June 12th, 2009
For high school students, SAT Vocab Challenge iPhone app hardly 'deleterious'
Got a kid in high school? The Princeton Review has created an iPhone app you’ll both love.
The makers of college test-prep books and courses have designed an SAT-prep application for Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch that, quite frankly, is a lot of fun to use.
The “SAT Vocab Challenge” app quizzes your college student-to-be on word definitions, connotations, synonyms and antonyms. The app places three words on the screen and 10 seconds on a timer in the top right corner. The student can either systematically eliminate words by swiping them off the screen or just selecting the correct word by double-tapping it, and points are accumulated with each correct answer.
The theory behind the app is that a student can play this game while waiting for the bus or in transit, which is much easier (but not a replacement for) sitting down for several hours to take practice tests. Think of it as the old “memorize vocab with flashcards” exercise, but a lot more fun.
I had a chance to take the app for a spin today and can attest that the “game” aspect of the app makes it a pleasure to play, and takes advantage of the iPhone/iPod touch’s gestures to engage a user’s competitive streak. If your child isn’t really into preparing for the SAT, though, this app won’t turn him or her into an overachiever — but for those parents and students who are looking for a more stimulating way to prepare for a section of the modern SAT, it’s an enjoyable way of going about it.
The app is available for $4.99 from Apple’s App Store.
(If you’re more a fan of test-prep rival Kaplan, it has an SAT “Flashcubes” app for $4.99 as well as an app for the GRE. If you’re looking for the GMAT, Veritas Prep has an app. Heck, there’s even an app for a driver’s license for each state. I wasn’t able to find an app for the ACT, though — if you do, please leave it in the comments.)
Andrew J. Nusca is an associate editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet.
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