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McKayla
Student
Churubusco, Indiana
1
Question
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What apps are the best to use (Apple based) for studying, recording lectures, etc if going to college for nursing?
I'm going to study nursing in college and potentially proceed onto a PA degree. What are great apps that help study, make notes, and prepare for tests?
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Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical Engineer, Software Developer, and Career Mentor
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Ethiopia
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Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
Notability is a fantastic tool for taking notes during lectures. It lets you record audio and sync it with your handwritten notes, making it easy to review later. This is especially helpful in a fast-paced nursing program. With Notability, you can focus on key points during lectures and ensure you don't miss anything important.
Anki is another great app that helps you memorize medical terms, drug names, and procedures. It uses a spaced repetition system, so you can create flashcards and review them at the best times to boost your memory.
Notion is perfect for staying organized. It helps you manage your study schedule, assignments, clinical hours, and personal tasks all in one place. Whether you're organizing notes or planning your week, Notion ensures you stay on top of everything.
Together, these apps are excellent for managing your coursework and staying organized throughout nursing school.
Anki is another great app that helps you memorize medical terms, drug names, and procedures. It uses a spaced repetition system, so you can create flashcards and review them at the best times to boost your memory.
Notion is perfect for staying organized. It helps you manage your study schedule, assignments, clinical hours, and personal tasks all in one place. Whether you're organizing notes or planning your week, Notion ensures you stay on top of everything.
Together, these apps are excellent for managing your coursework and staying organized throughout nursing school.
Ann C
Learning & Development, Software, Administrative, Tech, Systems
52
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Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Ann’s Answer
Here’s a list of the best Apple-based apps (iPhone & iPad) for studying, recording lectures, organizing notes, and prepping for nursing school — especially useful before classes start and throughout your coursework.
1. Notability — All-in-One Study & Lecture App
• Combines handwritten + typed notes, PDF annotation, and audio recording in one place.
• Record lectures while you write, then tap your notes later to jump to that exact time in the audio.
• Great for nursing school since you can sketch diagrams (e.g., anatomy), annotate slides, and keep everything organized by subject. 
Best for: Students who want powerful note-taking + recording, especially with Apple Pencil.
2. Study Notes — AI Lecture Recorder & Note Taker
• Specifically built to record lectures and turn audio into organized notes using AI.
• Can create folders, searchable content, and even help generate study flash cards.
• Good for when you want recordings transcribed and organized without a ton of manual typing. 
Best for: Nursing students who want AI-assisted note transcription and quick study summaries.
3. Picmonic — Nursing-Focused Memory & Quiz Tool
• Designed for nursing students with mnemonic videos, quizzes, and spaced-repetition tools geared toward topics like pharmacology, anatomy, pathophysiology, and NCLEX prep. 
Best for: Memorizing large amounts of nursing content quickly with visual mnemonics.
4. GoodNotes — Flexible Digital Notebook
• Excellent for organizing your notes into notebooks and folders.
• Allows handwriting, typing, PDF markup, and drawing diagrams.
• Great for organizing lecture slides and review sheets. 
For those who prefer traditional notebook feel and heavy organization.
5. Apple Notes
• Built-in and free on iPhone/iPad, with basic support for typing, typing + handwriting, checklists, attachments, and folders.
• While simpler than Notability or GoodNotes, it syncs automatically across devices.
Easy access and quick note capture when you don’t need advanced features.
6. Google Keep
• Lets you take quick notes, checklists, voice recordings, and photos.
• Record audio that’s then transcribed into text, and color-code items or set reminders. 
Simple voice-to-text notes and reminders that synchronize across platforms.
7. AI-Powered Study Helpers
These aren’t Apple-only but are iOS compatible and often referenced by students:
• Notta — Live transcription + searchable text
• AudioNote AI / Noota / TellaNote — Transcribes lectures and helps generate summaries, flashcards, or study guides
• IdeaShell, Plaud.ai — Tools that record + create structured summaries or follow-up questions
(User experiences vary; check App Store reviews to find what works best for you.) 
Good for audio recordings to next-level study summaries with AI help.
8. Planner & Task Apps
To manage your study schedule and notes:
• Tiimo — Visual planner and daily organization tool (Apple App of the Year 2025) to help you structure your study blocks and tasks. 
• Built-in Calendar/Reminders — Great for scheduling classes, clinicals, quizzes, and study time.
How to Use These Apps Together Effectively
👉 Record lectures in Notability or an AI note taker.
👉 Annotate slides or PDFs in Notability or GoodNotes.
👉 Create study flashcards / summaries with Picmonic or AI features.
👉 Organize your schedule with Tiimo or Apple Calendar.
👉 Use Apple Notes or Google Keep for quick reminders or checklists.
Extra Tips for Nursing School Success
✅ Label lecture recordings clearly with date + topic
✅ Sync notes across iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud
✅ Break big study topics into flashcards or short quizzes
✅ Regularly summarize recordings into your own study sheets
Good luck!
1. Notability — All-in-One Study & Lecture App
• Combines handwritten + typed notes, PDF annotation, and audio recording in one place.
• Record lectures while you write, then tap your notes later to jump to that exact time in the audio.
• Great for nursing school since you can sketch diagrams (e.g., anatomy), annotate slides, and keep everything organized by subject. 
Best for: Students who want powerful note-taking + recording, especially with Apple Pencil.
2. Study Notes — AI Lecture Recorder & Note Taker
• Specifically built to record lectures and turn audio into organized notes using AI.
• Can create folders, searchable content, and even help generate study flash cards.
• Good for when you want recordings transcribed and organized without a ton of manual typing. 
Best for: Nursing students who want AI-assisted note transcription and quick study summaries.
3. Picmonic — Nursing-Focused Memory & Quiz Tool
• Designed for nursing students with mnemonic videos, quizzes, and spaced-repetition tools geared toward topics like pharmacology, anatomy, pathophysiology, and NCLEX prep. 
Best for: Memorizing large amounts of nursing content quickly with visual mnemonics.
4. GoodNotes — Flexible Digital Notebook
• Excellent for organizing your notes into notebooks and folders.
• Allows handwriting, typing, PDF markup, and drawing diagrams.
• Great for organizing lecture slides and review sheets. 
For those who prefer traditional notebook feel and heavy organization.
5. Apple Notes
• Built-in and free on iPhone/iPad, with basic support for typing, typing + handwriting, checklists, attachments, and folders.
• While simpler than Notability or GoodNotes, it syncs automatically across devices.
Easy access and quick note capture when you don’t need advanced features.
6. Google Keep
• Lets you take quick notes, checklists, voice recordings, and photos.
• Record audio that’s then transcribed into text, and color-code items or set reminders. 
Simple voice-to-text notes and reminders that synchronize across platforms.
7. AI-Powered Study Helpers
These aren’t Apple-only but are iOS compatible and often referenced by students:
• Notta — Live transcription + searchable text
• AudioNote AI / Noota / TellaNote — Transcribes lectures and helps generate summaries, flashcards, or study guides
• IdeaShell, Plaud.ai — Tools that record + create structured summaries or follow-up questions
(User experiences vary; check App Store reviews to find what works best for you.) 
Good for audio recordings to next-level study summaries with AI help.
8. Planner & Task Apps
To manage your study schedule and notes:
• Tiimo — Visual planner and daily organization tool (Apple App of the Year 2025) to help you structure your study blocks and tasks. 
• Built-in Calendar/Reminders — Great for scheduling classes, clinicals, quizzes, and study time.
How to Use These Apps Together Effectively
👉 Record lectures in Notability or an AI note taker.
👉 Annotate slides or PDFs in Notability or GoodNotes.
👉 Create study flashcards / summaries with Picmonic or AI features.
👉 Organize your schedule with Tiimo or Apple Calendar.
👉 Use Apple Notes or Google Keep for quick reminders or checklists.
Extra Tips for Nursing School Success
✅ Label lecture recordings clearly with date + topic
✅ Sync notes across iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud
✅ Break big study topics into flashcards or short quizzes
✅ Regularly summarize recordings into your own study sheets
Good luck!
Ann recommends the following next steps: