Featuring a growing list of apps across multiple categories, Setapp is available to students at 50% off the regular price. Developed by MacPaw, Setapp offers over 190 apps with more added each month. Student writers are sure to enjoy Focused, Ulysses, and PDFpen, while creatives will want to check Luminar Flex, Camerabag Pro, and TouchRetouch.
Whether you’ve received your first college homework or just opened that letter of acceptance to the university of your dreams — it means the best time to buy a MacBook has arrived. Studying at a university or college today has become more challenging than ever before, but there are ways to make your efforts less strenuous, by surrounding yourself with good and reliable technology.
Many students around the globe consider Apple to be providing some of the best laptops for college students, and rightfully so. Apple’s operating system has established itself as the most intuitive, trusted, and fastest platform around — it’s highly appreciated by anyone who doesn’t want to take the risk of their work going missing due to a hardware malfunction. Not the least important feature of Mac computers is their immunity to viruses, which comes with a benefit of saving on antivirus software. Pretty good news so far.
Study faster on Mac with this app
Get Studies, a handy flashcard creator that accelerates your learning. Hit new milestones on Mac with a personalized digital tutor.
The process of choosing the best MacBook for college depends on the kind of student you are, the type of assignments you get, and what you’ve generally come to expect from your computers. Apple is known for making their products to last, so even if you decide to buy a cheap Mac laptop for university, it should still be in good shape long after your graduation.
Since your studies will include both theory and practice, it’s crucial for your laptop to be able to support all the apps necessary during your time in college. If you’re not anticipating to be working on any complex projects over the course of your studies, then a cheap Mac laptop will be a reasonable purchase for you.
To ease the process of finding the best Mac education pricing and quickly resolve the age-old question of whether to get MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro for college, take a look at the following aspects.
When you first start comparing Mac laptop prices, it might seem as though MacBook deals for college students are not that cheap. However, once you dive deeper into your search for the top computer on the market, you’ll not only find many cheap Mac laptops, but realize that even the most expensive models are completely worth their price, due to their exceptional longevity and overall efficiency.
Besides, if you’re a registered student, you’re eligible for the Apple college discount to use towards your new Mac from Apple’s Education Store. Occasionally, there are some back-to-school deals too, usually during the summer months — the right time to buy a MacBook.
Want to find additional ways to save money but still get the best MacBook for college? Consider shopping at Apple’s refurbished store or buying a cheap Mac laptop secondhand.
Now that you know everything about Mac education pricing, let’s explore some of the best laptops for college students on the market right now.
If you’re looking to get the most power in a portable package, this is the best laptop for college, period. MacBook Pro runs on the latest Intel processors and could be configured with up to 8 TB of storage. Depending on your needs, this can be seen as an advantage or drawback, since as an average student you might not need all that power and hard drive space. A larger display is another great feature of this Mac for students, but it also makes the laptop heavier than the competitor models. It even looks more expensive than other Mac laptops, but arguably the price is fully justified by the myriad of expansion options.
One of the best features of the new 2019 MacBook Air model is its 12-hour battery life — enough to finish your homework after a day of classes without the need to carry a charger. MacBook Air is often named the best laptop for college by students because it’s light and portable, allowing for an effortless transfer between classes. Given the substantial power of its processor, this Mac laptop is almost unbeatable in terms of the price-to-quality ratio. A minor flaw to mention, however, is lack of extensive customization.
If the two previous MacBook models are not something you’re really into, you can try to turn to an older laptop and get a good MacBook deal for college students that way.
A MacBook Air model from 2017 is still a pretty good Mac for students, even though it doesn’t have a Retina display or Touch ID. And, of course, it being a few years old, you could argue that its processor is old or that storage space is limited. But if those things don’t concern you, this Mac is a solid performer overall, despite its age.
As one of the most frequently asked questions from students, getting MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro for college has no definitive answer — it all depends on your specific requirements and needs. MacBook Air, for example, is generally considered the best Mac for college students at large, due to its light configuration and long battery life. It’s also one of the cheap Mac laptops that nevertheless covers all the basics.
Those who anticipate spending lots of time working on complex projects need to look for an advanced processor, large storage capacity, high-resolution display, or all at once. MaBook Pro is a great option here, since it offers much more power without sacrificing portability and lightness. On the other hand, it’s safe to say that if you need a laptop simply for research and written assignments, then a MacBook Pro might be a waste of money. But don’t let that stop you just yet, since you could be eligible for the Apple MacBook Pro student discount.
Now that you’ve settled on the best laptop for college to satisfy all your needs, you can look at some of the best apps out there that can make your learning process more interesting and productive, supporting you through your university years.
Studies is an indispensable tool used by students who are adamant about customizing their education to get the best results. Fully synchronized with iCloud, this flashcard creator allows students to easily maximize their learning experience. In addition, Studies has a convenient calendar for effortless class management.
To create your own stack of flashcards via Studies:
Click New Stack in the top left corner
Add a title to your stack
Click Save
Regardless of the program you’re in, all college majors require you to work with an abundance of information. Paper notes are mostly inconvenient and irritating, so having the best MacBook for college is a really sound idea. But you need a proper all-in-one solution.
MarginNote takes a new approach to note-taking, by creating flashcards to optimize your learning and organize your textbook storage system at the same time. This app is perfect for students who want to save time on scribbling notes and keep them organized — easily search through the MarginNote’s smart system, and access any material on the go. MarginNote saves all your entries in one place and allows access from any Apple device, whether it’s a Mac for students or an iPhone.
To start using MarginNote:
Open the Document menu
Click Import in the top-left corner
Import a book
Now you can start reading and annotating as you go
Learning is always associated with the need to efficiently save useful clips, drawings, photos, or graphics — that’s why every student needs a good scanner app.
Prizmo is the perfect way to quickly convert all those physical documents (or PDFs) sitting on your desk to searchable digital material with very little effort. This smart app not only corrects the curvature of your photos and scans, but also has an incredible feature of translating any document to 59 different languages.
Here's how to turn any picture into a document file with Prizmo:
Click New Document
Drag and drop a picture of a page into the new window
Use Curvature Correction to crop the area that you need
Edit the text if needed
Click Export in the top-right corner to save the new PDF document
Students majoring in sciences have to solve complex math problems on a regular basis and are often able to find the answer faster if they scribble the formulas on a piece of paper first. But since we live in the 21st century, it’s a good idea to hand in assignments digitally and keep a copy on your Mac just in case.
MathKey makes a students’ life easier by providing a way to write any formula on your MacBook using a trackpad, mouse, or an Apple Pencil. The app will then import your writing into any digital format like LaTeX, MathML, or images.
While math is not always easy, working with MathKey is refreshingly simple:
Launch the app and start drawing formulas using any input device
Click Convert
Save your work into your preferred format
In the end, a carefully selected Mac for students, with the right apps to enhance it, will not only provide immense support during your college years but will also be a useful tool when you go off to work in the professional field of your choice.
And it’s a positive bonus that Studies, MarginNote, Prizmo, and MathKey mentioned above are all available to you right now for a free seven-day trial through Setapp, a platform of over 170 of the best Mac apps, including some of the most essential ones for students. Now that you know how to pick the best MacBook for college and how to get the best apps, nothing can stop you from learning.
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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By Publisher
Last Updated October 21, 2020
The best apps for college students are the ones that can simplify your life and make your time in school more enjoyable. Your mobile device could become one of your most-used school supplies. After all, apps exist that can help you meet all of your deadlines, study more efficiently, stay connected to the people who matter most, and manage nearly any aspect of your college experience.
Many college apps are free or affordable, which is great news for a student on a budget. When thinking about which apps to add to your mobile device, check first to see if your college, university, or trade school has its own app. Depending on the capabilities of your school's app, you may be able to access calendars, courses, events, and other important information that keeps you more connected to your campus or online program.
Like most college students, you've probably downloaded quite a few popular apps already. They might include social networking and entertainment apps like Facebook, Instagram, Kindle, LinkedIn, Netflix, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter, and YouTube. Many of those apps are very fun and useful, but additional apps are available that can help you elevate your college game.
So make sure you have lots of space on your phone, tablet, or other mobile device for the new apps you'll want to download. Check out apps that can help you with:
The apps and prices listed below are current as of June 2020. Pricing and availability are subject to change at any time. We also recommend that you read the user agreements prior to downloading any apps.
Apps have changed the way college students learn, study, and complete their homework. You can find incredible apps that may revolutionize your learning experience. Creating your own custom flashcards, renting textbooks, and finding study guides for almost any subject you can imagine are just a few of the things you can do with the apps below.
Easily store and organize your class schedule, study assignments, exam times, and more. This digital planner makes it simple to set reminders for important tasks and upcoming events.
Take advantage of modern flashcard technology based on cognitive scientific research for the most effective study methods. You can create your own cards or browse through thousands of subjects and pre-made cards. You can also track your learning progress and collaborate with your peers.
Save money with one of the best college student apps that lets you rent or buy textbooks for a fraction of the price. You can also get assistance with completing your homework and access live tutors, textbook guides, flashcards, and more.
Quickly access literature study guides for a number of titles right in the palm of your hand. You can gain access to summaries, cram plans, quizzes, and much more for most of the top literary titles that you might study in college.
Never be left searching for the perfect word or wondering what a certain word means. Now you can have access to an entire dictionary on your hand-held device. Several different dictionary apps are available, so compare them and find the one that offers the best user interface and features that you prefer.
Learning another language has never been easier. You can learn how to speak, read, and write other languages through a fun and easy-to-use app that turns learning into a game.
Forget spending hours citing your research references; EasyBib does it for you. The app includes multiple citation styles, including APA, Chicago, and MLA.
Use an app that takes note-taking to the next level. With Evernote, you no longer need to pack around a pen and notebook. You can brainstorm ideas, make to-do lists, take pictures of pages and sketches, organize everything into a notebook format, and share with others or collaborate as a group. The app even has the ability to search handwritten content, so finding your past notes is easy.
Enjoy one of the top-rated education apps for staying organized. You can keep track of all of your assignments, deadlines, and tasks, and plan them out over a certain time period so that you're not left cramming at the last minute. You also have the ability to manage your courses and instructors and log your grades so that you always know your academic standing.
Discover thousands of audio and video files of free lectures, lessons, books, and other learning materials from universities, museums, and public organizations from around the world. Your college or university instructors may also integrate their classrooms into the app so that you can easily access your coursework at any time.
Download a completely free app that helps you understand the literature that you're currently reading. Find reviews, summaries, themes, and quotes for hundreds of titles without any in-app ads.
Gain mobile access to popular software programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft Office products that you use. With a 365 subscription, you can store your documents in the cloud and access them from any of your devices.
Ditch the stand-alone scientific calculator and complete all of your computing right from your mobile device. This app looks and operates like the real thing. And you can take screenshots of your calculations for quick reference at a later date.
Use this app to create flashcards and notes. In addition to adding, organizing, and storing all of your notes and other course materials, you can upgrade to get access to a library of more than 350 million study materials and guides.
Discover why this app is referred to as a computational knowledge engine. It's different than a regular search engine because it can answer questions, perform computations, conduct analysis, and prepare reports. You can get help with complicated algebra and calculus equations or find chemistry, engineering, or physics formulas. Uncover the knowledge you need in almost any subject from astronomy to life sciences.
Keeping track of life's day-to-day details can be a tall order for anybody. But when you throw time into the mix, things get extra challenging, especially for busy college students. Thankfully, many great apps are available to make everything a little more manageable.
Ensure that you get out of bed on time and have a good start to your day. Alarmy forces you to wake up and makes it nearly impossible to oversleep. You can adjust your settings so that when your alarm comes on, you have to take a picture of a certain spot in your living space in order to shut it off. Or you may choose to shake your phone for a pre-set amount of time or solve a complicated math problem so that your brain and body becomes wide awake right away.
Never forget a password again. You can safely store all of your passwords in one spot, generate unique passwords for all of your accounts, and use the app's secure mobile wallet.
Fall in love with the smartest alarm clock you'll ever have. You can assign a half-hour wake-up range and the alarm will come on at the most optimal time based on your sleep patterns. The app also tracks your sleep quality, and it will even notify you when you have a sleep deficit.
Keep all of your Google accounts right at your fingertips. You can access Sheets, Slides, Drive, Calendar, Gmail, and all of the other Google apps from any of your devices. It makes keeping organized, staying connected, and completing projects and assignments incredibly simple.
Start using one of the convenient website bookmarking apps in order to keep track of the many articles you want to read later. You can read items online or offline in a mobile-optimized view. Your content is easy to organize and sort, and you can access it from any of your devices. Plus, text-to-speech technology means that you can simply listen to it if you prefer.
Take advantage of this powerful planner to stay on top of your busy college life. You can schedule daily and weekly tasks and assignments. You can also easily manage your assignments and homework and record your class schedule, course and instructor details, holidays, and current grades and GPA. In addition, the app can sync with your device's cloud storage and calendar.
Get 50 GB of free cloud storage so that you can manage and share your files from any device. This app eliminates the need to stress about how you're going to store all of your files.
Use this app to disconnect and avoid distractions when you need to focus. You can block websites, apps, text messages, phone calls, and other notifications for a set period of time so that you can't be interrupted or distracted. The app can also track your phone usage so that you can see how you're spending the majority of your time.
Turn your mobile device into a portable scanner. You can take a picture of anything and turn it into a shareable PDF that you can email or send to other storage apps like Dropbox or Google Drive.
Use the ultimate to-do list app to keep your busy life on track. You can manage all of your tasks, even if you're offline. You can schedule deadlines and create sub-tasks and sub-projects in order to keep everything flowing smoothly. The app even lets you share tasks and projects with others and track your productivity.
For many college students, managing their finances is a top concern. Do you relate with that? There are a variety of safe and secure apps that can help you plan a budget, pay your bills, and live within your means. Check out the following favorites of many students just like you.
Use one of the simplest budgeting apps on the market for viewing a snapshot of how much money you have available for spending. With PocketGuard, you can easily see what's left over (by the day, week, or month) after addressing necessities like bills and savings contributions.
Easily manage your finances, bank accounts, bills, credit cards, and investments from just one app. Along with staying on top of your bills and keeping track of your credit score, you can review your spending habits and see where you may be able to save money.
Stop worrying about how to find scholarships you're eligible for. Scholly offers a simple and effective way to find scholarships, track your application progress, manage deadlines, and access other resources that can help you win money to help pay for school.
Download this app so that you can conveniently and securely manage your cash. It's like a combination of a wallet and online banking. You can send and receive payments, make purchases, and conduct other financial transactions.
Use this digital wallet app to easily and securely send money and make purchases. It's a great app for college students who need to split bills or the costs of social events and outings.
College life is busy. With so much studying and socializing, it can be easy to forget to take care of yourself. Check out these health and fitness apps that can help you stay safe and in shape while on campus.
The name says it all. This popular running app helps you get off the couch and start building your stamina so that you're eventually able to run five kilometers (or 3.1 miles). All it takes is a commitment of 20 to 30 minutes, three times per week, for nine weeks.
Keep expert health and medical emergency advice at your fingertips with this awesome app from the American Red Cross. You can find out how to handle any first aid situation in an instant with advice that you can count on.
Discover the amazing power of meditation and take control of every area of your life. You can work through easy-to-follow, step-by-step meditation practices, track your progress, and share with your friends. This app helps you take some of the unnecessary stress out of your life.
Easily keep track of what you eat and how many calories you consume with this handy app. You can input your daily exercise, track your steps, and even scan barcodes. Managing your health has never been so simple.
Take your yoga practice with you wherever you go. Along with access to a number of instructional guides, illustrations, and a dictionary of poses, you can also track your progress.
Join an online fitness community where you can share your health goals and receive support during your fitness journey. You can find hundreds of workout videos and tips and even hire a certified coach (for a fee) if you need some help reaching your goals.
Gain access to personalized video workouts. You can choose from pre-built workouts for specific types of exercise—like strength training, yoga, or Pilates—or parts of your body and keep track of your progress as you go.
Find ratings for healthy recipes from all over the Web and obtain personalized nutrition information. This app can even identify your personal nutrition gaps and make suggestions for the best whole foods to eat.
A big part of college life is staying connected to the social scene. You'll likely be making new friends and trying out new activities. Many apps can help you stay connected to your friends and groups. Take a look at several of them below.
So many messaging apps are available that we've grouped some of them together instead of listing them separately. They tend to offer the same basic features. These are all free college apps for Android, iPhone, and other devices. Most of them will connect through WiFi, so they don't use up your data or make you limit your contact with your family, friends, peers, and groups. You can often make phone calls, send text, audio, or video messages, and share photos, videos, and emojis. Aside from popular apps like Facebook's Messenger, some of the other top social apps for college students include:
College students are wise to stretch their dollars as far as they can. That's why you may want to check out some of the top shopping apps that can help you find excellent discounts on everything from dorm room furniture to midnight snacks.
Gain access to millions of products right at your fingertips. You can read hundreds of product reviews and make one-click purchases for just about anything you need—from school supplies to non-perishable food to clothing.
Use this app to find incredible daily deals in almost every consumer category you can imagine, including dining, shopping, and traveling.
Uncover amazing deals every day for a huge selection of consumer goods ranging from shoes and clothing to housewares.
College is all about balance. It's important to plan some downtime. Whether you want to kick back and relax in your dorm room or go out on the town, here are some apps that can help you do exactly that.
Get access to your favorite publications, podcasts, videos, and blogs—all in one app. You can easily stay up to date on the news that matters most to you and share it throughout your social media channels.
Discover the favorite go-to entertainment app of many college students. Find the best restaurants, bars, and entertainment establishments wherever you are.
Enjoy this reading app that gives you access to a huge selection of audiobooks, magazines, news articles, sheet music, and other published materials.
Expand your mind, explore your curiosities, and listen to inspiring talks from experts in almost any field.
Find the best places to drink, eat, shop, and have fun. You can also read what other people have to say and write your own reviews about your experiences.
From studying to exercising to relaxing to road-tripping, college students usually have epic playlists with them wherever they go. Take a look at some of the top music apps that are available for download.
Access unlimited music and audio entertainment via thousands of radio stations, podcasts, comedy shows, and more.
Create personalized stations based on the music you love, and choose from hundreds of genres to build your own stations for every mood or activity.
Discover more music than you can possibly imagine. You can choose from thousands of artists, albums, and pre-made playlists, or you can make your own playlists based on your current mood. Additionally, a paid subscription enables you to listen offline.
Whether you're preparing for summer break or approaching graduation, finding a job may be on your mind. Luckily, apps are available that can help you land the kind of job you're after. Check out the possibilities.
Great apps are now available that provide all the tools you need to create a winning resume on any of your mobile devices. They can help you highlight your knowledge, skills, and job and educational history in a way that promotes your best attributes and attracts employers. Consider apps such as:
Instead of scouring the Internet for hours, you can download some exceptional apps that search for jobs and deliver potential opportunities directly to your handheld device. Some of them even provide the option to upload your resume and apply directly for advertised positions. Check out a few of the most popular job search apps below. They're all available on Android and iOS devices.
Sometimes, it becomes necessary to explore new educational options. Whether you want a change or just need an easy way to discover some practical training programs in your area, we've got you covered. Use the following search tool to easily find vocational colleges, career-oriented universities, and trade schools near you. Start by entering your zip code.