App-solutely Prepared: Navigating College Applications with the Best Mobile Tools
by Mikaela Hammel, Educational Endeavors tutor and guest author
College applications may seem like a senior year activity, but junior year is actually a great time to start exploring your college options and researching scholarships. These tasks can feel overwhelming. And on top of standardized tests, advanced coursework, extracurriculars, and a job, you may feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But at least you have something that many of us who grew up before the internet age did not: apps!
From exploring colleges to securing scholarships, there’s an app for just about every aspect of the college application process. While user experience and functionality can be better on a desktop, and you shouldn’t be applying to schools on your phone, apps can help you be productive in what I call those “in-between times.” For example, when you’re riding in the car, have ten free minutes at the end of study hall, or have time to kill between last period and your club meeting. Below are some apps that can help you stay organized, keep focused, and step confidently into your college adventure.
- Niche: College Search matches you to colleges based on your specific preferences that you provide in your profile. You can then add colleges to your list, helping you keep track of schools to investigate further. Niche also has a to-do list that helps highschoolers navigate all the steps needed to put together a strong college application.
- EE tip: Use the app to browse your matched colleges and Niche’s “Best colleges for…” lists, then use the desktop version to stay on top of your to-do list and deadlines.
- Undecided: College Advisor uses guided journaling to help you set goals and create a vision for your college experience. You can search colleges, and similar to Niche there is a guided admissions plan that lists your college application to-do’s. There is also a feature that allows you to ask questions to a college advising chat-bot. For a fee, you can have your questions answered by a real college admissions advisor.
- EE tip: Everyone stays organized in different ways. If you have your own method of keeping track of your college to-do’s, consider cross-referencing it against Undecided’s list to make sure you aren’t forgetting anything.
- Vocabulary Builder by Magoosh provides vocabulary flashcards for the ACT and SAT.
- EE Tip: Open up this app when you know you’re only going to have a few minutes. One of the best ways to learn vocabulary is through short, regularly repeated study, which this app is perfect for.
- Scholly is a college scholarship app that is free for students as of August 2023. After completing your profile, the app matches you with scholarships based on your interests, background, and accomplishments. You’re then able to sort your matches by due dates, the level of effort needed, and the scholarship amount.
- EE tip: Use the app to search and save scholarships, then use the desktop version to review your saved scholarships and apply.
- Going Merry Scholarships also matches you to scholarships based on your profile. Going Merry differs from other apps in that it allows students to apply for scholarships directly on the platform, saving you time by auto-filling information that’s already in your profile.
- EE tip: Autofill can be a huge timesaver, but make sure to review the before submission to make sure it’s 1) accurate and 2) specific to the scholarship and not generic.
- RaiseMe – College scholarships takes a different approach from Scholly and Going Merry. RaiseMe partners directly with over 300 colleges to offer students scholarships for their achievements during high school. For example, high school students can earn micro-scholarships to specific colleges for getting good grades, volunteering in the community, or joining an extracurricular.
- EE tip: The average annual scholarship on RaiseMe is $5,000, and only a small percentage of colleges are on the platform. If you are looking for scholarships, add this app to your list, but don’t use RaiseMe exclusively.
Educational Endeavors can help you with all your test preparation needs, from the new Digital SAT to the ACT. Sign up for a workshop or request a 1-1 tutor at our website.