In a world that relies more and more on technology, it is no wonder the vast amount of resources and programs there are available to both students and working professionals to improve performance. The internet has countless amazing tools that you can use to help boost your grades or work performance— and some of them are even free.

Whether you need help with preparing for a big exam, or you want to brush up on a particular subject for your job,you will be sure to find countless programs online to help you out. Some of these programs offer lessons or study materials for exams, but you can also find tools to help keep you organized and on top of all your coursework or daily responsibilities. Keep on reading to learn 5 of the best software programs students and working professionals can use to improve performance.

Duolingo

One of the best educational software programs available to students is Duolingo. This is a free web-based application that also has an app for all Android phones and iPhones. If you are having trouble in your language class, this app offers free material to teach you grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation all with a few clicks of your mouse.

If you decide to try out one of Duolingo’s 98 language courses over 38 different languages, you will be guided through your language-learning adventure by a green owl named Duo. The courses are arranged in game-like lessons that require you to speak into your microphone, type audio that you hear, fill in the blanks and more. This approach makes learning fun and is a big reason why Duolingo has attracted such a massive following.

This is a great option for students who have been studying a language for a long time as well because it offers proficiency exams to determine your level in a language. If you have been studying French, for example, for the past few years, you could take the French proficiency exam to skip past simple lessons on present tense verbs to harder lessons on things like the subjunctive mood.

Prep Courses

Over the past several years, large education companies that help students prepare for exams such as the GRE, LSAT and MCAT have started to incorporate software and smart tech into their courses. For example, Kaplan and Princeton Review are two organizations that provide prep courses for aspiring medical students studying for the MCAT. Each of these organizations makes use of software and adaptive technology in their courses to create personalized study plans for each student. In Kaplan’s case, the company offers students access to its adaptive question bank, which automatically adjusts to the skill level of each student by making questions easier or harder depending on their progression.

Prep courses that use software and AI can dramatically boost your academic performance by allowing you to effectively study for major stressful exams. By structuring your study material based around your individual needs, each course is guaranteed to be tailored to help you in the areas you need it most. The one drawback to these programs is that they can be a bit expensive, but if you study hard to understand the material they provide, you are sure to get your money’s worth when you ace that test!

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is a powerful note-taking tool that allows you to keep all your notes in one convenient digital notebook. In OneNote, you can create separate sections for each of your classes and include multiple pages for each class. You can easily share your notes, and you even can add tables, charts, and images to any of your note pages One interesting feature about OneNote is that it is functional with most digital pens, so you can still write your notes if you are not the biggest fan of typing. The best part about OneNote though, is that you can access your notes whenever you need, wherever you are.

OneNote stores all your notes to a cloud linked to your Microsoft account. If you log in with your Microsoft account on a new device, you will have access to all the same notes that you took at another time! This means that you can study no matter where you are, and you will always have access to the information you need. Taking full advantage of this powerful note-taking tool can drastically boost your academic performance to make you an even stronger student!

LibreOffice — A free alternative to Microsoft Office

Many schools will provide their students with access to Microsoft Office, but for those that do not, paying for a subscription can get expensive fast. That is where LibreOffice comes in. LibreOffice is a free suite of tools like Microsoft Office. It includes a word processor, presentation editor, spreadsheet editor and many other tools as well!

This is a highly functional, affordable alternative to Microsoft Office for those who may not be able to fit a subscription into their budget. Another good part about this software is how versatile it is. You can open nearly any type of file with this suite of tools, so you will never again need to worry about incompatibility with your files.

Using LibreOffice is a great way to boost your academic performance. If you are going to be writing incredible essays and creating beautiful presentations, you need access to powerful software to match!

Microsoft Office Lens

This can be a very useful tool for students and educators alike. More of a utility than a collection of lessons or creation tools, Microsoft Office Lens allows you to scan any physical document with your phone to create word documents, PFDs and even PowerPoint slideshows! This is an excellent tool for sharing handwritten documents with colleagues or peers, and this is also a good way to make digital copies of any notes or papers that you write by hand.

By using this tool, you can have easy access to digital copies of your notes, and you can quickly share any physical documents you with your teachers or classmates to help boost your academic performance. The easier it is to transfer files and information, the easier it is to communicate with your peers to share notes and ideas to help each other understand a particularly difficult class.

Conclusion

The internet is full of tools that students can use to boost their academic performance. These tools range from simple digital organizers and planners to powerful suites of content creation tools that you can use to create masterful essays and documents. There are, of course, many tools that are available at a cost, but there are tons of budget-friendly or free options that are excellent choices for any student.

Using these tools can make your academic life so much easier by keeping all your documents, notes and schoolwork organized and in the same place. Others can help you by offering you game-like lessons so you can learn without even knowing it. Take advantage of these tools to guarantee your academic success!