New York, NY (WFN) -- Text messaging may be convenient for teens but it can cause them to score lower on admissions exams like the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

That's the message being spelled out by Guiseppe Basili, a vice-president for the Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions company.

He says instant message shorthand such as "LOL" and "cu l8tr" is having a negative impact on the average student's spelling ability.

Besides text messaging, other communication devices are also causing unspeakable damage to test scores. Basili says many teens use computer programs that check spelling and grammar and never bother to learn the actual rules or how to apply them in a test situation.

But while computers are causing a decline in teens' language ability, Basili sees one benefit: Kids who play lots of videogames are much better at taking exams without worrying about the time constraints.

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