College life is a complicated foray into adulthood. For many, it means learning to juggle a job, classes, and independence from parents. For some, that proves a lot to handle all at once.

Fortunately, in the modern age, there are a variety of vetted tools that can help new and returning college students handle their workloads. Whether it’s editing papers or handling software, these products help make college life a little easier.

To help you organize your study journey better Nerdify Reviews team prepared an overview of 4 must-have online tools for achieving academic success in 2024.

Nerdify Reviews 4 Effective Online Study Tools in 2024

1. Grammarly

Grammarly is a free grammar-checking software. A massive leg up on traditional spell checkers, Grammarly not only looks for spelling errors, but also checks the use of the passive voice, the formal tonality of a paper, and similar aspects of more complex writing. As Nerdify Reviews experts attest, such programs make revising essays and even letters much easier.

2. Copyscape

On the other side of the coin is Copyscape. While some programs are designed to help students edit their papers and letters, this one is intended to review for plagiarism. While that might seem an odd concern for students, remember, AI is everywhere, and has no plans to go away.

That means sources a student uses might not be reliable, and Nerdify Reviews experts strongly recommend checking your essays or articles since the academic world takes plagiarism very seriously. Avoiding it by utilizing additional tools to check sources not only ensures correct information is sourced, but that those seeking to prey on desperate college goers don’t get away with cheating.

3. Mendeley

For some, keeping track of all the various sources they have gathered for one essay or another can prove daunting. Fortunately, there is a program for that as well.

Mendeley is a software management tool designed to help keep references and similar material easily organized and associable, wherever the person researching that material may be at any given time.

For those overwhelmed at the prospect at having to scour archives for sources, having a handy tool to keep it all organized is a massive relief. There is enough anxiety in college life, as sites like Edu services company blog can attest. Tools that help reduce that stress and improve efficiency are definitely important boons to utilize.

4. Litero

Litero AI is your ultimate writing companion, designed exclusively for students seeking to enhance their writing skills. Serving as an all-in-one tool, Litero empowers you to write better and faster with features like paraphrasing, expansion, simplification, summarization, and more.

Need references? Utilize the autoreference feature for recommended citations in just one click. The tool doesn’t stop there; it includes a built-in ChatGPT, grammar checker, plagiarism detector, and a formatting tool to ensure a seamless and comprehensive writing experience.

Nerdify Reviews experts say that such help is more or less the same as peer tutoring, which is a very handy tool for any college student.

In Conclusion

College life has enough troubles to keep a student occupied. Making use of various digital tools in the modern age means an easier time handling workloads, research, and even writing formal letters to professors, grant boards, and the like.

Whether it’s checking a paper’s grammar, making sure a source is legitimate, or keeping those sources organized, there are tools readily available to help college students get the most from their education.

As annoying as they can be to write, cover letters are a common part of many application processes. Whether it’s for a job, college, or academic program, knowing how to write a clean, quick, professional cover letter can make a big difference in the application process.

1. Perform research

No matter the reason for the cover letter, researching who will actually read it is an important first step. Knowing what the company, college, or program is about and their beliefs will help add more detailed touches to a cover letter. These will help the letter stand out from more generic entries.

That doesn’t necessarily mean a person will be directly addressed in a cover letter. However, finding actual people to reference or mention in the letter demonstrates not only research but accurately performed research. Such a vital asset in an academic will not go unnoticed by the reader of the letter.

2. Remember Keywords

That said, as annoying as it is, a lot of cover letters are reviewed by algorithm-based AI. This is less likely when applying to an academic program, but the people reviewing such letters receive thousands upon thousands of them. They likely lack the time to review every single one carefully.

That’s why keywords can help make a difference. Whether these words are reviewed by a computer or a person skimming the letter, they can make a big difference. Sites like Reddit are especially helpful for finding the best keywords to optimize a cover letter.

At the simplest, making use of important words and wordings in the application can make for a great start. Jobs that point out what an “ideal candidate” can provide or has experience in or an academic candidate that has proven “extensive knowledge in the following” and the like are just the most common examples seen in applications.

3. Be direct and confident

Now that it’s time to actually write the cover letter, make sure to be direct and to the point. Fancy words and long-winded sentences may look impressive, but they are not ideal for someone trying sell themselves on the merits of their abilities, a lot of meaningless words are just that; cheap talk to hype up the candidate regardless of their actual abilities and talent.

4. Stay professional

Unless the requirements for the cover letter say otherwise, a concise, professional tone and wording will go a long way to showcasing that this is the cover letter that leads the reader to the ideal candidate. A cover letter is basically a hype man, even if the wording and styling are written in a more formal manner.

At the Nerdify Reviews blog, you can find useful information on how to write in a more formal style, but the general gist is to avoid contractions and keep a respectful distance from the reader.

5. Seek advice

No matter how often someone reviews something, they are going to miss content fresh eyes will easily see. Ideally, having someone to review the cover letter will help a lot to fine-tune the wording and content.

In an academic setting, that means consulting a department counselor or even a student who previously attended or is attending. For jobs, someone in the field can provide vital insight. Going to sites like Reddit can help connect with such experienced individuals.

6. Use firm information

Algorithms and academics love numbers. Making use of them in the cover letter to showcase results and experience demonstrate concrete support of the claims made within the cover letter.

That said, throwing numbers around without purpose and just for the sake of including them reveals lack of actual evidence and more bravado and empty words. Numbers need to be backed up with results and, as with any cover letter, must be direct and to the point.

7. Make use of action words

Passive voice can be hard to avoid, as the previous sentence indicated. A strong cover letter, though, will try to avoid passive voice and make use of action and assertive wording to show not just confidence, but proven confidence.

Again, adding such words just to include them in the letter will make the candidate look weak and attempting to talk a big game with nothing to back up their claims, keep the action direct and relevant. Sources like Reddit reviews can help with finding the right words for just about any situation.

In Conclusion

Cover letters are not, generally, fun to write. They are often ignored or overlooked, and yet, they are still an important part of the application process. That means they need to be dealt with professionally and properly. Simply throwing some words together to appease an application requirement will not draw the reader to their ideal candidate.

Nerdify Reviews experts say that a strong cover letter is written with proven confidence, direct language, and content relevant to the application in question. Researching what to write about and who will be involved in the process can help a cover letter stand out, as can keywords to improve readability.

Cover letters do take time and effort to write, but, when completed, can make the difference between an ignored application and an accepted candidate.

Hey there, pal! Without a doubt, you have many questions about college life! It reminds you of an ocean full of unknown and probably dangerous species. But no worries, cuz Nerdify is here to help!

Making it through your freshman year at college is like stepping on a way of the warrior – the secret is to learn how to fight for your rights as you learn, analyze, interact, become organized, and start to think strategically. No, the real trick is to have fun no matter what! Here are some helpful tips to guide you through the first year of college life without too much trouble, stress, and anxiety.  

Getting Organized Is the Key!

You have read it right – you have to become organized no matter what as it is one of the most important skills that you should have in order to survive through college. It does not matter what your strong and weak sides are because you have to work on other issues. They are time management, learning all the due dates for important diverse events, keeping track of available funds, and so on. We have it summed up for you, so you know what parts of your life have to be under control:

1. Use organizers, smartphone applications or a big calendar on your wall to keep track of all the critical deadlines. It should not only be about college but about anything that is important in your life. Even birthdays, invitations, financial matters, family gatherings, and scheduled meetings with college professors.

2. Organize each task from the urgent to less urgent and less difficult to most difficult assignments. This allows you to manage your time and physical strength by starting with the most important tasks first while knowing what tasks can be easily completed to help you feel satisfied.

3. Create a budget for yourself, consult with your friends and family, so you can get a word of advice and see how you can feel financially secure.

Become a Jedi of Social Interaction.

You have to work really hard on your personality and place in the society as you enter college. It is not really difficult to become a Jedi of social interaction! No matter how complicated your studies may be, your strong social skills, charisma, warm smile or a friendly pat on the back will always do much more than you can imagine! So, what exactly has to be done?  Okay, just follow this list:

1. Do not miss meetings with your professors. There are special scheduled hours that all professors have, so take advantage of each opportunity and speak of what makes you feel concerned.  

2. Meet your academic adviser. This person is really important for your success and college progress, so getting to know him or her and becoming friends is critical. In case something does not work, remember that you can always ask for another academic adviser.

3. As a part of social interaction, get involved in all things campus: student organizations, clubs, voluntary work, all kinds of fraternities, if you would like. Start a band or become a part of a college sports team. You will not only make new friends and learn some amazing skills but will eventually feel connected and at home.

4. Build a network of friends, meet new people, and do not be afraid of taking mentoring roles to support and help other people.

Building a Bridge Between Studies and Times of Leisure.

One of the worst challenges a college warrior faces is fighting for the girl or a guy he or she has a crush on. No, seriously, it is quite an issue! Just be yourself and speak of your feelings! Unfortunately, romance is not the only problem you will face at college.

Okay, now another challenge is finding a right balance between the studies and times of leisure. Out of all things, find a cozy and calm place where you can study and concentrate. Next, study course syllabus more than twice and see when and what are your due dates, so you can plan that party without damaging your academic progress. College life is always balancing between your social life and study-related events, so the best thing you can do is make it 50/50. You have to study hard, so you can party hard!

As you strive for good grades, do not forget to use all the available study resources on campus. If there are learning labs and tutors, make sure that you use their help even if you think that you do not need it. After all, they have a purpose to be here… and that purpose is YOU! Still, if you do not think that it is an option, try to become a part of study groups, so you and your friends can schedule the same time for studies and leisure. This way you can find some peace and stop feeling like letting someone down!

Battle of Priorities

We are sure that you have heard it all before, but we will say it again that college life, especially the freshman year, is a battle of priorities where important things should come first. Okay, but what is important and how to understand what is really important? Yes, studying is necessary, but unlike most guides, we want to tell you that taking some time for yourself is just as important as academia! If you feel totally stressed, no high grades will be of any good. Even if it is your favorite television show, writing a journal, playing guitar or just riding a bicycle through the park, it is just as important!

All you have to do is to take full responsibility for what you choose and work on your priorities. Try to take one step at a time as you study and make a list of what tasks are closer to the deadline, what college assignments should be done as soon as possible to stop making your life a mess. Yet, at the same time, always ask yourself about what will make you feel best of all even in the middle of a Jedi battle with another complex subject!  

Just remember that even if doing things the last minute before the lessons start could work in high school, it may not work in college. So, it is much safer to stick to deadlines and prioritize your time and resources. In other words, do not take shortcuts and do not cut corners as you progress. Do not cheat because it is your life. It surely deserves the best you can give!

When Things Just Won’t Work…

Trust us, we all have been in situations when things just won’t work and you feel like it is the end of the world! It is perfectly normal because you are in a different environment, you are away from home, so there come anxiety and homesickness among other things. Even if you always wanted to get away from home, college is not always what you have expected. There are three basic rules that you should remember to help you overcome sadness, stress, anxiety, and this feeling when you just do not want to be in college any longer.

1. Stay on campus as much as you can, so the more time you spend on campus, the more you will feel at home and as a part of a community. Join social and cultural events that take place to get your mind away. Try to be creative, have fun, joke around, and inspire people because, trust us, they feel bad too even if they do not show it!

2. Be ready to feel stressed, tired, and overwhelmed. Just know that you are not the only one feeling this way. Do not feel pressured to make hasty decisions about chosen career or a major. Give it some time, try to learn and see what it is. It is not a race that you have to win. Hence, see what you really enjoy, but take time to learn it inside out, talk to professors and other students before you make a turn.

3. Seek professional help when and IF you feel that you need it. It is perfectly normal. The colleges have counseling and health centers, so if you are not feeling well, you should let professionals know. Depression, bullying, feeling isolated, harassment or any conflicts should be reported, as you do not have to face these challenges alone.

We hope that all these little tricks and tips will help you to get through the freshman year at college. Be determined, take advantage of your social network of friends, voluntary work, and the special skills you definitely have. Have fun as you learn, give some time for yourself and remember that it is your life that you can control. You are already a warrior who is winning the first battle because you have what it takes!

Do not forget that you are studying to help yourself feel good about life and do not let any stress ruin it, just contact Nerdify for help any time.