Tonight’s #CollegeCash Chat was centered around available tech resources for the college-bound and their parents. Following is a short transcript of the questions and answers with all the links I provided. As a parent myself and a parent advocate I understand the frustration with the college admissions process. It’s my hope that you will find some tools here that will make the process easier.

Q. Is there a lot of technology out there that benefits students and parents when it comes to college? 

• We now have online sites for just about every part of the college admissions process and stay organized
• Multiple apps are also available to help parents and students while they are on the go
• Smartphones and portable devices like the iPad have made the college prep process easier

Q. Are SmartPhones necessary for our kids leaving for college? 

• Every college student needs a smartphone–here are some features you should look for: http://bit.ly/151BUJj
• Smartphones help them communicate, socially interact, store and process information, and enable social networking in class
• An added bonus to the smartphone is the ability to stay in touch with parents via facetime, texts, and location apps

Q. Which mobile apps do you recommend for college students?

• Students will need apps to organize class notes, keep class schedules, get tutoring and study help
• There are many apps out there; locating them can be tedious. Here’s some advice that can help http://bit.ly/qlMJAq
• Here are two short lists of mobile apps for students: http://bit.ly/11yU8xX and http://bit.ly/Lk4d9I
• Fastweb gives a comprehensive list here as well: http://mnstr.me/eQs0Ia

Q. What are some other necessary tech gadgets for students going off to college? 

• We’ve already determined they will need a smartphone; here’s a list of other items that can be helpful http://bit.ly/ZZJuAo
• Consider an iPad, Nook or Kindle to download ebooks and save money on textbooks (even FREE books) http://bit.ly/156LDK6
• Portable hard drives, flash drives, portable scanners and printers can also be added to the list

Q. What are college application programs? 

• These programs help students stay organized during the admissions process by keeping track of all aspects of the application
• One service is ApplyKit-students can search for colleges, add them to a dashboard & track deadlines: http://bit.ly/YufcH5
• College Application Wizard keeps track of your college prep to-do list in a virtual environment http://bit.ly/16hvoj8

Q. Why do students and parents need them? #CollegeCash

• It’s easy to get lost in the college application process-deadlines, application components, recommendation letters
• Parents struggle with mounds of paper and filing; having these available online helps with organization
• Everyone keeps track of contacts, appointments and schedules with mobile devices; college applications are no different

Q. What is Edupath? 

• Edupath is like three apps in one. College Explorer lets you browse 1300 colleges to find the right fit.
• SAT Training is optimized for short sessions so you can use it anytime, anywhere.
• Dashboard, an Edupath exclusive, allows parents to follow along in real-time. Here’s how it works: http://bit.ly/16v1kQ6

Q. Are there any apps that can help tutor our students?

• Most tutoring apps are focused around the SAT/ACT tests: http://bit.ly/11acibH
• Schools.com also gives a comprehensive list of test prep apps- http://bit.ly/AprvzG
• Here’s an app that allows you to get real-time tutoring in any subject http://www.motuto.com/

Q. What are some other apps students can use during the college prep process?

• Essay Starter is an app that helps students with their college essays http://bit.ly/X9k3uH
• Welcome to College offers a college visit app:  http://bit.ly/11gBSsl
• Here’s another app for keeping track of college visits from Quad2Quad: http://bit.ly/12UgFVw

Q. Is there any other resources you’d like to share with our community?

• Here are some apps for students who study abroad http://on.mash.to/Y9KFyv
• Here’s a great service that texts SAT questions to your smartphone http://smsprep.com/sat
• InstaEDU offers online face-to-face tutoring in any subject http://bit.ly/10fAllP
• Looking for scholarships? There an app for that: http://bit.ly/166MAYN
• Here’s another Online Tutoring and homework help service https://www.doesthatmakesense.com/

Peruse my blog and you will find many more online resources that will help with the college application process. And don’t forget about the old-fashioned helps–books!