Thread by @akilbello

So is anyone curious how test prep companies responded to the #testoptional movement?

Follow me down the rabbit hole

#TestPrep
#Commoducation

First let's touch on a little history:

1926 - first #SAT
1936 - Kaplan founded
1978 - first full sample SAT released by CB
1979 - "Truth-in- Testing" Act. passed in NY
1980 - CB begins selling 5 Real SATs
1981 - Princeton Review founded

So the test prep industry has largely grown lockstep with the testing industrial complex

(dear educational researchers and economists please do more work on the growth of private tutoring companies and shadow education in the US since 1930)

As test optional policies have increased this obviously will pose a challenge for companies whose revenue is attached to the growth in test usage.

soooo let's see how those companies have responded in the past 18 months or so...

Kaplan ... decided to report rumors but not to dismiss them or directly address them but to suggest you buy their products.

Summit prep feels softer and less marketing driven though they reach the same conclusion.. take the SAT (and by extension prep for it)

C2 takes a much more aggressive tack... many might even call it fear mongering .... many might even say they are cherry picking data ... some might even claim this stance is entirely motivated by self-interest

Applerouth is seemingly more nuanced but can reads there hearts and minds of the 1600 admissions offices with these optional policies and tell what the really want and think.

I've got to shout out @NedJohnson .. I think his team at @PrepMatters did a good balanced job. They led with facts and eschewed fear mongering

Full disclosure: I know Ned and have been on a few panels with him. I even was on his podcast
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Akil Bello, Equity, Justice, and Standardized Testing (005) podbean.com/ew/pb-ye7ui-ef…

Another great example of nuanced explanation of the situation without biasing the audience to buy your products comes from @adamingersoll at @CompassEduGroup

I don't know if his final statement is "give me all your money" but I'm ok with that given the table-setting done here

Let's check in on more of the Sith.

Powerful Prep leads with scare quotes and you're a fool if you don't test

The unfortunately named "Ivy Lounge Test Prep" says that even if all your schools are optional you should prep because they equate skipping the prep with skipping the college of your dreams