SparkNotes have saved many a student in need of help as they study various pieces of literature. Figuring out the subtext behind some classic pieces of work isn’t always immediately obvious, and these notes can make all the difference.

That useful helping hand is now available through the SparkNotes iOS app. 50 pre-installed study guides are already available with the option of viewing hundreds of others online. These guides can then be downloaded for offline use if the user so wishes.

Numerous different works worthy of studying are included here, like Shakespeare and Orwell. Poetry and Philosophy is similarly covered along with short stories to appeal to all arts students.

Search functionality is extensive, making it easy to browse through different sections of the guides from thematic analysis to scene by scene breakdown.

There’s a social element, too, with users able to share their location and what they’re currently studying, thus encouraging friends to gather round for a study group session.

SparkNotes is out now and it’s free to download.

FREE!

SparkNotes

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2012-03-28 :: Category: Education

iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads abound on college campuses, and for good reason. iOS devices are great anyway, but for college students, there are myriad ways in which an iOS device can make life easier. When it comes to studying textbooks, taking notes in lecture, or even waking up to start the day—chances are there’s an app for that. There are far too many useful apps to count, but here I’d like to list just a few apps sure to help college students manage their busy lives.

Textbooks
Paper textbooks may still be king, but e-readers are increasingly creating a presence in college classrooms. Digital versions are not only cheaper, but more portable, making e-textbooks an attractive option for many students.

For iOS, there are a couple of dedicated textbook readers, as well as more traditional e-reader apps. On the iPad, Kno and Inkling are both dedicated textbook apps. They have slight differences (Kno allows textbook rentals, for example, while Inkling allows single-chapter purchases) but both offer rich digital textbook experiences, with embedded quizzes and integrated video and images in certain textbooks. Meanwhile, the Kindle and other ebook apps also offer some textbooks.

FREE!

Inkling - Interactive Books, Textbooks, eBooks, and How To Guides

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2010-08-20 :: Category: Books

FREE!

Kno Textbooks

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2011-06-02 :: Category: Education

FREE!

Kindle – Read Books, eBooks, Magazines, Newspapers & Textbooks

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2009-03-04 :: Category: Books

Continue reading Great Apps for College Students »

Starting college, or even just returning for another year, can be a pretty daunting process. Heck I’ve been there. It’s downright scary at times, trying to keep track of where the next class is, what time it is, even where to go for fun events like new clubs and sports groups. And how about if there’s a part time job to juggle in there too? Absolute chaos indeed.

While there’s always the option of struggling on by and hoping that nothing is forgotten thanks to a series of incredibly convoluted sticky notes (yes folks, that’s how I attempted to do it), a much better solution is that of College T.A, an app designed by college students for college students. So clearly they’re going to understand the time management issues that many young students suffer from.

College T.A covers pretty much everything any student could need. Users can quickly add or delete assignments, add them to a To Do list for that day, select the type of assignment for a specific course as well as create alerts. Course details can also be set up with the course name, location, start and end dates and times as well as other reminders, all to make it easy to know what’s going on with each class. Professor details can be stored similarly easily with office numbers and office hours also possible to add here, all for convenient consultation.

For the student who doesn’t just study, organization details can be added as well as any events that need to be tracked. There’s also a section for adding details about the student’s job too.

Essentially College T.A is a potential lifesaver, ensuring that its users will never feel confused or lose track of their busy lives again. It even synchs up to iCal for the ultimate convenience.

It’s out now and it’s currently free to download, making it an utter bargain.

FREE!

Student T.A

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-07-19 :: Category: Productivity