EXHIBIT 99


                                                                   NEWS RELEASE


CONTACT: Yolanda Scharton                                        (NASDAQ: NLCS)
         612-829-3203                                     For Immediate Release


                    NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. ANNOUNCES
              AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY ENTERPRISES

        NCS ALSO ANNOUNCES AUTHORIZATION TO REPURCHASE 1 MILLION SHARES


         Minneapolis,  MN -- March 18, 1997 -- National Computer  Systems,  Inc.
(NASDAQ:  NLCS) announced today the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire
Virtual University Enterprises (VUE), a Bloomington,  Minnesota-based electronic
course  registration  and  training  administration  company  for  approximately
582,000 shares of NCS common stock.  The VUE  acquisition is subject to approval
by the VUE shareholders.  It is anticipated the transaction will close within 30
days.

         NCS is the nation's largest provider of test and assessment services to
the rapidly growing $1 billion plus test administration  market. The acquisition
of VUE will allow for rapid  penetration of the even faster  growing  electronic
test and assessment  administration  market.  VUE will become a division of NCS'
testing and  assessments  business  unit,  led by NCS Vice  President,  David W.
Smith.

         Russell  A.  Gullotti,  NCS  Chairman,  President  and Chief  Executive
Officer  commented,  "The  acquisition  of VUE will allow us to  strengthen  and
extend our  well-established  position in the  education  industry into the fast
growing electronic course registration and electronic testing markets. E. Clarke
Porter,  VUE's CEO and founder,  developed the first electronic  testing systems
for the National Association of Securities Dealers in 1979. Clarke and other VUE
founders, Steve Nordberg and Kirk Lundeen led Drake Training and Technologies to
a leadership position in electronic testing in the early 90's."

         "The leadership and experience of Clarke,  Steve and Kirk combined with
NCS' 30 year track record in testing and assessments gives us confidence that we
will grow rapidly in electronic testing," said David W. Smith.

          Clarke Porter will be responsible for NCS'  capabilities in electronic
course registration and testing. Clarke said, "We are very excited about pairing
the  skills  of our  two  companies.  Our  shared  standard  of  performance  in
satisfying our customers will be flawless execution.  Our strategy is to utilize
current  technologies  and establish a pervasive  global test delivery  network.
VUE's current business  provides on-line  registration and information  services
for over 2,100 training and test centers world-wide."

         NCS also announced that its Board  authorized the repurchase of up to 1
million of its common  shares for the  purpose of  offsetting  shares  issued in
connection with the VUE acquisition,  as well as stock-based  employee plans and
future  acquisitions.  The net impact of the VUE  acquisition  is expected to be
immaterial to fiscal 1997 earnings estimates.

         NCS is an information  services company providing  software and systems
for the collection,  management and interpretation of data. NCS serves important
segments of the education, business, government and healthcare markets.