A New Game Plan for SAT Prep

Students who like to “work hard, play hard” can now do both at the same time.

The test prep giant Kaplan has recently announced it is teaming up with Aspyr Media to create a video game that will help prepare students for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). This is the latest in their campaign to “adapt [their] offerings to students lifestyle needs,” which currently involves books and graphic novels.

Kristen Campbell, national director of College Prep Programs, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, says, “We recognize that not all students learn in the same way…and while Kaplan is best known for good old fashioned test prep…we realize that the most effective learning comes from a combination of methods. This video game is part of a move to find new and innovative ways to talk to students using new technology.”

Despite Kaplan’s positive outlook, David C. Haley ’10, a seasoned gamer, isn’t convinced that it will make a dramatic difference.

“Although this is a nice idea, unless kids want to play it of their own volition, it is the equivalent of forcing them to read a book,” Haley says.

But Kaplan isn’t the first company to use video games for educational purposes. In 1998, Macmillan Digital Publishing released “Math Invaders,” an action game resembling the classic “Doom.” While it was more popular than previous educational video games, its mild success owed largely to the fact that math took a backseat to entertainment.

Kaplan has yet to divulge details about their latest product, but if “Math Invaders” is any indication, the game will have to lure players before it can teach them. Perhaps a game that expands vocabulary using visual definitions, so you can learn to define “impale” when you see it happen on the screen!