View source for The Princeton Review

{{Short description|College admission services company}}
{{About|the consulting company in New York City|the journal produced by Princeton Theological Seminary|The Princeton Theological Review|the no-relation private research university in New Jersey|Princeton University}}
{{Infobox company
| name = The Princeton Review
| logo = Tpr logo.png
| logo_size = 
| logo_upright = .7
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| traded_as = 
| genre = 
| foundation = 1981
| founder = {{ubl|[[John Katzman]]|[[Adam Robinson (author)|Adam Robinson]]}}
| location_city = [[New York City]]
| location = <!-- this parameter modifies "Headquarters" -->
| key_people = Robert Batten, CEO<ref>{{cite web |title=CEO Robert Batten |url=https://www.princetonreview.com/corporate/ceo-robert-batten |website=princetonreview.com |publisher=The Princeton Review |access-date=3 March 2025}}</ref>
| area_served = 
| industry = Education
| products = 
| services = 
| revenue = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income = 
| num_employees = 
| divisions = College, Business School, Law School, Grad School, Med School
| subsid = [[Tutor.com]]
| owner = [[Primavera Capital Group]]
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.princetonreview.com|princetonreview.com}}
| dissolved = 
| footnotes = 
}}

'''The Princeton Review''' is an education services company providing [[tutoring]], [[test preparation]] and admission resources for students. It was founded in 1981,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/princeton-review-turned-40-companys-140000059.html|title = Yahoo Finance}}</ref> and since that time has worked with over 400 million students. Services are delivered by 4,000+ tutors and teachers in the United States, Canada and international offices in 21 countries.;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.princetonreview.com/international/locations|title = International Locations &#124; the Princeton Review}}</ref> online resources; more than 150 print and digital books published by [[Penguin Random House]]; and dozens of categories of school rankings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/31/the-top-colleges-with-the-most-generous-financial-aid-offers.html | title = CNBC - Best Colleges Rankings| website = [[CNBC]]| date = 31 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/ccny-features-princeton-review-guide-green-colleges-2022-rankings | title = City University of New York - green college| date = 26 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/princeton-review-entrepreneur-magazine-name-140000294.html | title = Yahoo Finance - entrepreneurship rankings undergrad and grad}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/penn-state-dickinson-law-named-best-law-school-princeton-review | title = Penn State - law school rankings}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lsu.edu/business/newsevents/2021/12-december/e-j-ourso-college-named-a-2022-best-business-school-by-the-princeton-review-2021.php | title = LSU - business school rankings}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamingoutput.com/pc/the-best-game-design-programs-ranked-by-the-princeton-review/ | title = Gaming Output - top game design undergrad and grad}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/26/the-private-and-public-colleges-that-top-the-list-for-financial-aid.html | title = CNBC - best financial aid| website = [[CNBC]]| date = 26 April 2022}}</ref>  The Princeton Review's  affiliate division, [[Tutor.com]], provides online tutoring services.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-22/distance-learning-pods-tutors-equity | title = Los Angeles Times Tutor.com| website = [[Los Angeles Times]]| date = 22 July 2020}}</ref>   The Princeton Review is headquartered in [[New York City]] and is privately held. The Princeton Review is not associated with [[Princeton University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.princetonreview.com/corporate/about-us|title=About The Princeton Review|website=www.princetonreview.com}}</ref>
== Corporate history ==
The Princeton Review was founded in 1981 by [[John Katzman]], who—shortly after graduating from Princeton University—began tutoring students for the [[SAT]] from his Upper West Side apartment.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.newsweek.com/princeton-review-founder-blasts-sat-these-tests-measure-nothing-value-246360|title= Princeton Review Founder Blasts the SAT: 'These Tests Measure Nothing of Value'|last= Schonfeld|first= Zach|date= April 16, 2014|website= Newsweek.com|access-date= September 6, 2019|quote= Founded in 1981 by Katzman and Adam Robinson, the Princeton Review offers test preparation tutoring services, books and online courses, with franchises in 14 countries. }}</ref>  A short time later, Katzman teamed up with Adam Robinson, an Oxford-trained SAT tutor who had developed a series of techniques for "cracking the system." Katzman built the Princeton Review into a national and then international operation and was CEO until 2007, when he was replaced by Michael Perik.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leadership Change At Princeton Review |url=https://www.wbjournal.com/article/leadership-change-at-princeton-review |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=Worcester Business Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>

In March 2010, Perik resigned and was replaced by John M. Connolly.  In April 2010, the company sold $48&nbsp;million in stock for $3 per share, and a short time later was accused of fraud in a class action suit filed by a Michigan retirement fund, which claimed The Princeton Review leadership exaggerated earnings to boost its stock price.<ref>{{cite news|title=Investor Accuses Princeton Review Of Fraud |url=http://www.law360.com/articles/261409/investor-accuses-princeton-review-of-fraud |access-date=9 August 2016|newspaper=360Law|date=29 July 2011}}</ref>  In 2012, the company was acquired by [[Charlesbank Capital]], a private equity fund, for $33&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tutor.com Acquires Princeton Review |url=ps://www.edsurge.com/news/2014-07-29-tutor-com-acquires-princeton-review |access-date=9 August 2016 |publisher=EdSurge.com|date=29 July 2014}}</ref>  On August 1, 2014, the Princeton Review brand name and operations were bought for an undisclosed sum by [[Tutor.com]], an [[IAC (company)|IAC company]], and Mandy Ginsburg became CEO. The company is no longer affiliated with its former parent, Education Holdings 1, Inc.<ref>{{cite news|title=IAC/InterActive Unit Agrees to Buy Princeton Review name|url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/iac-interactive-unit-agrees-to-buy-princeton-review-1406670736|access-date=29 July 2014|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=29 July 2014}}</ref> On March 31, 2017, ST Unitas<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stunitas.com/front/about/en|title = ST Unitas}}</ref> acquired The Princeton Review for an undisclosed sum.<ref>{{cite web|title=ST Unitas Acquires The Princeton Review |last=Hyo-Sik |first=Lee |date=February 14, 2017 |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2017/02/694_223955.html|website=Korea Times|access-date=10 May 2018}}</ref> In January 2022, [[Primavera Capital Group]] acquired The Princeton Review and [[Tutor.com]] from ST Unitas.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Korn |first=Melissa |date=2023-05-08 |title=WSJ News Exclusive {{!}} Chinese Company Now Owns Tutoring Firm Contracted by Military and Schools in U.S. |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/princeton-review-and-tutor-com-are-now-owned-by-a-chinese-company-58ebea38 |access-date=2023-06-22 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

== Test preparation ==
[[File:Princeton Review Bwy 84 jeh.jpg|thumb|School on [[Broadway (Manhattan)|Broadway]]]]
The Princeton Review offers test preparation courses, tutoring services, and or guidebooks for various tests via the Princeton Review website:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.princetonreview.com/|title=Official website|access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref>

{{div col}}
*[[ACT (examination)|ACT]]
*[[Advanced Placement Exams]] (AP Exams)
*[[Chartered Financial Analyst]] (CFA® Level I)
*[[Chartered Financial Analyst]] (CFA® Level II)
*[[Dental Admission Test]] (DAT)
*[[GED]]
*[[Graduate Management Admission Test]] (GMAT)
*[[Graduate Record Examination]] (GRE)
*[[Independent School Entrance Examination|ISEE]]
*[[Law School Admissions Test]] (LSAT)
*[[Medical College Admission Test]] (MCAT)
*[[NCLEX-RN]]
*[[Optometry Admission Test]] (OAT)
*[[PSAT/NMSQT|PSAT]]
*[[SAT]]
*[[Secondary School Admission Test]]
*[[Specialized High Schools Admissions Test|SHSAT]]
*[[TOEFL]]
*[[United States Medical Licensing Examination]]
{{div col end}}

The company offers courses worldwide through company-owned and third-party [[franchising|franchise]]s. Countries with Princeton Review franchises include [[Azerbaijan]], [[Bahrain]], [[Egypt]], [[Hong Kong]], [[India]], [[Indonesia]], [[Jordan]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Kuwait]], [[Lebanon]], [[Malaysia]], [[Mexico]], [[Oman]], [[Philippines]], [[Qatar]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[South Korea]], [[Switzerland]], [[Turkey]], the [[United Arab Emirates]] and [[Vietnam]].<ref>[http://www.princetonreview.com/international-locations.aspx International Offices of The Princeton Review] at the Princeton Review website</ref>

== Legal issues ==

===False Claims Act settlement (2012)===
In December 2012, Education Holdings, Inc.—which operated The Princeton Review from 2002 to 2012—settled a lawsuit brought by the U.S. government under the False Claims Act.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raymond |first=Nate |date=December 20, 2012 |title=Former Princeton Review Owner Settles U.S. Fraud Case |website=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/breakingviews/former-princeton-review-owner-settles-us-fraud-case-idUSBRE8BJ160/ }}</ref>The lawsuit alleged that the company submitted false claims for federally funded tutoring services provided to students in underperforming New York City public schools through the Supplemental Educational Services (SES) program.<ref>{{Cite web| title=UNITED STATES and STATE OF NEW YORK ex rel. Jane Doe, v. Education holdings 1, INC., f/k/a The Princeton review, Inc., and Stephen Green | url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nys/pressreleases/December12/PrincetonReviewSettlement/Eductation%20Hildings%201,%20Inc%20(Princeton%20Review)%20Settlement.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227034659/https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nys/pressreleases/December12/PrincetonReviewSettlement/Eductation%20Hildings%201,%20Inc%20(Princeton%20Review)%20Settlement.pdf | archive-date=2017-02-27}}</ref> Education Holdings admitted that its employees had falsified attendance records between 2006 and 2010 in order to receive payments for services that were not actually provided.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Site Managers frequently forged student signatures, and were pressured by supervisors to meet attendance quotas. Directors received bonuses based on inflated attendance rates, creating systemic incentives for fraud. The government joined a whistleblower lawsuit previously filed under the False Claims Act and ultimately reached a settlement requiring Education Holdings to pay up to $10 million in damages and penalties. Education Holdings also voluntarily agreed to a three-year exclusion from all federal education funding programs. At the time of the settlement, the company had already sold The Princeton Review brand and name to an unrelated third party in May 2012.

===Criminal and civil proceedings (2013)===
Following the 2012 settlement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced a number of civil and criminal actions against individuals involved in the fraudulent SES reimbursement scheme. Ana Azocar and Zorayma Azocar, former Site Managers and later Directors of The Princeton Review’s SES program in New York City, pled guilty to fraud charges and settled civil claims brought against them. Zorayma Azocar entered her plea on January 11, 2013, and Ana Azocar on January 15, 2013. Robert Stephen Green, a former Director and Vice President of The Princeton Review, also settled civil claims related to the same scheme.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Southern District of New York {{!}} Manhattan U.S. Attorney Sues TestQuest, Criminally Charges One Former TestQuest Manager, And Announces Guilty Pleas Of Two Former Directors At Princeton Review For Defrauding Federal Government Into Paying For Tutoring Services That Were Never Provided {{!}} United States Department of Justice | url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-us-attorney-sues-testquest-criminally-charges-one-former-testquest-manager | access-date=2025-08-14 | website=www.justice.gov | date=13 May 2015 }}</ref>

===Student data breach lawsuit===
The Princeton Review was also involved in a class action lawsuit after the personal data—including Social Security numbers—of students was inadvertently made publicly accessible on its website. The law firm Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP represented a class of affected students and alleged claims of negligence, breach of contract, and unfair trade practices. A settlement was reached in which the company agreed to provide identity protection services, including credit monitoring and identity theft insurance, for up to three years.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Princeton Review, Inc. Data Breach - Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP | url=http://www.shulaw.com/About-Us/Litigation-Successes/Consumer-Litigation/Princeton-Review2C-Inc.-Data-Breach/ | access-date=2025-08-14 | website=www.shulaw.com}}</ref>

== Criticisms ==

===Consumer complaints===
Test preparation providers have been criticized in the past on the grounds that their courses claim larger score increases than they deliver.<ref>{{cite news |author=John Hechinger |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124278685697537839 |title=SAT Coaching Found to Boost Scores – Barely |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=May 20, 2009 }}</ref> Customer dissatisfaction is a recurring theme in public reviews.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://yelp.to/9GPJ7aT1Jj | title=The Princeton Review | website=yelp.to}}</ref> Many students and parents have reported frustration with the company’s money-back guarantee policies, citing fine print that made the guarantee difficult to claim. Online platforms such as Yelp and Trustpilot feature numerous accounts of customers being denied refunds despite meeting advertised criteria. Some reviewers have also pointed to poor communication, billing issues, and difficulties navigating the company’s customer support system.

===Employee complaints===
In addition to consumer complaints, some former employees have voiced concerns on platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed about low pay, lack of advancement opportunities, and a focus on sales targets over educational support. While some praised the flexibility and student interaction aspects of the job, others characterized the workplace culture as exploitative and disorganized.<ref>{{Cite web | title=The Princeton Review Reviews {{!}} Glassdoor | url=https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/The-Princeton-Review-Reviews-E3988.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728171027/https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/The-Princeton-Review-Reviews-E3988.htm | access-date=2025-08-14 | archive-date=2020-07-28}}</ref>

===Criticism of school rankings===
College rankings, including those published by the Princeton Review, have been criticized for failing to be accurate or comprehensive by assigning objective rankings formed from subjective opinions.<ref>Valerie Strauss. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/16/AR2007081602537.html "U.S. News's College Rankings Face Competition and Criticism"], ''The Washington Post'', 17 August 2008.</ref> Princeton Review officials counter that their rankings are unique in that they rely on student opinion and not just on statistical data.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.princetonreview.com/college/college-rankings.aspx|title=Robert Franek – author of The Best 377 Colleges|access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges/video|title=Best 380 Colleges Videos - The Princeton Review|website=www.princetonreview.com|access-date=2016-03-29}}</ref>

In 2002 an [[American Medical Association]] affiliated program, A Matter of Degree,<ref>[http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/program_results_reports/2009/rwjf69648 A Matter of Degree: Reducing High-Risk Drinking Among College Students](pdf), [[Robert Wood Johnson Foundation]], March 23, 200</ref> funded by the [[Robert Wood Johnson Foundation]], criticized the Princeton Review list of Best [[Party school#Criticism of party school lists|Party Schools]].<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/end-of-top-party-schools-ranking/ End of Top Party School's Ranking?]. ''[[The Early Show]]''. [[CBS News]]. August 27, 2002. Retrieved on October 30, 2009.</ref>  ''[[USA Today]]'' published an editorial titled "Sobering Statistics"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://inthenews.unt.edu/sites/default/files/PDF/2002/8/20/08_20_2002_USAT_Sobering.pdf |title=Sobering Statistics |publisher=[[USA Today]] |date=Aug 20, 2002 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911162538/http://inthenews.unt.edu/sites/default/files/PDF/2002/8/20/08_20_2002_USAT_Sobering.pdf |archive-date= Sep 11, 2017 }}</ref> in August 2002 and stated, "the doctor's group goes too far in suggesting that the rankings contribute to the problem (of campus drinking)."  The editorial noted the fact that among the schools the AMA program was then funding as part of its campaign against campus drinking, six of 10 of those schools calling for The Princeton Review to "drop the annual ranking...had made (Princeton Review's) past top-party-school lists: many times for some.  That's no coincidence."  The editorial commended The Princeton Review for reporting the list, calling it "a public service" for "student applicants and their parents".

The Princeton Review rankings for [[LGBT]]-related lists were criticized in 2010 by a ranking competitor in [[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|''The Advocate'']] magazine as inaccurate due to outdated methodologies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.advocate.com/society/education/2009/08/13/princeton-reviews-approach-outdated|title=Princeton Review's Approach is Outdated |date=August 13, 2009 |website=Advocate |first1=Shane L. |last1=Windmeyer |access-date=2016-03-29}}</ref> The Princeton Review has always based its "LGBTQ-Friendly" and "LGBTQ-Unfriendly" <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.princetonreview.com/schoollist.aspx?id=707|title=LGBTQ-Friendly |website=The Princeton Review |access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref> top twenty ranking lists on its tri-annual surveys of students at colleges profiled in the company's ''Best Colleges'' book which asks undergraduates: "Do students, faculty, and administrators at your college treat all persons equally regardless of their sexual orientations and gender identify/expression?"  The Princeton Review also publishes ''The Gay & Lesbian Guide to College Life (2007)''. It has been available as an eBook since 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.randomhouse.com/princetonreview/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307945013|title=The Gay and Lesbian Guide to College Life |website=The Princeton Review Bookstore |publisher=Random House |access-date=9 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015052432/http://www.randomhouse.com/princetonreview/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307945013 |archive-date= Oct 15, 2014 }}</ref><ref>"[http://www.princetonreview.com/lgbtq/college-guide.aspx Guide to College for LGBT Students]". The Princeton Review. Retrieved on 2013-08-02.</ref>

===Privacy concerns===
In 2016, the company was criticized by privacy rights advocates concerned that a company that owns online dating and college preparation services could amass data and exploit it in a way that preys on unsuspecting consumers, particularly younger people.<ref>"[http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_29762266/ken-mceldowney-consumer-data-online-needs-be-protected "Consumer data online needs to be protected"], ''[[The Mercury News]]''<span>, April 15, 2016, editorial by Ken McEldowney</span>.</ref>   "Do parents know that when their underage kids enroll for exam prep or tutoring, personal information may be shared with hookup sites that could then target their kids to become customers?" asked the critic, who concluded that the company "makes no guarantee that data sharing among its entities will not include those customers whose sole aim is to improve their grades and test scores."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://townhall.com/columnists/lindachavez/2016/01/08/violating-privacy-is-bad-business-n2101280|title=Violating Privacy Is Bad Business|date=8 January 2016|publisher=Townhall |access-date=8 June 2016}}</ref>  Indeed, another critic points out that The Princeton Review "policy states 'we may collect certain information from your computer each time you visit our site'—information like data 'regarding your academic and extracurricular activities and interests.' That information can be used to 'send you email notices and offers; perform research and analysis about your use of or interest in our products, services or products or services offered by others; [and] develop and display content and advertising tailored to your interests on our site and other sites.{{'"}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-alexander/recent-online-dating-comp_b_9307742.html |title=Recent Online Dating Company IPO Raises Questions About Privacy |date=24 February 2016|work=The Huffington Post |access-date=16 August 2016}}</ref>

No evidence was ever presented that [[IAC (company)|IAC]], which owned The Princeton Review when these criticisms were made, used data gathered by The Princeton Review to promote IAC company dating services to younger people.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 214 (Tuesday, November 7, 2023) |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-11-07/html/2023-22678.htm |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=www.govinfo.gov}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Storefront school]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|www.princetonreview.com}}

{{University ranking systems}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Princeton Review, The}}
[[Category:Educational publishing companies]]
[[Category:Test preparation companies]]
[[Category:Standardized tests in the United States]]
[[Category:Companies based in Natick, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Princeton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1981]]
[[Category:Consulting firms established in 1981]]
[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1981]]
[[Category:1981 establishments in New York City]]