College Prep For Teens: The Digital Frontier

No matter which university or college accepted your teen, you’ll want to give your son or daughter every the tools they need for success. Technology is now pervasive throughout educational institutions, and college will be no different for your teen. Prepare your son or daughter in this digital age with the best tech for college students. Here’s what they’ll need.

Accommodations

While this may not be a technological tool your teen will need in class, make sure your young college student knows of the tools that can find them the best apartments or house rentals at prices within their budget. While Craigslist.com might have what appears to be bargains, the owners of many properties don’t have new or nice facilities. And when you deal with a private owner, you never know what you might end up with. That’s why it’s important to encourage your teen to use a trusted housing site to find living accommodations. Many of these sites offer top-of-the-line apartments in Miami and New York, as well as smaller college towns such as Santa Cruz, California, or Olympia, Washington. Keep in mind that your teen may not understand the price differences between smaller cities compared to rent in international cities. Sit down with them and explore options online.

Hardware

The list of hardware people own these days is extensive. Smartphones, tablets, eReaders, computers and smartwatches can give your new college student a leg up. Of course, they probably don’t need all these items for college success, however, there are some items you shouldn’t skimp on.

A fast and reliable laptop is the most indispensable tool your teen will take with them to college. Online class portals, papers and even transcribed lectures will be accessed online.

Between a smartphone and a laptop you might wonder what your teen would even use a tablet for, but the fact of the matter is, a tablet can cut down on textbooks by a huge margin. While the iPad will do everything your teen can think of and more, a modest tablet will get them the textbooks they need in digital form no problem. The Amazon Kindle Fire, for instance starts at just $50, and is a reliable option for those who seek an opportunity to save.

Software

Now that your teen has the hardware they’ll need, it’s time they learn how to stay safe while online. College students study on public Wi-Fi networks all the time, whether at the school’s library or at a favorite coffee shop. Make sure they have a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that masks their computer against attacks. Cyber Ghost is a free option with a paid subscription for enhanced protection, but there are other great VPNs out there.

Lastly, a solid antivirus such as eSet or Bitdefender is of the utmost importance. Antiviruses root out worms and other malicious software that your son or daughter might pick up while on obscure websites and public internet connections. They also come equipped with anti-theft tools.