Schweser Study Program, a Kaplan Professional Company, and Financial Training Company to Offer Co-Branded Materials to 2002 CFA Candidates in Europe.

Business Editors

NEW YORK/LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 5, 2001

Schweser Study Program, a Kaplan Professional Company, and the London-based Financial Training Company (FTC) will co-brand training products and services for the 2002 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA(R)) examination for candidates in Europe.

The CFA(R) charter, first awarded in 1963 to 268 candidates, is a globally recognized standard for professionals in the financial services industry, and indicates that a financial professional has undergone a rigorous curriculum of investment topics and is committed to the highest standards and ethics. According to the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR(R)), which administers the exams, the 6-hour exam is given each year at exam sites in more than 70 nations on the first Saturday following the May observance of Memorial Day in the U.S. According to AIMR, 86,421 candidates from 143 nations registered for the 2001 exam, and high-growth regions included Europe, up 42% over 2000 to more than 10,000 candidates and Asia, up 32% since last year to more than 21,000 candidates.

The Schweser Study Program, acquired by Kaplan, Inc. in 1999 as part of the Kaplan Professional division that provides prelicensing and continuing education training to professionals and corporations, serviced approximately 32,000 candidates worldwide last year through its live courses, online programs, and physical study materials. By joining with The Financial Training Company, Schweser's top-notch materials can be made available to many more European candidates.

The Financial Training Company is widely recognized in the UK and Asia for offering effective and wide-ranging accountancy, financial markets, tax and corporate training.

"The demand for the CFA(R) designation continues to be strong in Europe and Asia, where, as in the United States, it is recognized as a significant professional credential," said Dr. Andrew Temte, President and CEO of Schweser Study Program. "We are extremely excited to be working with a firm of FTC's caliber and reputation. This strategic alliance will enable Schweser Study Program to better serve thousands of European candidates for the CFA(R) exam through the personal service and expanded seminar offerings that FTC will provide."

"The CFA(R) designation is now widely recognized as the accepted international benchmark qualification for the investment industry." said William Macpherson, CEO of FTC. "We are delighted to provide our European-based candidates with Schweser's material, which is regarded worldwide as a market leading learning resource."

The Schweser Study Program (www.schweser.com) is the largest worldwide provider of training tools for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA(R)) examination, offering a comprehensive product line of study notes, audiotapes, videotapes, flashcards and live seminars that are developed and taught by a top-notch faculty. Schweser's new online training program launched in January 2001, and consists of audio/video tutorials, graphical learning tools and accompanying PowerPoint(R) presentations, diagnostic exams and weekly quizzes, online progress exams with immediate results and performance feedback, and Java applets that solve sample test problems using mathematical equations. Kaplan Professional (www.kaplanprofessional.com) is a unit of Kaplan, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO), and includes world-class brands Dearborn Financial Services, Dearborn Trade, Perfect Access Speer, Dearborn Real Estate Education, Self Test Software, Kaplan Professional Real Estate Schools, and Call Center Solutions.

The Financial Training Company is the UK's longest established private sector provider of professional finance training in accountancy, the financial markets, the law and general business. Employing over 100 full time tutors, across 19 training centres in the UK and Asia, Financial Training delivers the widest possible range of courses in all aspects of finance, including tax. The company was acquired by its management in an MBO completed earlier this summer and the commitment of the business to focus ever more sharply on the needs of its clients is therefore being pursued with renewed enthusiasm and even greater energy. For more information, please visit www.financial-training.com

Note to editors: Kaplan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO)