The Eight Best Free Apps For College

By: Katherine on 8:03 PM

Canvas (or your school's equivalent)

Nearly every school uses a site of some kind for all of their online assignments, announcements, etc. My school uses Canvas, which has a free app where you can take quizzes, email professors, turn in assignments and do all kinds of necessary stuff. It's a really nice app to have for last minute stuff or multitasking- think taking a science quiz in the waiting room of the optometrist or messaging a TA from the grocery checkout line.

Gmail

Gmail differs from Apple mail in a couple of really nice ways: it can switch between multiple accounts with no hoops to jump through, and has a generally comfortable interface. This could be personal preference, but Gmail works great to switch between personal email accounts and official school emails with just a click. 

Calendar

I know, this is obvious. But calendar is an incredible scheduling tool for classes and personal life alike, and it should be taken advantage of. Here's a picture of my calendar, which lists my professor's office hours (OH) and all of my classes, their times, and locations by their official catalog names, which helps keep things organized. 

As soon as the syllabus for a class is available, you can add all test dates, study sessions, due dates, whatever, to calendar, so you never miss a beat. 

Alien Blue (Reddit)

I know Reddit has a bit of a reputation as a time waster, but it's also an incredible resource for finding learning communities, experts and enthusiasts for whatever you are studying. In my case, it was a great way to see the applicability and real life interest of what I was studying, which helped me to retain more in lectures because I was genuinely interested.

The emotional impact of Star Wars music across cultures: a fascinating anthropological phenomenon.

Quizlet

If you only download one of these apps, make it Quizlet! This is a serious studying resource. It allows you to create flash cards on your phone, which are accessible from computer too. It has lots of different, awesome study techniques, but the real appeal of Quizlet is the fact that it can be used anywhere you have your phone. Finding a few extra minutes in your day to study while waiting for the bus or for class to start is a really underestimated way to improve your test scores. 

Also, the app basically handles like a dream, not to mention saves money and time on flash cards and study tools. It also ensures that you'll never lose a set of cards or a study guide: they're stored online, safe from any possible damage.

Word 

If you have Word for computer, you can get it for iPhone for free. It's perfect for emergency edits, or in the case of my very brave friend, typing a paper during class before it's due. You know what they say: absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Overdrive

Overdrive is my second favorite on this list. It's a great library app that gives you access to your university's ebook and audiobook collection for free; enter the number on your student ID or library card and you'll have access to literally thousands of awesome titles. Completely free. 

Tumblr

Tumblr is very similar to Reddit in that it can connect you to communities passionate about learning. You can follow blogs for everything from taxidermy to finances to classic literature, which is really helpful in creating meaningful connections to the content you are studying. 

Relevant, interesting stuff to make your classes more engaging

It's also a great way to unwind; a few minutes of scrolling Tumblr is a very pleasant way to relax. Or a few hours. Probably be careful with this one, honestly.