Making good grades as well as preparing for the SAT and ACT exams can be daunting, and often the last thing that students want to think about as fall and winter breaks approach. However, staying engaged can help you prevent burnout and meet your academic and score goals this fall.
Homework and test prep don’t have to be boring. Every student learns differently, and many are the most engaged learning through tools like games and apps. It’s no secret that teens are on their smartphones, tablets, or laptops all the time, so use those devices to give you a boost with your test prep and academic goals.
Here are seven academic support and test prep apps that can help you survive — and thrive — this semester and next.
myHomework Student Planner
The first step in creating an atmosphere for academic success is to get organized with your assignments and your day-to-day tutoring prep! myHomework Student Planner is a versatile application that you can utilize on your laptop, phone, or tablet. It’s an easy and efficient way to stay up to date on your homework, upcoming test dates (academic and standardized), and any academic projects or pursuits. You can add assignments to your homework section, setting deadlines for each assignment and tracking any overdue items. Have a weekly journal article due for AP Government & Politics? Not a problem! Add a reoccurring homework assignment to your assignment pad and it will automatically add itself to your to-do list each week.
Quizlet
Quizlet is an easy way to bring studying on the go as it’s compatible with Apple and Android devices, as well as laptops and desktops. Users can create their own flashcard materials to study, or utilize the flashcard sets in the Quizlet database. Share your flashcards with a classmate or keep them to yourself. Though most features now require a paid account, Quizlet is a fun and interactive way to study at or away from home.
Duolingo
Whether you’re interested in learning a new language or looking for supplemental practice for your language class at school, Duolingo is a fun way to do so. By playing a series of games, you can earn points while learning how to read, write, and speak a foreign language. Studying for an AP language exam? Here are the languages available that correspond to foreign languages students often take at school:
- Spanish
- French
- German
- Italian
- Hebrew
Vocabulary Builder
This app from Magoosh can be used to expand your vocabulary. Accessible from your Android or Apple device, there are over 1,200 words with definitions, utilization in a sentence, and pronunciation. What’s innovative and fun about this app is that it tracks your progress as you move through the vocabulary decks. You can choose the level of difficulty making this a useful app, whether you’re getting ready for a standardized test or simply looking to expand your vocabulary for academics.
Math Master — Brain Quizzes & Math Puzzles
Whether you’re learning basic mathematics, or looking to improve your understanding of sequences and series, Math Master is a great way to practice basic math problems or challenge your brain with general aptitude, reasoning, and logic puzzles. This free app for Apple and Android challenges you with math quizzes and games to improve your ability to perform mental math. Taking the ACT or SAT? Sharpening your mental math skills can really help improve your pacing so you can get through the math sections within the time allotted!
ACT/SAT Flashcards
Practice makes perfect — especially when preparing for the SAT or the ACT. These are actually two separate apps by Magoosh — one for the ACT and one for the SAT. Each app tracks your progress as you review the flashcards. The SAT flashcards focus on English and math concepts and include 350 vocabulary words, definitions, and example sentences. The ACT flashcards focus on 216 key concepts in science, math, and English, and provide definitions and examples.
Math Formulas — Ref. Guide
This is a convenient app that is compatible with iPhones. Math Formulas — Ref. Guide has basic and advanced mathematical formulas for personal and educational use. Convenient for users at the high school level and above, this is helpful for students working on geometry, algebra, trigonometry, analytic geometry, differentiation, integration, matrices, probability and statistics, units conversion, and math tricks. Consider this to be a portable math formula dictionary, allowing you to bring your studying on the go with you.
Finding new and fun ways to engage with the material you’re already learning in the classroom is important for academic success and your test prep plans. By utilizing other learning tools, like apps, you’ll be able to master material and be well on your way to reaching your academic goals.
Need some help with your academics? Not sure if your current test prep plan has you on track to reach your goal SAT or ACT score? Contact us today for more information on our expert tutors and our test prep services.
