With the rise of ChatGPT and other AI technologies in the past year, I thought it would be interesting to explore some lesser-known programs available for student use. These will help you study, provide you with more info, or help with the learning process. Read more below on my favorite AI study resources!

• Quizlet plus: I know they make you pay a ton for it now but Quizlet Plus is definitely worth the investment! The site now has features where you can paste your notes and the site will use AI technology to make you a customized study guide or study set. My favorite feature is the tutor one, where you can chat with the AI and it will help you study. This feature is perfect for when you are too tired to actually study because it can easily be used on a phone! Sometimes I can even con myself into thinking it’s just like talking to a friend. This has saved me for Marine Biology so many times and I like it better than the test or write ones because it’s pretty customized.

• ChatGPT: Although this amazing platform is hated by many English teachers, it can really be a useful tool if used correctly! Whether you need a jump start on an essay or a quick study guide for biology, the uses for ChatGPT are endless. Some colleges have even jumped on the AI boat saying that they encourage the use of this platform while writing college essays (be careful with this though, as university rules for this vary.) I tried using it for some supplemental essay inspo over the weekend and while it gave me a good head start, I think I’d be too scared to actually copy and paste anything the program spits out to send into Columbia University. It answers questions in a way even easier to digest than google, which is perfect for people like me who lack the motivation to do their research. For these reasons, I love using ChatGPT to help me study for my history and science classes, although I wouldn’t use it if academic sources are needed as the website is known for making up fake publications. Other potential uses for this truly diverse platform include asking for advice, writing stories, or trying to have a conversation with the platform!

• Khan Academy: I don’t know how many people actually use this but it’s super helpful for every subject! I remember using it for AP World and it was helpful at explaining concepts. If you have questions about a math concept, it can also help with this. I tried using it in Geometry freshman year and it was somewhat helpful (I probably would have had better success with it if I didn’t suck at math) but I’m sure it will work for y’all. What I have found to be the most useful feature of this wonderful platform is the customized PSAT and SAT prep: their programs analyze your past scores and target your weaknesses for improvement. I have no experience with the PSAT prep as I don’t believe in wasting time on stuff that doesn’t matter, but their SAT prep has been immensely helpful in getting my math score up. 

• GradeScope: I have zero actual experience with this one, but it looks really interesting! Apparently this program will take all of your papers and assignments and grade them in the same way a teacher would, leaving comments and suggestions. I could see this being useful for something like an English essay when you’re not totally sure if you have enough commentary to match your analysis. The program is technically made to help teachers with grading, so take that for what you will. Additionally, it is made by turnitin.com, so it’s sure to be a teacher favorite.

• Grammarly: Again, not sure how many people use this one, but it can be very useful, especially if you pay for Grammarly Plus. If you naturally have trouble with grammar, I’d definitely recommend it. Occasionally the program makes mistakes but it is still pretty useful. I like the feature that tells you the tone of your emails with an emoji, very useful when trying to get in contact with a teacher! Apparently, similarly to ChatGPT, Grammarly also has the ability to generate emails, articles, or reports.

• Tutor.ai: I believe this one is relatively new. Tutor AI is a platform similar to fiveable where students can access notes sets, quizzes, or personalized help with any subject. The platform claims to be able to connect any student with a “qualified AI tutor”, not sure how an AI bot can be qualified but I’ll trust it! Using the platform, you can get virtual tutoring sessions, get help with hard assignments or problem questions, and even receive personalized assistance. This platform is free, making it a good option if Quizlet plus is too expensive. 

• Otter.ai: This AI tool is different from others on this list as it is based in doing work with audio. Otter AI can listen to any recording, zoom meeting, or lecture and take notes from the lecture! If you connect it to a zoom meeting, you can even chat with it during the meeting and get it to answer questions for you. It will make summaries of any lecture or recording for you during real time. This platform is free, although more advanced versions of the platform are available for subscription. 

• Notion AI: A program that claims to be an all-in-one workspace, Notion promises to make users more efficient using their organization tools. The program can create to-do lists, take notes for users during class, help students stay organized over the course of the year, and even collaborate with classmates. Their AI feature can make summaries of notes, tell users what to study next, and generate “key takeaways” from notes. They also claim to be able to fix grammar, translate work into different languages, edit voice or tone, and make writing shorter or longer. This platform is free for all users!