The Princeton Review Has Released the 16th Edition of "The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences"

NEW YORK, NY, September 5, 2023 / —  The Princeton Review®, known for its education services and resources that help students research, gain admission to, and succeed at the colleges best for them, today released the 16th edition of The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences  by Marybeth Kravets, M.A., and Imy F. Wax, M.S. (Penguin Random House / Princeton Review, $35.99, September 5, 2023).

The K&W Guide—as the book has come to be known among parents and college advisors—was first published in 1991. For 32 years, it has been a one-of-a-kind resource for college applicants with learning differences and those who support them. It evolved from a collaboration by two very dedicated women: Marybeth Kravets, a college counselor at a public high school in a suburb of Chicago, and Imy F. Wax, the parent of a first-year student at that school. (Notes follow on the compelling story of their collaboration.)

The new updated edition of The K&W Guide includes:

  • Profiles of more than 350 colleges offering academic programs, services, and accommodations for students with learning differences. The profiles provide information on: academic offerings and requirements for admission (including updates on test-optional policies), school services, cost and financial aid data, and an interesting “Did You Know?” fact about the school. Letter codes signal the level of support the school provides: SP (Structured Programs), CS (Coordinated Services) or S (Services). A QR code enables the reader to connect to the school’s profile on PrincetonReview.com. The profiles are presented alphabetically by state. An appendix provides indexes of the schools by school name and by level of support services.
  • General guidelines for documentation of a learning disability, an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
  • An annotated list of 52 programs offering alternative post-secondary options for students and adults with learning differences. The list has instructional and vocational programs as well as structured living programs. It provides overviews of the programs and contact information.
  • Advice from professionals with unique perspectives on the subject. University of Arizona administrators Daniel Linden III, M.S., and Kasey Urquídez, EdD, co-authored the book’s Foreword, and Matt Cohen, founder of a Chicago-based disability rights law firm, penned the Introduction.

How The K&W Guide came to be:

In 1987, Marybeth Kravets was a counselor at Deerfield High School, one of the top public high schools in Illinois. Imy Wax, a psychotherapist, was the parent of a first-year student at that school who aspired to attend college. Imy reached out to Marybeth, knowing that a focused plan would be essential for her daughter—who had been diagnosed at age two with multiple learning differences—to navigate a successful path to college. Unfortunately, there was no detailed guide available at the time identifying colleges ideal for students with learning differences.

Marybeth and Imy joined forces to address this void in college information resources. Over the next two years, they identified 150 colleges that offered programs and/or services for students with learning differences. Knowing their research would be useful for other counselors and parents, they compiled their results into a guidebook. In 1991, Education Publishing Service (Cambridge, MA), published the first edition of their book and subsequently a second and third edition. In 1994, this singular volume became part of The Princeton Review's line of books. The company has published updated editions of the book ever since.

Since the debut of The K&W Guide, Marybeth and Imy have been sourced extensively as experts on its subject, both in their respective professional communities and by media from The New York Times  to The Wall Street Journal. They remain dedicated to the mission that inspired their book. They underscore its importance in their introduction, noting “One out of five students (20 percent) currently entering college has been diagnosed with a learning difference.” They add, “We once again dedicate this guide to every student who dreams of attending college. It represents our nearly 40-year labor of love, commitment, and respect for the many students who learn differently. Fortunately, many of the early barriers to college and obstacles that previously existed have given rise to services and accommodations that embrace those students who simply may learn differently.”

In 1996, Imy's daughter—the determined teen whose college dream inspired the collaboration that became the book—graduated from college. More impressively, but not surprisingly: she graduated cum laude. She had been accepted by all eight colleges to which she applied. She went on to graduate school and continued her education journey.

The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences is one of more than 150 books in a line developed by The Princeton Review and published by Penguin Random House. Other college-related books in the line include The Best 389 Colleges, The Ultimate Guide to HBCU(s), The College Wellness Guide, and Paying for College.

About the Authors

Marybeth Kravets, M.A., is a well-known and respected professional in the world of college counseling, post-secondary planning, and educational consulting. She is President of Marybeth Kravets & Associates LLC, and Director of College Counseling at Wolcott College Prep High School (Chicago, IL), guiding students with and without learning differences to successful admissions. She received her B.A. in Education from the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor and her M.A. in Counseling from Wayne State University (Detroit, MI). She is a founding board member of College Bound Opportunities  in Illinois and serves on the Board of Trustees of United World College, USA . Marybeth is Past President of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and also served as President of the Illinois Association for College Admissions Counseling (IACAC). She is a recipient of the Harvard University Club of Chicago Community Service Award. She resides in Chicago.

Imy F. Wax, M.S., is a Psychotherapist, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), National Board-Certified Counselor (NBCC), Certified Educational Planner (CP), and a Therapeutic and Educational Consultant (EC). She is founder and President of The Aspire Group, a company that provides an array of educational consulting and therapeutic consulting services to children, adolescents, and adults from all over the world. She travels more than 100,000 miles each year visiting traditional and non-traditional schools, colleges, and post-secondary programs, and serving as a guest speaker at professional conferences and workshops. For more than 30 years, Imy has been an objective voice guiding, supporting, and empowering families in making informed decisions that secure and enhance their children’s futures. Imy believes every child’s journey is unique and “there should never be a closed door to fulfilling one’s hopes and dreams.” She resides in Deerfield, IL.

About The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review is a leading tutoring, test prep, and college admissions services company. Every year, it helps millions of college– and graduate school–bound students as well as working professionals achieve their education and career goals through its many education services and products. These include online and in-person courses delivered by a network of more than 4,000 teachers and tutors; online resources; a line of more than 150 print and digital books published by Penguin Random House; and dozens of categories of school rankings. Founded in 1981, The Princeton Review is now in its 42nd year. The company’s Tutor.com brand, now in its 23rd year, is one of the largest online tutoring services in the U.S. It comprises a community of thousands of tutors who have delivered more than 24 million one-to-one tutoring sessions. The Princeton Review is headquartered in New York, NY. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University. For more information, visit PrincetonReview.com and the company’s Media Center. Follow the company on X (formerly Twitter) (@ThePrincetonRev) and Instagram (@theprincetonreview).

 

Praise for past editions of The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences:

"An intelligent, well-written, exhaustively researched foray into the special needs of students whose ability to learn is hampered in some way.”

– InfoDad.com

"Hundreds of thousands of students with learning differences head to college every year….Expertly written, organized and presented, this impressively comprehensive guide makes it easy for those students and their families and guidance counselors to tackle the daunting process of finding the school that fits their needs best.”

– Wisconsin Bookwatch

"A comprehensive resource for selecting the right college for students with learning disabilities."

– The Exceptional Parent


The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences – 16th Edition

by Marybeth Kravets, M.A., and Imy F. Wax, M.S.

Penguin Random House / Princeton Review • Trade paperback (US $35.99 CAN $47.99)

September 5, 2023 • 768 pages • ISBN 978-0-593-51740-6

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Contact: Jeanne Krier, Publicist for The Princeton Review and Tutor.com, pressoffice@review.com