SAT exam preparation moves to iPhone, iPod

DAYTON — Thousands of Ohio students will use No. 2 pencils today to take the SAT just as past generations have.

But these days, preparing for the standardized college admission exam doesn’t have to mean using a book. Test takers can find SAT test prep applications for their iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Even the College Board — the maker of the SAT — may be coming out with its own test prep app within the year.

“It’s something we’re definitely looking at,” said Kathleen Steinberg, director of SAT communications for the New York-based nonprofit.

Educators know that students spend a lot of time on their phones — and most of the time they’re not talking. Reaching them through media they prefer is one of the challenges.

“We’re always looking for ways to better reach students in the world in which they live,” Steinberg said.

Among the new test preparation apps already on the market is the Adapster, developed by Empire Edge to help students prep for the math section.

Jody Steinglass, the company’s founder and president, said the app was downloaded more than 4,000 times in the last few weeks.

“It’s technology that is always on and always in your pocket,” he said.

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