SAT Prep Rocks! Kaplan and Defined Mind Release Compilation of Origina

NEW YORK, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Welcome to SAT prep, the next generation. After this Saturday, the SAT as we know it will change forever -- as will SAT prep, which is extending into the world of music. To accommodate the lifestyle and study habits of today's SAT-takers, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions and Defined Mind today released Vocabulary Accelerator, a CD compilation featuring original, SAT vocabulary-rich songs from up-and-coming independent artists.

Representing a range of rock, R&B, alternative and hip-hop music, the CD is the first of its kind and comes with a unique study guide, providing a musical addition to Kaplan's new arsenal of interactive and mobile test prep tools for busy, tech-savvy teens seeking a competitive edge. Each song's lyrics weave vocabulary words into memorable stories about a secret crush: "At this proximity you are deleterious to my tranquility," overcoming obstacles: "I am resplendent in the day/Scoff at all that is in my way" and newly discovered longing: "Why didn't you tell me about your flagrant style/How can I make you mine for a while ... "

The CD includes twelve songs by up-and-coming artists and is bound with a comprehensive study guide, published by Defined Mind, that exercises students' knowledge of the over 300 key words found in the songs. Students and parents can purchase Vocabulary Accelerator on Defined Mind's site at: http://www.defmind.com/ or on the Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions Web site at: http://www.kaptest.com/. Additionally, Kaplan tutoring students will receive exercises from six sample songs in their critical reading lesson book and access to a site where they can download the songs for free.

Featured musicians range from talented singer/songwriters from independent bands on the New York City club circuit to experienced professionals who have contributed to major motion picture soundtracks, performed on hit network television shows, and worked with artists including Mary J. Blige, Kanye West and Sean "P.Diddy" Combs. Each was assigned to write songs that included a minimum of 20 SAT-level vocabulary words.

Defined Mind's Vocabulary Accelerator serves as the latest in a series of test prep resources from Kaplan adapted to meet today's teen lifestyle and study habits. Other new Kaplan aids representing the evolution of test prep include:

-- Prep by cell phone: Kaplan Mobile SAT/PSAT-ACT 2005 provides the most technologically advanced, broadly compatible, downloadable test prep resource for cellular phones and PDAs. -- Customizable online quiz builder: SAT QuizBank is the only quick- training tool that enables students to build customized SAT quizzes online, tailored by subject area, level of difficulty, number of questions and timing activation capacity. -- SAT novels: new novels, including The Ring of McAllister: A Score-Raising Mystery, and updated versions of classics including Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights, filled with SAT vocabulary words and definitions.

Additionally, Kaplan's new course for the SAT 2005 has been substantially changed to address the test changes and keep students engaged. The new course includes a revamped curriculum structured around a points-value system that mirrors the SAT, as well as e-mail updates enabling parents to keep abreast of student progress, and a magazine-style "Secrets of the SAT" strategy section.

March 2005 will see the SAT's biggest overhaul in history, including an expansion from two sections (Math, Verbal) to three (Math, Critical Reading, Writing). Changes include the addition of a 25-minute essay, multiple-choice grammar questions, and Algebra II concepts. Analogies and quantitative comparisons will be eliminated. To adjust for the additional section, 800 points will be added to the new test, moving it from a 1600-point scoring scale to 2400 points. The total test time will be lengthened to three hours and 45 minutes.

Earlier in the year, Kaplan reported a record 78% increase in enrollment in its free SAT practice test sessions and workshops. Founded in 1938, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions is more than twice the size of its nearest competitor and last year prepared nearly 270,000 students for standardized exams, including the SAT. For more information about Kaplan's SAT programs, students can call 1-800-KAPTEST or log onto http://www.kaptest.com/ .

About Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions

Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, a division of Kaplan, Inc., is a leading provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. With 3,000 classroom locations worldwide, a comprehensive menu of online offerings and a complete array of books and software, Kaplan offers preparation for 35 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as English language and professional licensing exams. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and college and graduate admissions consulting services. Its Web site, Kaptest.com, is the largest online destination for education and career services.

Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions is a division of Kaplan, Inc., a leading provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Kaplan, Inc. is comprised of four divisions: Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, which offers test prep and admissions services worldwide, including K12 services for schools; SCORE!, which offers after-school learning programs for kids; Kaplan Professional, which offers licensing and continuing education training and compliance tracking; and Kaplan Higher Education, which offers post-secondary educational certificate and degree programs online and through 70 campus-based schools. Kaplan is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company . For more information about Kaplan, please visit http://www.kaplan.com/.

About Defined Mind

Defined Mind is a unique educational publisher that fuses hip-hop, alternative and other genres of music with advanced vocabulary to teach reading comprehension to students in grades 8 to 12, and to people studying for undergraduate or graduate entrance exams and ESL. The Company's Vocabulary Accelerator includes a CD of 12 songs coupled with a comprehensive study guide that exercises students' knowledge of the key words found in the songs, leveraging music's appeal and mnemonic strengths. Using lyrical and musical contexts for definitions, Defined Mind enhances students' word recognition and their retention. Listen to and view samples at http://www.defmind.com/. Contact Keith London, CEO, for additional information at klo@defmind.com or call 917-574-5688.

Press contacts: Carina Wong, carina_wong@kaplan.com, 212-453-7571 Victoria Grantham, victoria_grantham@kaplan.com, 212-453-7538