Apps That Help You Study Free Versions That

Notability has a desktop app too, which is valuable if you occasionally switch over to a conventional laptop or PC.

The human brain, after all, can only store and retain so much information.

Theres nothing wrong with relying solely on pen and paper (and if thats your preference, go for it).

But if youre reading Engadget, we suspect youre interested in some kind of digital equivalent: an app that can store those handwritten notes or, if youre ready to take the plunge, let you record everything with a keyboard or stylus.

It should be fast, intuitive and, most important, accessible from all of your favorite devices.

If youre struggling to sift through them all, its important to ask the following questions.

What hardware do I own First and foremost, eliminate any service that doesnt support your primary devices.

For arguments sake, lets say you own a Macbook Pro and an Android smartphone: You can immediately rule out any platform that doesnt support Googles mobile operating system, like Bear and Ulysses.

Why Because its critical that you can access your notes anytime, anywhere.

A good, reliable mobile app means you can speed-read some revision notes while sitting on the bus or waiting in line for coffee.

Its also a decent backup if you forget to charge your laptop or tablet before class.

Whats my learning style If you havent already, take a learning style quiz.

It will explain whether you absorb and process information best with visuals (photographs, diagrams, maps, et cetera), audio (podcasts, audiobooks, class recordings), words (good old-fashioned reading and writing) or some sort of physical, tactile representation (looking at a globe, fixing a car by hand, et cetera).

What would be the best way to represent and digest the course materials A photography degree, for instance, will probably cover some prolific shutterbugs like Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

If you want to remember their lives and techniques, it makes sense to build some notes that contain a mixture of text and example images.

Set yourself a budget (we have a guide for managing your finances too) and dismiss anything that goes above it.

Apps That Help You Study Free Versions That

Be wary, too, of free versions that lock basic features like offline access and cross-device syncing behind expensive subscription plans.

You dont want to feel constrained by your note-taking app in class.

Our picks Its impossible to pick a single best note-taking app.

Instead, weve made some suggestions that are tailored to specific users, devices and learning styles.

Our pick: Notability Ginger Labs gingerlabs.com BUY Platforms: iOS, macOS Price: 9.99 (19.98 for both) Apples iPad and Pencil stylus are a powerful combination.

The former gives you limitless paper -- both in volume and sheet size -- while the latter can seamlessly switch among a near infinite number of multicolored pens, brushes and highlighters.

If you plan to use this combination for most of your college work, we recommend Notability by Ginger Labs.

The software is a tad more expensive than GoodNotes 5, but we prefer its general look and side rail organization as well as the way it smoothes out handwriting.

Apps For Mac That Help You Study