The start of the new school year used to mean crisp exercise books, newly sharpened pencils, and a graffiti-free pencil case. But these days, it involves a completely different type of preparation. The age of technology means you take notes on an iPad or laptop instead of with pen and paper, and rather than choosing a pencil case, you’re more likely to pick out a new iPhone cover or scour the App Store for useful apps. To save you a little time, we’ve scoured the web and compiled a list of our five favorite apps that will help you stay organized to become top of your class.
1. IMO Instant Messenger (free)
If you’re heading off to college or university and you’re going to be away from home for the first time, the most important thing to think about is staying in touch with family and friends. Award winning IMO Instant Messenger is, quite simply, the king of messaging apps, and the only one you’ll ever need. With fantastic features such as free voice calling, picture sharing, text and voice messaging, and group chats, there’ll be no excuse for not keeping up to date with all the news back home.
2. Evernote (free)
Staying organized with the productivity app, Evernote, is the best way to stay at the top of your class. Awarded ‘Top Ten Must Have App’ by The New York Times, Evernote features the ability to see your weekly schedule at the touch of a button while allowing you to add, delete, and edit events as often as you need. The stylish, clean interface makes it easy to see your notes and events at a glance. Plus. the option to share notes via social media will make group projects a breeze.
3. Dictionary.com (free)
Whatever you’re studying, from English to history, you’re going to be spending a lot of time writing essays, which means your spelling and grammar need to be at their best. With features such as audio pronunciation, example sentences and voice search, the Dictionary.com iPhone app will ensure your sentences are sharp and your spelling is spot on, even when you don’t have an internet connection.
4. Free Graphing Calculator
If you’re studying mathematics, statistics, or any of the sciences, you’re bound to have a whole series of calculators ready to take to college or university with you – but there’s always a chance you’ll find you’ve left your technology behind one day during a lecture. With the Free Graphing Calculator app, you’ll be able to carry your calculator with you wherever you go, so you’ll never be stuck on an equation again. With features such as scientific calculations, graphing abilities and a unit converter, this powerful app is the best of its kind available.
5. Scribd (free)
If you’re looking for a digital documents library app, forget browsing the web to read reviews and simply download the new Scribd iPhone app. Packed with various study guides, analyst reports, spreadsheets and newspaper articles, and including a PDF reader and the ability to read bookmarked pages offline, Scribd will help you add those extra details to your essays and projects, and take your grades from a pass to a distinction.