Worldwide educational services leader Kaplan Inc. announced it has become the exclusive K-12 partner for EDU Inc., a unique service for historically Black colleges and universities that enables students to apply to 29 member institutions through a single common application.

Under the terms of the agreement, Kaplan K-12 Learning Services, a division of Kaplan that provides supplemental services programs, student curricula, assessment tools and professional development to underserved school districts, will fully subsidize the cost of the EDU Inc. common application process. Kaplan’s sponsorship will enable students who use the EDU Inc. service to apply to all 29 member HBCUs for free.

According to the Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, which studies issues related to African Americans and education in the United States, HBCUs represent only 3 percent of the nation’s institutions of higher learning, but graduate nearly one-quarter of African Americans who earn undergraduate degrees.

"EDU Inc. serves as a unique and valuable resource in expanding access to higher educational options for students, and we are pleased to be able to support this objective," said Stuart Udell, president of Kaplan’s K-12 Learning Services. "By helping facilitate the college application process, our joint goal is to motivate more students to attend college."

Through the Kaplan/EDU Inc. partnership, students can attend college preparation classes with Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. Participants can also complete the Black College Common Application, which EDU Inc. will send to its member institutions, working with individual students to help them obtain the necessary transcripts, test scores, recommendations, financial aid applications and essays they will need to complete the process.

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 EDU, Inc. (www.eduinconline.com) is the parent company that offers the Common Black College Application and publishes the Black College Source Magazine (BCS).  To date more than 50,000 students have used the EDU, Inc. Application to apply to the Member Institutions represented by the company.  The BCS is sent to more than 10,000 high schools and colleges nationwide. 
EDU, Inc. Recruiters visit more than 3000 high schools on behalf of the Member Institutions.