MCC Daily Tribune
SUNY Chancellor King Announces Support for EOP Students to Prepare for Graduate School Admissions
Free Test Preparation Support will be Available Through Kaplan for Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Students Seeking to Attend Graduate School or Take Licensure Exams
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. Thursday announced that 1,500 students in the SUNY Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) will have free access to comprehensive test preparation resources over the next three years, including practice tests, for graduate-level admissions exams and professional licensure exams. Popular test preparation courses can cost over $1,000, which many students are not able to afford. SUNY will collaborate with the global education company Kaplan to provide test prep resources including those for GRE®, GMAT®, LSAT®, MCAT®, DAT®, OAT®, NCLEX-RN®, and the CPA Licensure Exam.
“Students working to further their education and achieve their aspirations face many challenges, and the financial burden of test preparation materials should never stand in the way of graduate school,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “At SUNY, we are committed to ensuring all students are able to receive an affordable, high-quality education and are provided with the resources they need to succeed. Through this initiative, we aim to ensure that our EOP students continue to receive the support they need to excel both at SUNY and in their future careers.”
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Uplifting and empowering all New York students to unleash their full potential through a higher education is part of SUNY’s core mission and has driven our successful Educational Opportunity Program for decades. This partnership with Kaplan will help more students go further in their academic studies and not be held back because of limited resources or challenges securing test preparation support.”
Since its inception in 1967, SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program has provided access, academic support, and supplemental financial assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. In its 58-year history, the EOP has served nearly 90,000 students and evolved into one of the country's most successful college access programs. EOP eligibility is based on income and academic readiness.
SUNY’s EOP Scholars Program is designed to support students participating in EOP as they transition to graduate and professional education and high-demand careers. In 2021, SUNY launched the pre-medical Educational Opportunity Program, providing EOP students with additional support and mentoring towards their path to medical school. Last year, SUNY expanded this program to include pre-engineering and pre-law. In the coming year, SUNY will expand these efforts in two new pre-professional career areas with persistent shortages: teaching and nursing.
Gregory Marino, CEO of Kaplan North America, said, “Kaplan is proud to partner with the State University of New York to empower EOP students with the test prep they need to achieve their educational and career goals. We recognize the immense talent within the program and are dedicated to harnessing it to build a strong workforce that will shape the future. At Kaplan, we're committed to providing opportunities for all and are excited to see these students thrive with these resources.”
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Higher Education Committee said, “I applaud SUNY for continuing to improve the Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program. This latest innovation preparing students for graduate school will help eliminate the economic barriers to essential test preparation. It will allow participants in the program to pursue advanced degrees in on-demand fields. EOP is one of the many programs keeping SUNY a driver of upward mobility.”
State Senator Robert Jackson said, “Access without support is a false promise—and SUNY understands that. By removing the financial barrier to graduate and licensure exam preparation, this initiative transforms opportunity from theory into practice. Education may be the great equalizer, but only when we make the investments that level the playing field. For students in EOP—many of whom are the first in their families to attend college—this isn’t just about test prep. It’s about justice. It’s about progress. It’s about carrying the dreams of entire communities forward. I applaud Chancellor King and the SUNY system for reaffirming their commitment to equity—not just in words, but in action.”
State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal People Stokes said, “SUNY and Chancellor John B. King Jr. continue to find the right solutions in improving students’ opportunities for success in higher education. Higher education is expensive, but this collaborative effort of support between SUNY and Kaplan will help to ensure those EOP students will have access to test preparation resources.”
State Assemblywoman Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, “SUNY’s partnership with Kaplan to provide free test preparation for EOP students is a powerful investment in equity, access, and academic achievement. For many students, the cost of preparing for graduate and professional school exams is a financial barrier. Access to formalized test prep helps students achieve high scores, which is often essential for acceptance. This initiative removes that obstacle and opens doors to opportunity. I commend SUNY and Chancellor King for their continued commitment to lifting up students who have the talent and drive but need additional support to reach their full potential.”
State Assembly Member Latrice Walker said, “I applaud SUNY Chancellor John King and the leadership of Kaplan for this exciting partnership that will provide free test preparation for 1,500 EOP students with aspirations of pursuing graduate studies. As someone who grew up in public housing in New York City, I know how difficult it can be to pull together money for a range of expenses related to law school, graduate school, or attaining certain professional licenses. Free test preparation will help to eliminate some of the financial barriers and level the playing field for these 1,500 students over the next three years. As a proud graduate of SUNY Purchase, I was a beneficiary of the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program, which has helped tens of thousands of students reach their goals. It takes a village to make dreams work and that includes our corporate partners.”
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About The State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit the SUNY website.
About Kaplan
Kaplan, Inc. is a global educational services company that helps individuals and institutions advance their goals in an ever-changing world. Our broad portfolio of solutions help students and professionals further their education and careers, universities and educational institutions attract and support students, and businesses maximize employee recruitment, retainment, and development. Stanley Kaplan founded our company in 1938 with a mission to expand educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Today, our thousands of employees working in 27 countries/regions continue Stanley’s mission as they serve about 1.3 million students and professionals, 16,000 corporate clients, and 2,700 schools, school districts, colleges, and universities worldwide. Kaplan is a subsidiary of the Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC).
Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
06/27/2025