Harvard i-lab | 2013 President's Challenge Presentation -- Zen Way Inc.

TL;DR

Zen Way Inc provides adaptive test prep services to help low-income students improve their SAT and LSAT scores, increasing their chances of attending selective schools and receiving financial aid.

Transcript

hi my name is john bennett and i'm CEO and co-founder of Zen way inc we have an adaptive teaching platform that's going to change the way that people learn and more importantly it's gonna equalize access to higher education so first off the problem starts with K to 12 education as you can see in this graph minority students and poor students who ar... Read More

Key Insights

• 😘 Low-income and minority students face significant disadvantages in the current education system, particularly in terms of college readiness and test preparation.
• 🏆 Zen Way Inc's test prep services aim to level the playing field by helping low-income students improve their standardized test scores.
• 💨 Adaptive teaching platforms, like the one developed by Zen Way Inc, have shown to be the most effective way to personalize learning and improve student outcomes.
• 🎟️ Zen Way Inc's financial model relies on government grants and corporate sponsorships, as well as their social mission to attract financing and talent.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the main problem with the current education system that Zen Way Inc is trying to solve?

The current education system disproportionately disadvantages low-income and minority students, particularly in terms of college readiness and test preparation. Zen Way Inc aims to provide equitable access to test prep services for these students.

Q: How does Zen Way Inc's test prep services impact a student's chances of attending selective schools?

Zen Way Inc's test prep services help low-income students improve their SAT and LSAT scores, increasing their chances of getting accepted into more selective schools. Higher scores also lead to better financial aid opportunities, reducing the burden of student debt.

Q: How does Zen Way Inc's adaptive teaching platform work?

Zen Way Inc's adaptive teaching platform personalizes learning based on each student's needs and the learning objectives of standards-based environments. It measures a student's competency level and difficulty level to deliver tailored content for optimal score improvement.

Q: What is Zen Way Inc's long-term goal?

Zen Way Inc aims to have a significant societal impact by ensuring equal opportunity for all children to pursue higher education. Their goal is to reach over a million students by 2017 and increase the graduation rates in any high school they operate in by at least 15%.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The CEO and co-founder of Zen Way Inc, John Bennett, explains how their adaptive teaching platform aims to equalize access to higher education by focusing on test preparation.

• The company targets the 62 million students who take high-stakes tests each year, particularly low-income students who struggle to access test prep services.

• Zen Way Inc's technology and curriculum models can apply to the entire 62 million student market, but they are focusing on the LSAT and SAT to start.