Life can get hectic for high schoolers who are juggling classes, standardized tests and myriad extracurricular activities — and on top of it all, trying to decide on a college to attend after graduation.
To make the best decision, students need to wisely organize and manage their college search, experts say. Plenty of software is available to help them during the college application process.
Among those tools are mobile apps. Some have been around for a while and have staying power, says Adam Nguyen, founder of Ivy Link, an education strategy advisory firm that helps students get into the best colleges. New apps have launched recently, and although they tend to serve the same function, some are better than others, he says.
“They provide information for students about colleges. They help students figure out a number of important questions, such as what’s the best value, the best major. What about admission statistics and affordability?”
Here are some apps that college hopefuls may find useful.
ACT College Search
This free smartphone app allows students to browse colleges based on location, major, size and cost. You can search for colleges using various criteria and access basic profiles of a variety of schools. The app is available on iPhone and Android devices.
BigFuture School
A product of the College Board, the BigFuture School app allows students to more quickly view PSAT and SAT scores from the College Board and get customized career information. Another strength of the app is its college search and financial aid information, and it also offers information about campus life and school culture.
“It analyzes various aspects of the college, not just the academics,” Nguyen says. The free app can be used on iPhone and Android devices.
[read: Nonacademic Factors to Consider When Choosing a College]
College Advisor
This app is offered by the Princeton Review. It functions as a mobile version of the education company’s college guide by allowing you to search for colleges and access college information on the go based on your interests in areas such as geographic preference and financial considerations. It’s available for use on iOS and Android devices.
CollegeLeaps
CollegeLeaps is designed to help students navigate the college application process. The free and customized app allows you to assemble and submit college application information, and locate and apply for scholarships. CollegeLeaps is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Common App
The free mobile app allows students flexibility to work on their first-year college applications on whichever device is convenient for them, either iPhone or Android. The popular Common App platform has about 1,100 member colleges and universities worldwide and allows students to apply to many schools at once.
[READ: How Colleges Choose Which Students to Admit.]
Encourage
This app allows students to explore college and career options, set goals and plan for their future as early as eighth grade. Its main focus is helping students explore majors, match with colleges and research scholarships. Encourage is free and available on iOS and Android devices.
Naviance
This free app allows students to research schools and create a to-do list tied to a specific college. Naviance matches students with colleges where their schoolmates have attended. Put in your GPA and SAT score and it will show where you stand compared to prior students from your high school.
The app is useful to assess your chances of getting into a specific college, Nguyen said. It’s available for iPhones, and students must attend a high school that subscribes to the Naviance platform to use the app, he notes.
Niche
This app allows students to view profiles for colleges in the U.S. Those profiles include cost, financial aid, admissions requirements and campus life. You can also use Niche to access student and alumni reviews, browse college recommendations and apply for scholarships. It’s free and available on Android and iPhone devices.
[Read: Avoid These Big College Application Mistakes.]
RaiseMe
This app’s focus is to help level the playing field for low-income students who may not receive the same kind of parental advice as higher-income peers, according to its website. RaiseMe is a free program that connects high school and college transfer students with colleges. You can set goals, track progress and earn micro-scholarships from colleges you follow. It’s available in the Apple App and Google Play stores.
Scoir
The free mobile app helps students find colleges and prepare for and apply to them. It also helps students and parents compare test scores and estimate costs, and allows them to build a list and ultimately choose a college. It’s available for iOS.
U.S. News College Compass
The app helps students find schools that fit their needs by considering 18 factors like GPA, test scores, cost and size. You can save schools and track your application process. The app is available from the Apple App and Google Play stores, and is free but requires a subscription to access its full features. One year costs $59.95.
Nguyen, a former admissions reader and interviewer in the office of undergraduate admissions at Columbia University in New York, says students should also consider using AI in their search for a college match. A platform such as ChatGPT, while not specifically built for college searches, is a good tool because it pulls in information from all the apps, he says.
It’s still important to talk to a human counselor, says Tinika Campbell, a counselor at Central High Magnet Career Academy in Louisville, Kentucky. Those counselors can help you formalize the questions you’ll need when using mobile apps or artificial intelligence platforms.
And Campbell agrees that students need to start organizing their college search early.
“We start the students to thinking about their search as early as ninth grade,” she says.
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11 Apps to Help High Schoolers Organize Their College Search originally appeared on usnews.com
