On Thursday, July 31, 2009, FUSIA/CCIP students made the trip to downtown Manhattan to visit the headquarters of Kaplan, one of the largest for-profit education companies in the world. The students visited the section of Kaplan that deals with graduate school, and were given a presentation that gave them a glimpse into high education in the US, how to prepare for it and American students' experiences.

The visit opened with Ms. Carina Wong, Communications Director of Kaplan Test Prep, taking lead of the discussion by first giving a broad overview. "Our companies actually focus on three sections: test preparation for admission in education institutions, higher education and English training," Wong said.

Afterwards, students were ready with questions about the whole gamut of admissions exams and the world of higher education in the US. Mr. Jason Moss, Vice President of Graduate Programs took over for the second half of the visit to answer.

"First off, these examinations started in 1837 with Horace Mann. If you're losing sleep over the MCAT, GMAT, SAT, then by all means, blame him," said Moss, to the laughter of the students. He added, "After World War II, these examinations became a world standard."

During the talk, students were treated, of all things, an algebra test. Xiao Di Yuan, an undergraduate student from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, had this sentiment "I haven't touched anything math-related since graduating from high school. It was simple, but it made me think everything I had forgotten. I felt unprepared. That was unnerving."

Students then asked Moss about the minimum scores needed for admission into graduate schools in the US. "The score varies. It all depends on the requirements of a particular school. Test scores aren't the end of the story. Getting a great one won't guarantee you admission. Take medical school for instance. Instead of focusing on the test score, an interview is also needed. The personality of the candidate; those special traits that a test won't ever be able to show, is just as important."

Moss continued, "There are great students out there who have lofty goals, but they're afraid that a bad test score will be the end of their dreams. KAPLAN is here to help them. There's a strategy to taking these exams. We're here to show them that with the right preparation passing is possible."

"Deep down, I knew there was more to success than passing all my tests and getting the best grades. This is another reminder of how challenging succeeding is going to be. This experience today has shown me success is more complicated than I imagined, but there are also many more options to get to the same place. I'm grateful for this experience," said Wing Yan Hung, a student of the University of Hong Kong, who summed up what students got from the day the best.

About Kaplan: Kaplan is one of the world's leading providers of lifelong education with operations around the globe. Headquartered in New York, the company has evolved its historic roots in test preparation to serve students of all ages through a wide array of offerings. Presently, the company has four areas of focus: Kaplan Kids and Schools (which helps elementary, middle and high school students achieve academic success), Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions (which helps students prepare for admissions to college and graduate school), Kaplan Higher Education (which provides career-oriented post-secondary education) and Kaplan Professional (which provides professional training and licensing preparation).