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25 Apps Every College Student Should Have to Survive Freshman Year

Last updated 10/31/2022 by

Jennifer Leonhardi
College can certainly be one of the most anticipated and exciting times in a young person’s life. Being out on your own for the first time and experiencing the real world is certainly what it’s all about.
But with this new adventure comes all sorts of new anxieties. For the first time you are responsible for paying your own bills on time, budgeting your limited funds, grocery shopping, and managing your time properly. Not to mention actually making it to class and doing their best to further your education!
Have a job on the side to help with tuition? 16 Essential Apps for Freelancers and Entrepreneurs
To help ease some of this new stress, we’ve done our homework and found some of the top apps (for every device) that every college student needs.

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Apps To Help You Study

iStudiezPro: iOS

iStudiez-Pro
Price: $2.99
iStudiezPro is like the ultimate organizer created just for college students. It keeps track of when your papers are due, what tests are coming up, your grades, and more.
All you have to do is input your schedule and assignments and this app will do the rest. It sends you reminders about what important deadlines are approaching so you don’t forget a single thing. You can also input your GPA to help give you a little incentive to get things done.

SelfControl: Mac OS X

SelfControl-AppPrice: FREE
Ever find yourself with a midterm due, finals to study for, and a past due assignment still to complete, but you just can’t seem to pull yourself away from Facebook? Well, this app is for you.
SelfControl allows you to set a period of time in your day that blocks certain websites by adding them to a “block” list. This allows you to set a specific time period in your day that you devote to studying without having to worry about those social distractions.

Scribd: iOS, Android

ScrPrice: $8.99/month
Scribd boasts that it is the world’s largest on-line library, offering over 400,000 books to choose from. No matter what subject you are looking for, you will surely find it on Scribd.
Now you can tackle any topic and get all of your research done in one spot. You can also build your own personal library by downloading eBooks that are of interest to you. Whether you need to do research for an assignment or if you just want to relax with a good book, Scrbd can help you accomplish what you need to do.

StudyBlue: iOS, Android

StudyBlue-App
Price: FREE
Remember when we were kids and our parents helped us study by using those simple old flash cards? Well that idea is where this app came from.
StudyBlue helps you create digital flash cards using text, pictures or audio clips about whatever topic you are trying to study for. Or you can search their database for a set of someone else’s flash cards that they’ve already created. The app is even advanced enough to be able to filter out the ones you know by heart so that you spend more time focusing on the areas you are struggling with. One of the best features of this app allows you to upload your notes from other apps (like Evernote) and use that information to create your new study cards.

Apps For Everyday Productivity

RealCalc: Android

RealCalc
Price: FREE* (Pro version available for $3.49)
This app is the perfect calculator for not only your basic everyday computing needs, but also for the more complex problems that you might usually need a scientific calculator for.
While we doubt your professors will let you use your cell phone in class during a test, for daily assignments and for when you forget your scientific calculator, this app is a must-have.

Dictionary.com: iOS, Android

Dictionary-App
Price: FREE
This app is a must have for just about everyone, whether you are attending college or not. It serves as a super-quick reference tool to help you with any word trouble you may experience. Whether you need the definition of a word, or need to find the perfect synonym for one, this app can help. It also offers audio pronunciations of words for when you need a little extra help with those particularly byzantine ones.
With more than two million definitions, synonyms and antonyms, Dictionary.com offers an easy and very user-friendly platform to help you get the words you need. It also has some fun features like a “word of the day” and a list of currently “trending” words.

Evernote: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Evernote-App
Price: FREE (Premium version available for $5/month or $45 for the year)
Evernote is an amazing app that, arguably, does everything. You can take notes, snap photos, manage your to-dos record audio clips or attach other files, and it will all be synced across all of your devices.
Evernote has even recently added the ability to write or draw anywhere within your uploaded notes, as well as the ability to edit rich text. With it’s easy to use layout and design, you can upload all of your information and sync it to your online account so that you can access it from any of your devices.

Apps To Help You Stay Organized

Snap2PDF: iOS

Snap2PDF
Price: $2.99
By snapping photos of needed pages out of a text book and converting them into PDF files, you can eliminate many of those bulky books and make more room for other things.This app allows you to convert any picture you take into a PDF.
This means you can snap photos of a handout or text book and convert it into a PDF that recognizes text, making it searchable, and can even translate other languages into English for you.

AudioNote: iOS, Android

AudioNote-App
Price: $4.99
With this app you can record a lecture or conversation and it will convert your audio to text. You can then edit the text or add drawings or other notes to the file.
The app is simple and straightforward and can save you lots of time. You can save your notes and then export them to other devices as well. It also automatically indexes the recording sessions, making it even easier to find what you are looking for when reviewing your notes.

Clear: iOS

Clear-AppPrice: $2.99
This app will help simplify your life and keep you productive by combining all of your to-do lists and syncing them across all your devices.
When you are a busy college student with lots of different projects going on at the same time, it can get confusing and hard to keep track of all the different things you have to do. But this app will make it simpler to stay on top of all those things with their simple user interface.

Dragon Dictation: iOS, Android

Dragon-appPrice: $2.99
This is one of the greatest apps for college students who have lots of papers to write. Dragon has advanced speech recognition technology which allows you to simply say what you want to write and it does all the “typing” for you.
You can also use Dragon on your social networks, emails or other applications, and free up your time by getting your message out as quickly as you can speak it.

Apps To Keep You Connected

Skype: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

SkypePrice: FREE
Being away from home for the first time can be difficult and sometimes just hearing the voice on the other end of the line isn’t enough. With Skype you can easily video chat with your loved ones for free.
In addition to video conferencing, you can also use Skype for instant messaging and phone calls. Skype is one of the largest providers of this type of service with over 250 million users today.

LinkedIn: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

LinkedIn-AppPrice: FREE
Stay connected on the largest professional social network. There are currently over 300 million people who use LinkedIn to connect to one another to share ideas or opportunities for work and other things.
LinkedIn can help you find your next big job or even an internship to help you learn more about the career you want to go into. You can also connect with your professors or other classmates, and highlight your personal and professional skills in your profile.

Twitter: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Twitter-AppPrice: FREE
We all know how Twitter works, and we all probably use it daily. But there’s a good chance that a few of your professors have Twitter as a required download on their syllabus. Don’t believe us? Jim Newman, Ph.D student and instructor at Northern Illinois University uses social media to post class updates, as a news source, and as a bulletin board for his students.
No more dragging yourself to class only to find that the teacher called in sick. Jim says,”I use it as an additional way to let students know if there’s some last-minute news, like class being cancelled.”

Viber: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Viber-AppPrice: FREE
Viber makes staying in touch easy. It is a completely free service that allows you to make phone calls, text and even send pictures and videos to your family and friends.
This app is great for keeping in touch with home and letting them know how you are doing. Similar to Skype, all they need is a Viber account of their own to contact you. Best of all, it’s free.

Apps To Help Save and Manage Money

Mint: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Mint-AppPrice: FREE
Mint is a great app for college students to help them keep track of their spending. With this app you can create and start to stick to a budget, or track your spending habits, all while on the go.
You can keep track of your bank accounts and their balances or see how much you spent on groceries so far this month. It also helps you keep track of when your bills are due and what is coming up.

Venmo: iOS, Android

Venmo-AppPrice: FREE
This app lets you exchange money between you and your friends. Do you owe your roommate money for rent or bills? Don’t worry about having to go to the bank, just send it to them digitally on Venmo. Need some extra cash from your parents this month? Have them send it to you via this app and your money will instantly be in your bank account.
All you have to do is link your bank account to this app and it will allow you to send or receive money from anyone else with a Venmo account. You can also pay bills and more on the go.

Saviry: iOS, Android

SaviryPrice: FREE
Saviry is a great app that allows you to find amazing deals on just about anything you need. College can be so expensive, so it’s important to save money wherever you can. This app lets you do just that by finding the best prices on everything from clothes to electronics and even groceries.
You can even customize the notifications to inform you of any deals for the specific item you are wanting, like a new laptop or tablet. It also gets you access to coupons, promo codes and special contests or sweepstakes offers.

Chegg: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Chegg-AppPrice: FREE
Books can be so expensive these days, and as a college student, you’ll need plenty of them! Rather than paying full price for text books that you will probably never pick up again once the semester ends, you can use Chegg to find and rent the books you need.
In addition to textbook rentals, Chegg can also help you with your studies. They offer on-line homework help and other study related assistance. You can also use Chegg to find a scholarship or even look for an internship.

Apps For Your Health

WebMD: iOS, Android

WebMD-AppPrice: FREE
WebMD is a trusted source for most of your healthcare needs. If you are not feeling well or have some other symptoms starting to appear, you can use their extensive “Symptom Checker” which can help you figure out what’s wrong.
WebMD also has plenty of local listings for doctors, clinics, hospitals and pharmacies if you need to be seen by a professional. This app can definitely help you when it comes to getting and staying healthy.

MyFitnessPal: iOS, Android

MyFitnessPal-AppPrice: FREE
This is a great app to have while in college since you may not have time to keep track of your calorie intake or how much you exercise. MyFitnessPal has calorie counts on over 1.5 million different types of foods and also has hundreds of exercises that you can do.
The college lifestyle often centers around fast food and little time for exercise. But being aware of your calorie intake can be the first step to counteract that. This app also has a barcode scanner feature to help you learn more about just about any kind of food you are craving.

Pocket First Aid & CPR: iOS, Android

First-Aid-AppPrice: $1.99
You never know when you are going to need a quick reference guide to common injuries or illnesses. This app gives you clear and concise instructions for CPR as well as for other treatments for common injuries.
This app also has dozens of videos and other informative and instructional high res photos to help you with any minor medical emergency.

Apps To Keep You Entertained

Pandora: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Pandora-AppPrice: FREE
Every college student and music-lover should have this app. Pandora lets you stream music from your favorite artists and genres, and customize your listening “channels” so that you have a station to listen to no matter what mood you are in.
Start by choosing one of your favorite artists and Pandora will play songs by them and other artists who are similar. This lets you enjoy all of your favorite music while discovering new artists.

DrinkOwl: iOS, Android

DrinkowlPrice: FREE
Everyone knows that college isn’t about just studying for most students. There is also a lot of drinking and partying and “YOLO” stuff that happens while enrolled at a institute of higher learning.
DrinkOwl is an app that helps you find the best deals on alcohol from local retailers. You can use DrinkOwl to get the best prices and deals on everything you need for that Friday night party.

Netflix: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Netflix-AppPrice: starts at $7.99/month
Netflix brings movies and your favorite TV shows to you and allows you to stream them from the comforts of your home or dorm room.
There are a number of different membership levels to give you the movie watching experience that best fits your needs. Want to catch up on Scandal while at the back of one of your easy classes? We wont tell anyone.

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Jennifer Leonhardi

Jennifer Leonhardi was born and raised on Catalina Island, giving her a unique small town perspective and focus on community. With a degree in Sociology, she now primarily enjoys writing, largely based on her own experiences, on topics such as financial assistance programs, issues concerning the home and family, and socioeconomic trends.

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