Tips on Choosing a Test Preparation or Skills Development Course

All students pursuing professional health, graduate school, graduate business degrees, and law school should be working with an advisor when considering the timing of their prep course to ensure it aligns with their educational goals.

Please follow the guidelines below:

• DAT: Students must be enrolled in or have completed Organic Chemistry II with BIO I/II and CHEM I/II to pursue this course.
• GMAT^®: This course is recommended solely for senior business students pursuing competitive b-school admissions. Determine if you need this exam based on schools you are applying to.
• GRE^®: It is recommended to take this course between junior and senior year for students intending to apply to graduate programs that require the exam. All physician assistant and veterinary programs and most occupational therapy and physical therapy programs require the GRE.
• LSAT^®: Course for junior or senior students planning to apply to law school. It is recommended that the course be completed prior to testing and before September of their application year.
• MCAT^®: This course is recommended after students have completed BIO I/II, CHEM I/II, OCHEM I/II, and PHYS I/II. Students should try to complete the MCAT by June of the year they are applying. 
• OAT: This course is recommended for students who have completed BIO I/II, CHEM I/II, OCHEM I/II, PHYS I/II, and through Calc I.

Students interested in these designations should explore the eligibility and completion requirements set by the profession when considering which course to select. 

• CFA^®: The CFA^® (Chartered Financial Analyst^®) charter is primarily a postgraduate professional designation that certifies the competence and ethics of financial analysts. The curriculum focuses on recalling formulas and definitions from memory, and most of the material is a straightforward introduction to the concepts covered. The most popular package features instruction from experts and review sessions before the CFA Level I exam.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA): The CPA exam preparation (fulfilled by Gleim) is a comprehensive package to prepare a student from Auditing and Attestation to Tax Compliance and Planning. Students will test via mock exams and have access to lectures, practice, and digital books.
• Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional℠: This designation is perfect for individuals new to the financial services industry or current employees wanting to strengthen their foundational knowledge. It provides a comprehensive overview of financial planning, covering key concepts, terminology, and the planning process, making it an excellent starting point for a successful career in the field.
• Insurance  
  • Life & Health Insurance Prelicensing: Prepare for your Illinois Life & Health insurance license with Kaplan Financial Education's pre-licensing study option. Illinois requires a minimum of 20 hours of pre-licensing education for each line of authority; 7.5 of the 20 hours must be taken in a live online or live onsite classroom setting. Our most comprehensive study package, the Premium Instruction Package, has everything you need to effectively prepare for your insurance licensing exam, including guidance from an experienced instructor in a live or live online classroom environment.
  • Property & Casualty Insurance Pre-licensing: Prepare for your Illinois Property & Casualty insurance license with Kaplan Financial Education's pre-licensing study option. Illinois requires a minimum of 20 hours of pre-licensing education for each line of authority; 7.5 of the 20 hours must be taken in a live online or live onsite classroom setting. Our most comprehensive study package, the Premium Instruction Package, has everything you need to effectively prepare for your insurance licensing exam, including guidance from an experienced instructor in a live or live online classroom environment.
• Real Estate: Students will get a 75-hour Broker Licensing with Exam Prep course as a preparation to become a real estate broker (agent). Following the Illinois guidelines, students will prepare for the state and national licensing exams to launch their career in real estate.
• Security Industry Essentials: The Securities Industry Essentials^® (SIE^®) Exam serves as an entry point into the world of securities. It evaluates candidates' grasp of foundational concepts essential for navigating the industry. Our most comprehensive study package, the Premium Instruction Package, has everything you need to effectively prepare for your qualification exam, including guidance from an experienced instructor.
• Wealth Management Specialist℠ Certificate: Business students interested in financial services should consider the Wealth Management Specialist program. This program is ideal for a wide range of professionals involved in customer transactions and recommendations, including new hires, experienced advisors, and support staff.
• Pre-MBA Business Fundamentals: This course is designed for students to get the knowledge they need to be successful starting an MBA or business master’s program and hit the ground running. This is ideal for a student applying to graduate programs in business.
   

Cybersecurity professionals often pursue industry-recognized certifications to validate their expertise and advance their careers. These courses provide online training aligned with specific certification exam tracks, such as CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH. They cover fundamental concepts and best practices, and also include valuable resources such as practice tests and simulated exams to help students prepare for certification success.

There are three tracks students can pursue with the Cybersecurity Prep Courses: 

• Offensive Track: Focuses on penetration testing and ethical hacking techniques, preparing students for the CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) certification.
• Defensive Track: Covers essential security principles and technologies, aligning with the CompTIA Security+ certification to establish a strong foundation in cybersecurity defense.
• Cyber Risk Track: Focuses on advanced cybersecurity concepts, risk management, and governance frameworks, preparing students for the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification.

Civil, Mechanical, Electrical & Computer, and Chemical

• Students requesting prep resources for the FE exam have access to PPI, a Kaplan Company, prep products for 1 year. The earliest the FE exam can be taken is within a student’s last term. Therefore, it is recommended a student enroll no sooner than 6 months prior to graduation.
• FE is highly recommended for mechanical and civil engineering students. It is recommended for all other engineering students as well. Taking the FE exam is the first step for students toward PE (Professional Engineer) licensure.

The health course test prep options are available for students enrolled in programs at community colleges that align with the courses. 

• NREMT: For students studying for higher-level NREMT certification, we will provide a Question Bank (Qbank) online and e-book to support students.
• EMT: Our EMT book will support students studying to take their Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) exam. All students preparing to take their EMT exam will get an EMT e-book to help with their preparation.
• Medical Assisting: Students preparing to become medical assistants can access our e-book to gain further knowledge and skills on their path toward a career.
• Pharmacy Technician: Students preparing for the Pharmacy Technician Certifying Exam (PTCE) will gain access to a thorough Question Bank (Qbank) to support their learning and preparation. 

The ASVAB Prep course helps prepare students considering a military career with information about the test and support to prepare for the math, science, and language skills. Students who excel on the ASVAB test may have opportunities for placement in more specialized roles within the military. 

High school students taking college credit through adult learners considering career options can consider the Kaplan ASVAB preparation course. Students who wish to take the ASVAB are not required to commit to the military.

The nursing course options are available for graduating nursing students at every level (associate’s, bachelor’s, and graduate). If you are not in your final semester of nursing school, please do not select a prep course before consulting with your advisor and faculty first.

• Nursing PN (NCLEX-PN^®): This prep is for the NCLEX-PN licensure exam. Students taking this preparation course are graduating from LPN or LVN programs.
• Nursing RN (NCLEX-RN^®): This prep is for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam for students graduating from accredited nursing RN programs.
• ANCC FNP Exam Preparation: ANCC FNP-BC exam assesses entry-level clinical knowledge and skills necessary to function as an FNP. If you pass the ANCC FNP certification exam, you will earn the FNP-BC™ credential. This certification typically appeals to nurses who want to pursue a career in academia.
• AANP FNP-C Exam Preparation: The AANP FNP-C exam is an entry-level competency-based test that assesses clinical knowledge in families and individuals across life spans. If you pass the AANP FNP exam, you will earn the FNP-C credential. This certification typically appeals to nurses who want to practice as clinicians.
• NP Board (AANP or ANCC) Adult Gerontology: This preparation course is for the certification exam to become an A-GNP. It will prepare a student to test clinical knowledge of adolescents to older adult populations. 
• CCRN^®: This course includes a Question Bank (Qbank) for those studying for the CCRN specialty certification in nursing. CCRN is for nurses who provide care to acutely/critically ill adult patients. 
   

Students in the professional degree programs below should use the guidance on timing for their respective programs relative to when to register, when you are eligible to sit for the exam, and when it is best to start preparing for your certification exams.

• Dentistry: Kaplan offers preparation for the INDBE exam for graduating dental students.
• Law: Kaplan offers three courses for law students: ABA Welcome to Law School, PMBR 3 Day Review, and the Bar Review/IL Plus Package.
• Medicine: Kaplan offers medical students preparation for all three USMLE^® exams: USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 CK exams and USMLE Step 3. Students in the Prepare for Illinois’ Future program can get USMLE preparation for Step 1 and Step 2 CK.
• Physician Assistant: This course prepares students for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE™), a multiple-choice computerized exam designed to assess whether candidates have the medical and surgical knowledge to become a certified physician assistant.

We offer great skills-building courses for any student, at any stage of their education. Students from all majors and backgrounds can pursue these courses although the Confident New Hire course is recommended for a student nearing graduation and preparing to enter the workforce.

• Career readiness courses include Confident New Hire, Critical Thinking, and Resilient Leader. 
• Math and data courses include Exploratory Data Analysis, Foundations in Data Literacy, and Math/Python Fundamentals. 
• Project Management Preparation: Only students planning to get certification as a project manager should take the Project Management Preparation course. Students will not receive the certification following completion of the course; rather, they will be prepared to take the licensing exam for project management. 

Students in the State of Illinois take a variety of licensing examinations to become a certified teacher. Please check specific state requirements and consult faculty and advising based on major to determine if the Praxis core preparation course would help you prepare for your licensing exams.