If you’re one of the millions of college students across the country you’re probably already preparing for another year of school. Whether this is your first year or sixth year we want you to be prepared to dominate your classes. A smartphone at your side can make college life much easier (and more fun). Check out these Android apps for college students!
Studying
Chegg, Free
Textbooks can be the most expensive and annoying part of college. You’re at the mercy of your professor when it comes to how many books you will need, and sometimes they require books that are never used. It sucks. Chegg is a great website for renting and buying books for cheap, but their Android app offers even more. Tap into a library of over 2.5 million guided solutions, 7-day access to rented textbooks, and eTextbooks that can be read on your device.
Dictionary.com, Free
One of the most helpful tools for reading and writing is a dictionary at your side. Dictionary.com is a great place to look up words, and their Android app is even better. This app offers access to the full English language and Thesaurus for over 2 million definitions, synonyms, and antonyms. It even goes deeper with idioms, phrases, word origins, and audio pronunciation. Plus, you can grow your vocabulary with the Word of the Day.
EasyBib, Free
The most tedious and annoying part about writing a term paper is often the bibliography. You have to keep track of all the references you use, and then make sure to use the correct citation format. EasyBib makes this process much easier. You can even use it to scan bar codes from physical books and get the info auto-filled. Just keep track of things as you go, then email the bibliography to yourself when you’re ready for it.
Easy Voice Recorder, Free
Taking notes during class can be very difficult, especially if your professor is a fast talker. A tried and true method of note taking is to record lectures for later listening. With a smartphone you have a tape recorded right in your pocket, and you never need a new cassette. We prefer Easy Voice Recorder, but there are plenty of other options that work just as well.
Evernote, Free
Evernote is a household name when it comes to note-taking apps, and for good reason. This mega popular app is a perfect companion for any college student. It’s much more than just an app for taking notes. You can do sketches, organize notes with tags, doodle on images, save webpages, and so much more. Everything you do is synced to your account so it can be accessed everywhere. Never worry about losing a note ever again.
RealCalc Scientific Calculator, Free
You probably already own a scientific calculator if you’re a halfway serious college student. That’s great, but what do you do if you accidentally leave it at home, or you can’t find it? RealCalc can help you do scientific equations right on your Android device. Don’t expect your professor to allow your phone during an exam, but for other situations this can be handy.
WolframAlpha, $2.99
We can’t talk about studying apps without mentioning WolframAlpha. This service is chock full of answers to questions you might have. Wolfram describes their service as the modern-day Star Trek computer. Simply type or speak a question and you will be given an answer. “What is the unemployment rate in Chicago? What is $49.99 in euros? What are the tides in Honolulu?” Ask an ye shall receive an answer. Just make sure you fact check.
Productivity
Clockwork Tomato, Free
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can help your studying techniques. The idea is pretty simple. Break up your studying by taking a 5 minute break every 25 minutes. After four 25 minute sessions take a 15 minute break. This technique is based on the idea that frequent breaks help mental agility. Clockwork Tomato is an app that keeps track of your Pomodoro and tells you when to break and get back to work.
Google Drive, Free
We probably don’t have to tell you to use Google Docs and Drive, but we’re going to do it anyway. This suite of apps is the best and easiest way to keep papers, notes, and anything else safe in the cloud. You can access your files anywhere, easily share them with group partners or professors, and collaborate on projects. A lot of people think Microsoft Office is a necessity for a college student, but Google Docs is more than capable. Join the 21st century and do your work in the cloud.
IFTTT, Free
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When you’re a college student there are a million things you need to do every day. Automating some of those tasks can make your life much simpler. IFTTT (If This Then That) is the best tool for the job. Get an alert when the weather goes bad so you’re not stranded across campus with no umbrella. Save email attachments to Google Drive. The limit to what you can do with IFTTT is only your imagination.
My Study Life, Free
My Study Life is a planner for students to make your study life easier. It allows you to store your timetable, homework and exams in the cloud making it available on any device, wherever you are. The days of carrying around a class planner are long gone. Quickly see what’s on tap for today, including assignments, classes, and exams. All of it is color coded and organized neatly so you’re never left wondering what to do.
Studious, Free
Studious is a similar app to My Study Life. This elegant and minimal app helps you organize your study schedule. You can organize things by class, homework, exams, and timetable. Each day you can see what classes you have, any homework that is due, and if you have an exam on that day. It’s a great way to stay on track and be productive. Don’t let that nasty procrastination take you buy surprised. Be prepared for everything.
