| Veterans
News Flash 
America
Supports You: NFL and eKnowledge Tackle College
Entrance Exams
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 30, 2007 - The Montgomery G.I.
bill pays servicemembers' and their dependents'
tuition at institutes of higher learning, but it
doesn't help them gain admission to school.
 To give college-bound members of military families
a leg-up, eKnowledge Corporation, which supplies
interactive test-preparation products for college
entrance exams, teamed with a group of NFL players
and donated $6.9 million worth of multimedia SAT/ACT
preparation materials to servicemembers and their
families in 2006. In 2007, the partnership will
boost its commitment to $10 million.
"I learned that (some) kids who served on
active duty and combat zones were taking the SAT
and ACT exams and they weren't scoring very well," Charlie
Beall, CEO of eKnowledge and a former Marine infantry
officer, said in an interview.
"The principal reason is because they were
trying to take these college entrance exams without
thorough preparation," he said.
SAT and ACT exam scores often weigh heavily in
college admission judgments and can tip the scales
toward an applicant's acceptance or rejection.
To prepare for the critical exam, prospective students
have several options, Beall said.
"You can pay $30 and try to study from a
3-inch thick manual, which is an extremely difficult
thing to do, or you can enroll in a classroom test-preparation
program for about $1,000," he said.
A
third option is to take DVD- & CD-based
premium test preparation courses like eKnowledge's,
which costs $300, or other similar products with
price tags that reach upwards of $600. "Virtually
none of these military kids were using premium
test preparation products because they couldn't
afford them," Beall said.
"The vast majority of our military servicemembers
serve several years, then transition back into
civilian life," he said. "We demonstrate
our value for the sacrifice they make for our country
by supporting them in that transition."
Servicemembers
interested in receiving free eKnowledge products
can complete an online request form at www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil by following the link to "Donation:
VSG/NFL Players." Requests
can also be made by calling eKnowledge at 951-256-4076
or via e-mail at support@eknowledge.com.
To learn more about this free offer and the NFL
players who are providing it, visit the SAT/ACT
Power Prep website.
When
seven NFL players - Mark Anderson, Chicago Bears;
Jon Bradley, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Scott Young,
Philadelphia Eagles; Garrick Jones, Atlanta Falcons;
Corey Williams, Green Bay Packers; Jason Radar,
Miami Dolphins; and Ahmaad Galloway, San Diego
Chargers -- heard about eKnowledge's plan to
donate study materials, they jumped at the chance
to support servicemembers and their families. The
players were unavailable for comment because of
team commitments during the NFL "draft season."
After
donating 48,000 test preparation CDs & DVDs,
eKnowledge and the NFL received about 20,000 notes
from satisfied test-takers, thanking the partnership
for its contribution. One thank you note was sent
from a servicemember stationed in Africa.
"As a military parent residing in Kenya,
I truly appreciate the opportunity to obtain these
products for my daughter who attends the international
school here," Air Force Maj. Douglas McClain
wrote. "This program will guarantee that she
has current material to prepare for the SAT and
ACT. Thanks from an Air Force Major who is trying
to serve his country and also take care of his
family."
Beall
said servicemembers and their dependents can
receive test prep materials no matter "where
they are on the globe" -- from Baghdad's International
Zone to a ship floating in the Pacific Ocean.
"One of the wonderful things about our products
is that because they're multimedia (and) Web-based,
we can send a DVD to a military servicemember anywhere
in the world," he said. "It allows the
person to study at their own pace on their own
time."
SOURCE:
VNIS
top
of page | 
