Top 10 Back-to-School Apps for High Schoolers

The kids may still be at camp but it’s never too early to start thinking about what they will need when they go back to school. Being organized and having the right study tools at their disposal will be half the battle. That’s when smartphones and tablets stop being a distraction and start being a 24/7 study aid.

Today’s mobile devices can help students by providing everything from a quick dictionary definition to an in-depth math tutorial. There are dozens of apps that will help your student get organized for the new school year, and hundreds more that cover everything from chemistry to calculus. Here are 10 of our favorite back-to-school apps for high-schoolers:

myHomework

A must for every student, myHomework allows them to quickly organize and access homework assignments and classes with a simple touch. Includes calendar, reminders and the ability to sync to your student’s home computer and other devices. Students can see what classes they have each day and what assignments are late, complete or coming up. They can even add after-hours activities for a complete picture of the entire school day.

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android
Cost: Free

iStudiez Pro

It’s hard enough to remember all those tangents and cosines without worrying about where and when the calculus class actually is! iStudiez’ powerful calendars and schedules will do all the heavy lifting for students, simplifying the school day with notifications and alarms so they’ll never miss a class. It’ll even track grades, so if they start slipping, iStudiez Pro can remind your student to start polishing a few apples!

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
Cost: $0.99

Dictionary.com

One of the most overlooked weapons in a student’s arsenal, a proper dictionary is absolutely essential for any serious student. Featuring over 2 million definitions, synonyms and antonyms in the dictionary and built-in Thesaurus, Dictionary.com includes audio search and pronunciation, and example sentences for a precise understanding. Dictionary.com also works off line when searching words, so no Internet connection is needed.

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android
Cost: Free

FlashCards Deluxe

Although index cards can still be helpful in committing important facts to memory, today’s students shouldn’t have to suffer a messy pile of 3 x 5 notes when they can swipe through virtual cards on their iPad or iPhone. Not only will Flashcards Deluxe save precious room in backpacks everywhere, it will help students learn in ways index cards never could, with intuitive study modes, pictures and audio recordings.

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
Cost: $3.99

Khan Academy

This award-winning app for the iPad gives students access to a library of over 3,200 videos explaining and illustrating everything from advanced mathematical problems to straightforward historical events. All the short lessons are conducted in the Khan Academy’s trademark style, with simple steps and a clear narration. A log allows students to record the videos they have seen and track their progress. Khan Academy is a great teaching aid, as well as a study boon to students!

Platform: iPad
Cost: Free

iTunes U

iTunes U consists of a more than 500,000 free lectures, videos, books and other resources on subjects from algebra to zoology. Courses are created and taught by instructors from leading universities and other schools, including Stanford, Yale, MIT, Oxford, UC Berkeley and more. Students can take notes and highlight text in iBooks, as well as share favorite courses with friends using Twitter, Mail and more. Despite the higher education feel, iTunes U is designed to assist both high schoolers and college undergraduates.

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
Cost: Free

SparkNotes

No online or offline list of study aids would be complete without the venerable SparkNotes. The app includes 50 pre-installed study guides plus access to hundreds more online. Topics include Shakespeare, poetry, philosophy, drama and more. All SparkNotes study guides can be downloaded for offline use. StudyNotes includes sharing tools, including location-based notifications to allow students to start instant study groups.

Platform: iPhone, iPod touch, Android
Cost: Free

TED

Not an app that is necessarily going to help with a particular assignment but one that will hopefully inspire a student to greater things! The TED app features over 1,000 talks and presentations from some of the world’s most gifted and fascinating people. The TED app allows students to sort presentations by date, theme and popularity, and it will even come up with a playlist based on how much time they have available. Students can watch online or off, and share their favorite talks with friends.  

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android
Cost: Free

iHomework

Another complete organizer app that helps students stay up-to-date with school work, grades, to-do lists, teacher information, and anything else they need to be successful. iHomework allows students to set alerts for assignments and upcoming test papers, and even add other students for group assignments. Color coded calendars help students organize by day, week or month, so everything can be seen at a glance. iHomework can be synced across all Apple platforms, including the iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
Cost: $0.99

Cozi Family Organizer

And finally an app to help Mom and Dad do their bit! Cozi Family Organizer keeps track of all the family appointments, activities, and events, organizing them into four distinct categories: calendar, to-do list, shopping, and family journal. Family members are color-coded and each member can be sent e-mail notifications showing all their activities for the day or week ahead. To-do lists can also be shared – very helpful when assigning the weekly chores!

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android
Cost: Free