how do you organize college course work on mac

by Yazmin Welch 9 min read

Is the MacBook setup essentials for college students infographic for You?

It’s Back To School time of year, and if you’re a college student with a new MacBook, or a parent setting up a new MacBook, the MacBook Setup Essentials for College Students infographic is for you. These are my personal Best Practice suggestions for setting up a MacBook for college students. (and I’d love to hear your tips in the comments)

How can I use my Mac as a notebook?

But however you want to do it, there are quite a few ways on your Mac, from free, cloud-based services (such as Evernote) to paid software applications ( Circus Ponies Notebook or SOHO Notes, for example). I personally like to use my Mac alongside a notebook, but use whatever makes you feel the most comfortable (like these students).

How do I get to the Apple Education store?

To gain access to your university or college's education store, head over to the official Apple Store online then click on the Education Store link (highlighted in blue in the screenshot below) on the right-hand side: Finding the Education Store on the Apple website.

Why MacMac for college students?

Mac will see you through college and beyond. Juggles Microsoft Office, Mathematica, Autodesk ® Maya ®, and more. The intuitively familiar iPad is the ultimate in versatility. Type, write, sketch, record, create, and stream content — iPad puts a world of possibilities in your hands. Light in your backpack. Heavy on features. Performance at a glance.

How do I organize my classes on Mac?

4:4016:16setting up my macbook, planner & notebook - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe first thing i'm doing is setting up my notebook. So what i like to do is take some sticky notes.MoreThe first thing i'm doing is setting up my notebook. So what i like to do is take some sticky notes. And then i write the name of each class i'm taking on the top of the sticky.

How do you organize your work on a Mac?

Click the desktop, choose View > Sort By, then choose an option. If you want to control the placement of your files on the desktop, keep Sort By set to none. You can still arrange files neatly when desired—just click the desktop, choose View > Clean Up By, then choose how you'd like to arrange the files.

How should I organize my college classes?

Tips for Staying Organized in CollegeGet a Planner. During the school year, use a planner to keep track of all important dates in your classes. ... Keep Track of Your Syllabus. On the first few days of class, the professors will give the students a syllabus. ... Keep Your Class Schedule Visible. ... Use Color Coding.

How can I use my Mac for college?

0:208:5410 Mac Tips And Tricks For College Students - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMake sure you're using icloud. Drive and under options make sure you have desktop. And documentsMoreMake sure you're using icloud. Drive and under options make sure you have desktop. And documents folders turned. On this means that all your files stored in those two folders.

What are smart folders on Mac?

Smart Folders in macOS are a tool to help you organize and find your files. They're not folders, as they don't contain anything. They're saved searches, and can save you a lot of time for searches you perform often.

How do I put Documents into a folder on a Mac?

Move items into foldersOn your Mac, click the Finder icon in the Dock to open a Finder window.Do any of the following: Put an item in a folder: Drag it to the folder. Put several items in a folder: Select the items, then drag one of the items to the folder. All selected items move to the folder.

How do you keep track of college assignments?

5 apps to keep track of homework assignmentsEvernote. Price: Free. ... FC Tasks. Price: $5.99. ... Remember the Milk. Price: Free to download; requires Remember the Milk Pro for Android and BlackBerry users. ... Google Calendar. Price: Free. ... Getting your time back. ... More from Tecca:

How should I organize my online college classes?

7 ways to organize your study space for successFind a Quiet Space for Attending Class. ... Create an Effective Work Space for Studying. ... Make sure your space is comfortable. ... Organize Your Files. ... Schedule Your Time. ... Stay Organized Online. ... Establish a Routine. ... Create a Support System.More items...

How do you organize all class assignments?

Organize your HomeworkOrganize your homework and watch your grades improve! ... Gather a set of inexpensive, colored supplies. ... Select a color for each class. ... Make a mental connection between the color and the class to remember your system. ... Folders: Obviously you'll use each folder to keep track of homework for each class.More items...

Why do most college students use Apple Mac laptops?

MacBooks are perfect for running fast-paced applications compared to Windows mostly because of their speed and processing powers. Windows computers and operating systems are a lot slower.

What is better for school Mac or Windows?

Mac operating systems are generally more stable and run faster than Windows. Not everyone loves a Windows operating system. Macs usually boot faster than PCs, and generally have fewer issues with drivers. Macs are great for running fast-paced applications for graphic design and animation.

Is MacBook worth it for college?

Bottom Line. The MacBook Air is a good choice for school, as long as you're willing to tolerate its trade-offs. You get great battery life and decent mainstream performance in a premium, lightweight design.

1. Buy a Mac

Yes, it seems like I'm stating something obvious here, but as students you are eligible for Apple's generous education discount which, depending on the country, ranges from around 15–20% – a considerable saving.

2. Input Your Class Schedules

Now you've got your shiny new Mac, it's time to put it to the test and the first thing you'll need to do is start inputting your class schedules. I personally prefer iStudiez Pro as it gives you greater flexibility (you can group lectures and seminars by subject and term, for example) however it'll set you back $9.99 on the App Store.

3. Take Notes

Taking concise and decent notes is one of the many skills you'll pick up in your first semester at university. I personally think it's a bit of an art form and it certainly does take a bit of practice to get just right.

4. Stay Organised

This really is crucial as a student – keeping everything in order. I'm an absolute sucker for creating endless lists of things to do, as for me it's the only real way to keep everything in check and know exactly what I need to do.

5. Study for Tests

Whatever your technique, studying for tests is absolutely vital and there are a few nifty tools available for your Mac that'll help you do this. My favourite (and preferred technique) is to read from my textbooks then write down key facts, theories and formulae on flash cards then try and memorise them by heart.

Good Luck!

In this tutorial, I've tried to cover the most common situations that you are likely to use a Mac at university, and which apps are best-suited for these. Of course, there are plenty of alternatives to my suggestions and if you do discover an app that's better, then please feel free to suggest it in the Comments section below!

Manuscripts: Academic document manager

Manuscripts knows what it means to write a proper paper. Handling footnotes, annotations, references, restructuring, and editing is unbelievably easy. Everything is a click away and, unlike in Word processors, all formatting is intuitive and painless.

Prizmo: Image to text converter

Prizmo is the best for scanning and performing OCR (Optical Character Recognition ) in 23 languages, has powerful editing capability, text-to-speech, iCloud support, and translation into 59 languages.

PDFpen: Robust PDF editing

Is anyone still buying hard copies of textbooks these days? When it comes to cramming, PDF is way more convenient (weighs less at least). And with PDFpen, you also get the freedom to tweak your docs in any way imaginable – from editing text to merging multiple PDFs into one test prep package.

MarginNote: A non-boring way to read and learn

Out of all the apps for studying and completing assignments, MarginNote is the most fun. Whenever your relationship with a textbook gets complicated, the app is there to save the day.

MathKey: Translating words into math expressions

If you’re dealing with math documents and reports, you’ll want to get your hands on MathKey. The app converts your handwriting to LaTeX, MathML, or a perfectly formatted image. Write an equation with your mouse or TrackPad and hit the Convert button – it’s that easy. You can also apply various colors to formulas and images.

Be Focused: Smart timer for productive work

Be Focused is a work timer that uses psychology to keep you on task. If know yourself to be easily distracted, this app is your jam. It's created for the ultimate work-break balance, which is essential if you want to stay sane through the semester.

Instant Translate: Quick translator with 100 languages

If Google's Translate kind of bums you out with its inaccuracy, try Mate (Instant Translate). It's way more powerful and can correctly translate phrases and sentences with its new feature "Phrasebook." It even has speech translation if you're in a hurry and typing seems tedious.

Why do we build Apple products?

Because when people can participate in the ways that work best for them, students everywhere are at their best.

Does Apple protect your privacy?

Every Apple product is built from the ground up to protect your privacy. We don’t create user profiles, sell personal information, or share data with third parties to use for marketing or advertising. And apps share only the information that you authorize.

What is self control on Mac?

Self Control is a Mac application that blocks your access to the internet—or certain time-sucking apps—for a set period of time. All you need to do is download it, install it, then list the sites that you want to block.

How to use Cite This For Me?

Cite This For Me 's easy-to-use app helps you create correct references in more than 7,000 styles to make sure your bibliography is written in the required format. Create projects, annotate web pages, and add quotes from books and journals to make one of the worst parts of a research paper quick and painless. You can even scan book and journal barcodes with your phone to have them added to your list. If you're working on a team project, you can invite team members to collaborate on your group work or research projects from any device.

How does Slack work?

Slack was designed for communication within a company, but it's becoming increasingly popular as a way for any group to stay in touch whether at your laptop or on a mobile phone. The app lets you create discussion channels based on a topic, message the group as a whole, and send direct messages to team members. If you're working with documents on Google Drive, Slack will ask if you'd like them imported to share with your team. The app also syncs with cloud storage services like Dropbox to make file sharing easier.

Can you take notes in college?

As a college student, you're going to be taking hundreds of pages of notes. Yes, the paper-and-pencil method is tried and true. But keeping only physical copies of your notes opens you up to the risk of losing or forgetting them in your dorm room, and it limits what you can do with them.

What app can students use to schedule events?

Google Calendar. Given the reach of Google, students may already be familiar with commonplace apps like Google Calendar, which can be used to schedule events, create reminders, share availability and more. Google Drive.

What is educational technology?

Educational technology such as apps can help students with time management, organization skills, homework, collaboration and more. Applications that keep students on task can be a big help, considering that incoming college students can often be unmoored, in Watson's experience.

image

A. General Tools

  1. LaunchBar – a launcher and an automator (€24) /alt: Alfred, check herefor comparison
  2. TextExpander* – Mac typing shortcut utility (€35)
  3. 1Password* – password, identities and other sensitive information management (€40)
  4. Dropbox* – file sharing (free) /alt: Box
See more on macademic.org

B. File and E-Mail Organizing and Management

  1. Hazel – file management automator, indispensable for managing reference files(€20)
  2. Papers – managing scientific articles, also used for annotation, citation and bibliographies in writing (see D); check Macademic reviews (€60) /alt: Sente, Bookends
  3. Foxtrot – a professional search engine; “goodbye haystack, hello needle!” ($40 or $130 for the professional version) /alt: Leap, DevonThink, HoudahSpot
  1. Hazel – file management automator, indispensable for managing reference files(€20)
  2. Papers – managing scientific articles, also used for annotation, citation and bibliographies in writing (see D); check Macademic reviews (€60) /alt: Sente, Bookends
  3. Foxtrot – a professional search engine; “goodbye haystack, hello needle!” ($40 or $130 for the professional version) /alt: Leap, DevonThink, HoudahSpot
  4. MailTags– tagging mail messages in Apple Mail ($30)

C. Calendar, Task and Project Management

  1. Fantastical* – natural language calendaring, part of the Macademic Ninja Kit(€16)
  2. BusyCal– professional calendar management (€40) /alt: Mac’s native Calendar
  3. OmniOutliner* – outlining for brainstorming and project planning; also used for writing outlines (see D) ($50 or $100 for professional version) /alt: MindNote
  4. Notebook – project management and planning ($50) /alt: Daylite
See more on macademic.org

D. Note-Taking, Research and Writing

  1. NValt – plain text and markdown no-frills note-taking(free) /many alternatives
  2. Evernote* – capturing text notes, documents, contacts, images, photos and screenshotsand sharing them including on iOS devices (free with some paid features)
  3. Ulysses – a rapidly evolving software for taking and organizing notes using searches, tags and folders; I use it extensively for teaching(€37) /many alternatives
  1. NValt – plain text and markdown no-frills note-taking(free) /many alternatives
  2. Evernote* – capturing text notes, documents, contacts, images, photos and screenshotsand sharing them including on iOS devices (free with some paid features)
  3. Ulysses – a rapidly evolving software for taking and organizing notes using searches, tags and folders; I use it extensively for teaching(€37) /many alternatives
  4. OmniOutliner* –writing outlines, also used for project management (see C) ($50 or $99 for the professional version) /many alternatives

E. Data Processing, Presentation and Graphic Design

  1. Microsoft Excel for Mac – an extremely powerful electronic spreadsheet (various pricing models) /alt: Numbers
  2. OmniGraffle – vector graphic software for diagrams and other illustrations ($100 or $200 for the professional version) /alt: Adobe Illustrator, iDraw
  3. Keynote* – the most powerful presentation software with amazing possibilities (free with O…
  1. Microsoft Excel for Mac – an extremely powerful electronic spreadsheet (various pricing models) /alt: Numbers
  2. OmniGraffle – vector graphic software for diagrams and other illustrations ($100 or $200 for the professional version) /alt: Adobe Illustrator, iDraw
  3. Keynote* – the most powerful presentation software with amazing possibilities (free with OS X) /alt: Microsoft Powerpoint, Prezi
  4. PDFPen – editing pdf files ($60, $100 for the professional version) /alt: Adobe Acrobat

Observations and Explanations

  • The cost of this package varies between ca €600 ($800) and ca €850 ($1,150) depending on whether one chooses light or professional versions. This is without discounts but excluding the cost of MS Office. * indicates that I also use a related and synced app on iOS Italicsindicate software which I am still trying and may decide not to use. This software has not been reviewed …
See more on macademic.org