Academic life has its challenges, but the right tools can significantly help make your journey easier. If you are a Windows user, these essential Windows apps will help students stay ahead of the curve.
1. Microsoft Office Suite
Price: Student discounts available
You may have heard of Microsoft Office Suite countless times, and there’s a good reason for that. This powerhouse comes with almost everything you need to excel in your studies.
Word, for instance, can be your go-to for writing papers or taking notes. It offers real-time collaboration, allowing you to easily work on group projects without the hassle of constant back-and-forth emails.
PowerPoint is one of the most convenient ways to create presentations. It comes with a range of templates, animations, and easy-to-use design features that can make all your presentations stand out. Similarly, Excel is great for handling data, which can help you track grades, analyze statistics, and even manage your personal budget.
Beyond these core apps, the suite includes the digital notebook OneNote and Outlook (to manage your emails). Opt for Microsoft Office for a one-time purchase. If you’re looking for more flexibility and the latest tools, you might want to consider Office 365, now known as Microsoft 365. Regardless of which Windows app suite you choose, you don’t have to pay the full subscription prices, thanks to the Microsoft student discounts.
2. Adobe Acrobat Reader
Price: Free with premium options
College students especially are likely to encounter PDFs on a regular basis – whether it’s lecture notes, research papers, ebooks, or even assignment instructions, and this is where Adobe Acrobat Reader can help you immensely.
Apart from opening your PDF files, it also allows you to interact with them. For instance, if you’re reviewing a dense research paper or lecture notes, you can highlight key sections, underline important concepts, and even add your own comments or sticky notes directly to the document.
It also allows you to complete forms, combine multiple PDFs, and even convert documents to and from PDF format. Overall, it is a powerful and versatile tool that goes beyond basic PDF viewing.
3. Evernote
Price: Free with premium options
If you juggle multiple activities at once – classes, assignments, and extracurriculars – Evernote can help you stay on top of everything. This app allows you to keep all your notes, to-do lists, and important information in one easily accessible place. Evernote syncs across all your devices, so you can have everything you need within reach.
Once you have launched the Evernote app, choose the feature you want to use from the left pane. For instance, you can start by creating a new note to jot down ideas, lecture points, or reminders. If you thrive on organization, the notebook feature will be particularly useful. You can create separate notebooks for each class, project, or personal interest. All your notes, assignments, and to-do lists will be stored in a logical structure that makes sense to you.
Evernote also comes with its own calendar, where you can integrate your notes and to-do lists with specific dates and deadlines. Schedule reminders, set deadlines for assignments, and plan your study sessions, all in the Evernote app.
4. Grammarly
Price: Free with premium options
Student life involves a constant stream of writing, whether it’s essays, research papers, or emails to professors. To make sure your writing always hits the mark, a tool like Grammarly can help.
This tool works by analyzing your text in real time, then providing suggestions to enhance your grammar, punctuation, and overall writing style. It can also adjust the suggestions it provides based on the context of your writing. For instance, if you’re working on a formal paper, Grammarly will help you maintain an appropriate tone and avoid casual language, and if you’re writing an informal piece, it will allow more flexibility.
Another good thing about Grammarly is that it integrates with various platforms easily, so you don’t have to keep switching between tools to get your writing checked.
5. WolframAlpha
Price: Free with premium options
Dealing with numbers can be a challenge, especially when you’re working through complex math problems, statistics, or data analysis. WolframAlpha is a Windows app designed to make complex computations and data analysis more accessible and understandable. And it’s perfect for students.
Browse through a wide range of topics and enter your specific questions or problems into the search bar. WolframAlpha won’t just give you the answers – it also offers step-by-step explanations and visualizations to enhance your understanding. For instance, if you enter a complicated calculus problem, WolframAlpha will solve the equation and break down each step.
In addition to its mathematical capabilities, WolframAlpha extends its usefulness across various subjects, like physics, chemistry, engineering, and even economics. Regardless of the field you are studying, the app can serve as a valuable resource.
6. NoteDex
Price: Free trial with premium options
Notedex may seem like just another app to create notes, but it offers more than that, especially when it comes to organizing and mastering your study materials for exams. You can use it for creating index cards and flashcards, which can enhance your study sessions by making information easier to review and memorize.
To create one, head to the Stacks section, and click on the plus icon at the top. Add the content that you need to study, whether it’s key terms, definitions, questions, etc. The interface is intuitive, so it’s quite easy to customize each card to suit your specific learning needs. Add text, images, and even draw diagrams directly on the cards.
Once your cards are created, organize them into different stacks based on subjects or topics. This can be helpful in keeping your study materials neatly categorized, and you can easily focus on specific areas when needed.
These Windows apps for students will make your study sessions and productivity routine easier. Pair these with some of the best AI tools for students for more efficiency and convenience. If you don’t want to download Windows apps and mostly work via your browser, there are also several Chrome extensions for students that can help you.