College isn’t for the faint of heart, especially for non-traditional types who balance a course schedule around duty assignments, family obligations, and other responsibilities. Student veterans can make the experience a little more manageable by loading their virtual backpacks with digital tools. Whether you attend online or in-person, these seven tech tools can help you get organized and ace those exams. And, they are free. (Yes, we said free).
Textbooks
Before the semester even starts, you’re going to need textbooks – and they are costly. A survey showed students spend an estimated $1200-$1400 per year on books and supplies, according to findings by the College Board. Chegg offers a budget-conscious solution with rentals, e-books, and full purchase options, touting over 80 percent off pricing.
Support
Transitioning from the uniform to a classroom takes some adjustments. It may be challenging to find peers to relate to as you get used to a new way of doing things, even if you’re attending online. Student Veterans of America has set up chapters on campuses around the globe connecting veterans to resources and support.
Note-taking
Pens and paper are so 2017. Wouldn’t it be convenient to be able to keep notes on the devices you always have with you? There’s an app for that. Evernote lets you write notes and clip items from the web, storing them in one organized spot. Plus, the basic plan is free and it syncs with a phone, computer, tablet, etc.
Study guides
If you have an exam to cram for or a paper due, CliffNotes is the perfect study buddy. The online resource breaks down text in a way that is easy to navigate, but also helps identify the most important information to know. The study guides are broken up by course, like economics or French I, providing a categorized outline of the subject matter.
Citing sources
APA. MLA. Chicago/ Turbian. Oh-so many rules for citing, oh-so little time to get up to speed. Every college, course, and instructor may have a different set of guidelines for a works-cited page, to include footnotes or not, etc. And, if done improperly, you can end up with a loss of points or worse — accused of plagiarism. EasyBib makes it easy for you by generating citations for you, depending on which style you need.
Scientific calculators
Scientific calculators run close to $100 and are so complicated, they require a booklet of their own. Math brains got together to marry a calculator and an app, coming up with RealCalc. It is a downloadable app for a cell phone, and has all the goods, such as standard scientific functions plus history, memories, unit conversions and constants, according to its website.
Tutor.com
Some classes are just a little harder to grasp. Cue tutors. It’s such an asset to have subject matter experts on-hand to help make sense of course material, and in some cases, they are free. Your military service may qualify you for free access to qualified tutors through Tutor.com. Eligibility includes “Active duty service members in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard (including full-time and/or deployed National Guard and Reserve)” and “Coast Guard Reservists (regardless of status), their spouses and their children (grades K-college).
Military education benefits make college an attractive option to pursue, but if it has been awhile since you experienced the traditional demands of a classroom a few extra resources can make the transition easier. Digi-tools offer convenient options for accessing support through the devices you probably use on a daily basis. Access your needs before the next semester starts so you can get familiar with these apps and websites ahead of time.
