People used to worry that the internet would only be good for communication and entertainment, but it has proven over time to be a vast resource and repository of knowledge and an excellent tool for the spread of information. So it should come as no surprise that your smartphone is equally versatile (despite the fact that its primary function is mobile communication). And if you’re a student looking for some apps to help you study, there are plenty that can make your life easier wherever you happen to be.

1. New Oxford American Dictionary. A dictionary app is a must for any student looking to improve study skills. At $29.99, this isn’t the cheapest dictionary app, but it’s not the most expensive, either (and it’s half what you’d pay for the hardcover). You’ll have access to definitions for 350,000 words at your disposal plus extras like 60,000 audio pronunciations, a word trends feature to keep you up-to-date with new words and phrases, and no wireless connection required after download (except for the audio feature).
2. Margins (book notes). As any college student knows, writing notes in the margins of text books drastically reduces the amount of money you can get back when you return them to the campus bookstore at the end of the semester. Instead, download this app for $3.99 and you’ll have all the margin notes you need (for every book and subject) on instant recall. It’s organized by book and page number, you can search by keyword, and you can even look up bibliographic information with an ISBN number. In short, it lets you take the most important data from your textbooks with you anywhere (without having to lug a bag full of books).
3. MathU RPN Calc. This calculator app may cost $19.99, but considering how many userssay it has replaced their traditional calculators, it could be the right tool to help you do math at home, at school, and any time you need to study (or work out a restaurant bill). With plenty of functionality (scientific, computer, and even financial features) you can use it for all kinds of calculations and computations. And considering that it was created by an MIT PhD with 10 years’ experience working on mobile math apps, it’s sure to deliver all of the mathematic functionality you need.
4. Spell Check. Although you can’t use this app to comprehensively spell check your emails, you can plug in words phonetically to get proper spelling. If you ever wished you had your Word or email spell checker on your phone, you can pretty much have for $0.99 with this simple but handy app.
5. Wikipedia Mobile. Okay, so you can’t exactly cite this site as a source on essays, but it’s still a great way to get general information in order to extrapolate targeted searches via reputable online journals. Any super scholar knows that you have to start somewhere. And considering that you can find info on literally any topic (from George Washington to the Pebble Mine project to the best online MBA programs of 2012), it’s a must for every student.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.