Apps for the college student

Around the country, students are planning for that well-fitted dorm room or apartment. But what about the phones in their pockets? Whether it’s in the classroom or on a trip with friends, these 20 apps for the college student get the job done. Use the link to visit the website and create an account as appropriate. Visit the Google Play Store or the Apple iTunes Store to download the app.

Staying Organized

  1. Remember The Milk—This to-do list holds everything I have to do now or in the future. Assigning a date to each task means I see what I need to see when I need to see it. It’s simple enough for a high school student and powerful enough for the CEO. It handles repeating tasks and even allows voice input.
  2. Evernote—In a world of mobile devices, this is the place for reference information. It easily serves as a spiral notebook replacement for classes and can also house those PowerPoints from the professor. (Disclaimer: I am an Evernote Certified Consultant and do get a small commission when people purchase Evernote through the link I give them.)
  3. Google Drive—This productivity suite has become a standard in the education community. The ability to access and edit information from any device and ease of sharing make it appealing.
  4. Dropbox—This magic folder makes the flash drive obsolete. You can put anything in it and access the information anywhere. Sharing is a breeze. If you had ever needed to collaborate on a report using Word, Dropbox is the way to go.

Staying in Touch

  1. Gmail—This one app can retrieve messages from all your email accounts. Because it’s from Google, the search capabilities are amazing. It also plays nicely with your Google calendar.
  2. Hootsuite—This is the app that allows me to tame Twitter and see what I want amid the noise. Create content now and decide when it will post and on what social media networks it will post.
  3. LinkedIn—You’ll be applying for a job someday and this is where the people who do the hiring hang out. Start building your online resume now.
  4. Google Translate—It’s a small world, and this app lets you have a conversation, translate a sign, or translate entire paragraphs from one language to another.

Staying on the Dean’s List

  1. WolframAlpha—We all know about Google, but this one is an entirely different type of search engine. If it’s new to you, go to the WolframAlpha website and click any button under “Explore some of the things WolframAlpha can do.”
  2. Desmos Graphing Calculator—This app does exactly what is says, and does it for free.
  3. RealCalc Scientific Calculator—This app is the most popular advanced calculator for Android. Don’t take trig without it.
  4. Quizlet. Flash cards have helped students prepare for tests forever. With Quizlet, you can not only create your own, but download from the extensive library.
  5. Cite This for Me—Properly citing sources you use in writing a paper can be tedious. This app makes the process simple. Insert the ISBN or other bare-bones information, and watch the perfectly-formatted citation appear.

Staying Well-Rounded

  1. Google Maps—With plenty of opportunities, college students need to know how to get there…by car, bike, or on foot. Count on Google Maps to get you there.
  2. Waze—When the trip is by car, Waze is made for the job. Fellow travelers alert you as to road hazards. The speed limit versus your current speed is on constant display. Read more in this excellent post.
  3. Google News & Weather—Instead of spending spare minutes on social media, spend it catching up on what’s happening in the world. At the same time, get a heads-up on how to dress.
  4. Feedly—Speaking of spare minutes, identify great blogs and bring new posts to your phone.
  5. Mint—College is not too young to start budgeting money, and Mint is a great tool to help anyone see where the money is going,
  6. Key Ring—We all have more loyalty cards that our wallets will accommodate. Let this handy app hold them for you.
  7. The app for your university—This one goes without saying. You’ll get the most timely and complete information right here.

How do you feel about this list? Did we get it right? What apps for the college student would you like to add? Leave a comment below and let me know.