Useful educational iPhone apps for students

If the student in your life has an iPhone, they're probably text messaging, surfing the Web, checking e-mail, and using apps. And although the phone can be a distraction in the classroom, it can also be a viable companion for students.

There are several great iPhone applications designed specifically for students. These apps all aim to make the student in your life just a little more productive in their educational endeavors.

The educational iPhone

BlackBoard Learn Since many college students use BlackBoard to access class information, BlackBoard Learn seems like an ideal choice for those students.

BlackBoard Learn, a free app, allows students to access all the information they normally would find on their unique online account. They need only to download the app, input their username, and they will be able to access all their class information. Everything from teacher announcements to new assignments are available. They can even check their grades. It's a free app, so as long as the student's institution uses BlackBoard, it's worth trying out.

Cram Cram is designed specifically to help students study for a big test. The app allows them to create multiple-choice quizzes and study guides with a flash-card-like system. The app even randomizes the answers to ensure students aren't memorizing a particular option.

Perhaps the best value from Cram comes from the many places students can access those tests. Since creating a quiz can take quite awhile on the iPhone, Cram has an online site where students can create their study tests. They can then sync their Cram account with the iPhone app. Cram users can also share their tests with friends to help the whole class do a little better. But before you get too excited about Cram, beware that it costs $4.99. That's a little steep for an app that requires so much work to make it useful.

Evernote If a student plans to use their iPhone or iPod Touch in class, they might want to get the most use out of it with the help of Evernote.

Evernote is designed to help users take notes and access them on their computers. The app allows students to write text notes, snap photos, or take voice notes. Those documents can then be uploaded to an online site for access anywhere. Users can also sync those notes with desktop software on their Mac or PC. All those notes can even be geo-tagged, so students can correlate particular notes with locations on a map. Evernote is highly regarded in the note-taking space for good reason. It's a great app. And since it's free, it's all the more appealing. Check it out.

History: Maps of the World One of the most important tools any student can use is a historical map of the world to help them in both geography and history classes. That's where History: Maps of the World comes in.

After downloading the free app, users can view maps of all the continents at different points throughout history. The app features up-to-date maps showing current boundaries. But where it provides the most value is in its historical maps, which display boundaries and important places from periods throughout history. It's a great way to help students increase their effectiveness in geography and history class.

iStudiez Pro iStudiez Pro is easily one of the most useful apps in this roundup for any student who needs a little help getting organized.

After inputting basic information like class name and time, iStudiez Pro allows users to track assignments, tests, and study time with just a few simple clicks. It reminds students when classes are, updates them on when tests are scheduled, and lists all the assignments that are still outstanding. Granted, the app requires students to be proactive and input all that data themselves, but once complete, it efficiently tracks their schedule to make sure they're doing what they need to do to succeed.

iStudiez Pro costs $2.99. But based on how well it does at ensuring students are on schedule, it might be worth the price.

Mathematical Formulas Mathematical Formulas is a must-see app for any math student. It not only helps users gain access to hard-to-remember formulas quickly, but it might also prove to be a handy studying tool.

Mathematical Formulas groups all its formulas based on the topic. Everything from algebra to trigonometry is included in the app. When users click on a respective option, they can view all the formulas related to that entry. The app doesn't feature complex mathematical equations, but it does sport several simple formulas that students use most often. It might be a handy tool for math students.

Pi83 Graphing Calculator A simple calculator isn't enough for most math students once they hit high school, so having a graphing calculator handy is always welcome. And since Pi83 Graphing Calculator, which mimics Texas Instruments' Ti-83 graphing calculator, costs just 99 cents--much less than standalone graphing calculators--it might be worth trying out.

The Graphing Calculator app is basically a scientific calculator that allows users to plot points, input formulas, and view graphs. The app even gives students access to exact points, intersections, and more. It might not be as powerful as a standalone graphing calculator, but it's extremely close. And since some students are on a budget, it might be a viable alternative.

My top 3

1. iStudiez Pro: Although it costs $2.99, iStudiez Pro is a great way to organize a student's life.

2. Evernote: The note-taking student will be quite happy with Evernote.

3. Pi83 Graphing Calculator: It's like having the expensive Ti-83 graphing calculator for a fraction of the cost.