Be wary, too, of 'free' versions that lock basic features like offline access and cross-device syncing behind expensive subscription plans. Set yourself a budget (we have a guide for managing your finances too) and dismiss anything that goes above it. What's my budget?ĭon't spend what you can't afford. 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.

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. 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). If you haven't already, take a 'learning style' quiz. It's also a decent backup if you forget to charge your laptop or tablet before class. A good, reliable mobile app means you can speed-read some revision notes while sitting on the bus or waiting in line for coffee. Why? Because it's critical that you can access your notes anytime, anywhere.

For argument's sake, let's say you own a Macbook Pro and an Android smartphone: You can immediately rule out any platform that doesn't support Google's mobile operating system, like Bear and Ulysses. What hardware do I own?įirst and foremost, eliminate any service that doesn't support your primary devices.

If you're struggling to sift through them all, it's important to ask the following questions. All of them, unsurprisingly, promise to make you an organization and productivity guru. There are dozens if not hundreds of note-taking apps to choose from. It should be fast, intuitive and, most important, accessible from all of your favorite devices. But if you're reading Engadget, we suspect you're interested in some kind of digital equivalent: an app that can store those handwritten notes or, if you're ready to take the plunge, let you record everything with a keyboard or stylus. There's nothing wrong with relying solely on pen and paper (and if that's your preference, go for it!). The human brain, after all, can only store and retain so much information. Every student needs a good note-taking system.

Best free notes app