses for graduate-level admissions exams.

As part of Kaplan’s All Access initiative, colleges and universities can help their students prepare for a variety of high-stakes admissions and licensing exams that they need to score well on to reach their ultimate professional goals — with zero out-of-pocket costs for students. Kaplan has prepared students for standardized tests for 85 years, and Spelman College is its newest Historically Black College and University (HBCU) partner, joining Xavier University of Louisiana, Howard University, Delaware State University, Talladega College, Stillman College, Fisk University, and Hampton University. It’s also now the first member of the Atlanta University Center Consortium, the oldest and largest contiguous consortium of African-American higher education institutions in the United States, to offer students these services.

In 2022, U.S. News & World Report ranked Spelman as the number one HBCU in the country for the 16th consecutive year. The College offers an array of top-notch majors and minors and graduates more Black women who go on to complete Ph.D.s. in STEM fields, than any other college or university in the country.

“In recent years, one-third of Spelman students choose to attend graduate school, which is two-times the national average. We are pleased to partner with Kaplan to provide this valuable resource to Spelman scholars to help them prepare for their post-undergraduate studies,” said Helene Gayle, MD, MPH, president of Spelman College. “Kaplan’s All Access initiative removes a financial barrier for our students and creates another pathway as they continue to further their education and soar in their careers to achieve greater social mobility.”

Dr. Rosalind Gregory-Bass, associate professor in Spelman’s Environmental and Health Sciences department and director of the Health Careers Program, said this partnership provides a greater level of access to higher education and many professional careers.

"This type of commitment emphasizes the degree by which the institution not only recognizes the challenges, but is actively working to make a difference,” Bass said. “Spelman has a rich legacy of supporting students along the continuum of their academic and career development. This is one of many ways we seek to prepare the next generation of health care providers, scientists, lawyers, business executives, etc., who desire to meet the needs of underrepresented and underserved communities."

“We are excited to bring Kaplan’s comprehensive All Access services to Spelman College and work with college leaders to help them deliver a potentially life-changing educational experience. By becoming an All Access partner, Spelman College is demonstrating to their students that they are vested in their success way beyond graduation day and that they see in them future leaders in a wide variety of industries, from business to law to medicine and so much more,” said Mark Reimonenq, director of university partnerships, Kaplan. “Kaplan’s All Access tears down barriers and instead builds opportunities for students who want to score competitively on these important admissions exams and get into top graduate programs.”

More information will be available for students on Spelman’s website in early August. For college and university leaders who want to explore partnering with Kaplan, learn more about the company’s exam prep programs. With All Access, colleges can also help their students prepare for licensing exams to become doctors, nurses, and lawyers, as well as professional licensing exams.