As a busy college student, apps can make your life easier. They can help with productivity and can be an effective tool for your academic success. Whether it’s a study, grammar, task, fitness, or safety app it can help a student stay on task and accomplish their goals. Here is a list of apps all college students need for academic success.
Quizlet:
If you like to learn with the help of flashcards, Quizlet is the app for you. Quizlet allows you to create your own flashcards or browse those created by other students. The best part of Quizlet is since it digital you will always have your flashcards with you. You can study them whenever you have downtime.
I used Quizlet a lot. I like that you can “share” your “sets” with fellow students. Quizlet is pretty clever as it keeps track of your progress and will repeat the cards in a way that is best to help you learn and retain the information.
Quizlet is free to download for iPhone and Android.
Chegg:
Chegg is one of the most popular educational apps for college students. It offers a little bit of everything. They have a database of step-by-step answers to problems from thousands of textbooks. You can also search for your questions. Basically, if you have a question, likely, someone else had already asked it so there’s an answer. They also sell and rent textbooks. Be careful with the homework helper, as some colleges see using this app as cheating.
Chegg is free to download for iPhone and Android.
Evernote:
If you are looking for an app to help you organize and create your notes or to-do lists, then Evernote is the platform for you. Evernote has been recognized as one of the best applications for students. This app allows you to create notes in text format, with links, photos, and audio recordings.
Evernote will sync between your computer and your mobile devices. You can collect your information and store it all in one place. This app is perfect for collaborating on group projects. It has chat capabilities, and you can share pages with each other.
Evernote is free to download for iPhone and Android.
Blackboard Or Canvas:
Depending on your college, your assignments, readings, and grades will be on one of these apps. Having the Blackboard or Canvas app will make it easy to check grades, and test results, and see due dates, announcements, and updates from your instructor. I used my Canvas app daily. These are must-have apps for all college students.
Both Blackboard and Canvas are free to download for iPhone and Android.
Grammarly:
Grammar in college is very important. Poor grammar makes you look uneducated and lazy, like you didn’t care enough to proofread and edit your mistakes. The Grammarly app is going to become your new best friend. It is great at proofreading all your work. Whether it’s homework, an essay, a research paper, or an email it’s got you covered. It will help you catch typos and grammatical errors and it can also help you find stronger or more accurate words and write more concisely.
This app will also check plagiarism. Grammarly is super easy to use. When you download and enable it on your device, it will automatically evaluate your writing and look for mistakes.
Grammarly is free to download for iPhone, Android, Windows, Google Docs, and MS Office.
Google Docs:
The best part about using Google Docs is that your documents are accessible from anywhere anytime. You don’t have to have your laptop or a flash drive to access your documents.
Google Docs is perfect for group projects, and it makes collaboration a breeze. You will save a lot of back-and-forth time with your groupmates by using this platform. In addition, the app makes it easier for others to leave suggestions and comments to the group.
Google Docs is free to download for iPhone and Android.
Google Drive:
It’s important to note that Google Drive is different from Google Docs. While Google Docs is a web-based editing program that allows users to create, share and edit documents. Google Drive is cloud storage for storing files.
Google Drive makes it easy for students to collaborate because it is set up to allow multiple users to have access to files, projects, and folders. All they need is an internet connection.
Google Drive is free to download for iPhone, Android, and a desktop.
Mint:
A budget tracker is a must for college students. Managing personal finances can be difficult for many students. Budging, and keeping track of bills, and expenses can be tricky, especially for a busy college student. The Mint app can help you create a budget and stick to it. It’s easy to use and simple to understand. It allows you to see where you spend your money.
Mint also monitors your credit. You’ll have 24/7 access to your score for free. Furthermore, they let you know of any important changes to your report.
Mint is free to download for iPhone and Android.
Forest:
Distractions are everywhere for college students. Nothing steals our attention like our phones. The Forest App can help you set aside study time and stay focused. The app allows you to set a study timer and when you do you plant a seed that will grow into a tree. You can’t stop the session because once you start the tree begins to grow. If you touch your phone or cancel the study session your tree dies.
The more study/quiet sessions you have, the more trees will grow in your forest. This creates a great habit of utilizing all your study time because you won’t want to interrupt your growing tree or creating your forest.
Forest is free to download for iPhone and Android.
MyFitnessPal:
Eating a balanced and healthful diet and having a good fitness routine are vital for any college student. They increase energy, help with focus and concentration, and improve your immune system. Conversely, an unbalanced diet can lead to fatigue, lack of concentration, moodiness, and even depression.
MyFitnessPal helps you stay on track with your diet and exercise. It helps you eat more mindfully and keep track of your meals. You can watch your weight and BMI. This app basically, teaches you about your habits so you can reach your goals. It even allows you to connect to a fitness tracker and send activity data automatically.
MyFitnessPal is free to download for iPhone and Android.
Livesafe:
Every college student should take their personal safety very seriously. Every year college students throughout the country become victims of stalking, sexual assault, robbery, homicide, and other crimes. Fortunately, there are things students can do to reduce their risk of becoming a victim, and one of them is using a personal safety mobile app. Livesafe enables direct and discreet two-way communication with your community safety officials using text, picture, video, and audio. This app has many features, but what I like most is the SafeWalk.
College students are always walking from one place to another. SafeWalk allows you to invite your contacts to “virtually escort” you to wherever you are going. It allows them to follow your location on a map and they chat with you too.
The Livesafe App was created by a survivor of the 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting.
This list of apps all college students need for academic success will make life easier and more efficient.
—Sensei
Sensei Side Note:
I want everyone, this minute, to open a new tab and google your college’s Campus Police phone number. Go get it right now. When you have it, store it on your phone. Pin it or add it to your favorites. Store it where you can find it. In an emergency, you don’t want to have to search for it.
In an emergency, 911 should be called. However, so should your Campus Police as they are usually closer and know the campus better. Be smart and cover all your bases.
Here are my alma maters:
- California State University Sacramento: Campus Police: 1-916-278-6800
- Butte Community College: Campus Police: 1-530- 895-2351
