iPhone apps for the college student

So you're in college and just got a fancy new iPhone for the holidays. Sure, Flight Control and maybe the TUAW app are already on your home screen, but a few "educational" apps may help mom and dad feel like they got their money's worth. Here's a breakdown of some of the best iPhone applications for the college student.

iStudiez Pro [iTunes Link]
One of the hardest parts of college is keeping everything organized. Between classes, homeworks and exams, it's a lot to remember. iStudiez Pro is a great application that helps make life a little easier. Organize all your classes, exams and professors into a simple easy to understand interface that tells you what you have to do and when. The $2.99 application offers a few different schedule views and a "Today" view that shows you what you have ahead of you for the day.

Alarm Clock Pro [iTunes Link]
If it wasn't for your phone, you might not ever make it to class. Alarm Clock Pro creates a great looking digital alarm clock that trumps anything the iPhone's default alarm clock can offer. With customizable themes, the app allows you to wake up to an iTunes playlist and includes a built-in flashlight. A free version is also available which waters down customization options and doesn't include the ability to wake up to music.

Outside [iTunes Link]
Living in a college dorm has it's perks and it's downfalls. Certainly, not having the ability to quickly run outside to see what the weather is like is a big negative. Outside is a new application that answers your burning "What's it like out there" question you'd otherwise be asking your roommate. The $1.99 application has a inventive interface that looks out of a window and gives you basic information about the weather where you are. In addition, the app supports push notifications to alert you when the weather calls for gloves, an umbrella or even a t-shirt.

ZipCar [iTunes Link]
If you're lucky enough to be on one of the growing number of campuses that have a ZipCar program, they you have to check out their awesome iPhone application. Easily find, reserve and track available zip cars with just a few taps. The free application can also help you find important locations and will even lock/unlock the car for you.

Things [iTunes Link]
Whether you like it or not, actions do really speak louder than words. Saying you'll meet with your professor about your exam grade or that you'll clean the common room is one thing, but remembering to actually do it? Well, that's a different story. Things is designed to keep you on track. More than just a to-list application, Things allows you to break up your responsibilities and organize tasks to help get them done. In addition, Things originated on the Mac and syncs flawlessly and quickly with the iPhone app, making sure what's done is done for good!

Pennies [iTunes Link]
Ahh, freedom, independence, you're own checking account. Too bad it's empty. Having trouble keeping track of where all that ...erm... pizza money went? Pennies is a relatively simple app that was one of the first to be produced for the iPhone. It's basically a money fuel gauge. You input how much money you have to spend for the month and it'll keep track of how much you have left. It also supports exporting your expenditures to an Excel file and categorizing your purchases to see where you're using the most.

Mooch! [iTunes Link]
If you've got a needy roommate around always asking to borrow your stuff, check out Mooch! For only $1.99, you can have a pretty sleek application that helps you keep track of everythingyou've ever borrowed or lent. The app will send email reminders, take snap shots of the items in question and let you see a history or things you've lent out to certain people.

Instapaper [iTunes Link]
If you're one step away from a major in procrastination, you'll feel right at home with this app. Instapaper is a remarkable "read it later" application that allows you to save websites in an easy-to-read text format that can be saved from anywhere. The application support offline browsing and a bookmarklet makes it easy to add items to your reading list from any computer. A Pro version is also available for $4.99 with some added bells and whistles such as a really cool tilt scroller and more organization options.

Convertbot [iTunes Link]
The next time you're asked to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius to figure out how much a Euro is worth, you'll be ready with Convertbot. The $0.99 app supports over 440 units of conversion. The best part of this one is the interface and it actually makes mundane conversions fun to do.

Wikipanion [iTunes Link]
Where would today's college student be without the wonders of Wikipedia? With Wikipanion, you have access to a totally native iPhone app filled with whatever you could possibly need to know. With a Free version available to answer most users needs, the app also boasts a $4.99 Pro version that allows offline browsing and a "queue" to hold articles you need to read later.

WebMD [iTunes Link]
Before you rush off to call mom or the campus ambulance, figure out what's going on with WebMD. The free application gives you on-the-go medical information for anything you could possibly have. Whether you want to look of symptoms of the flu going around campus or figure out how to cure that wicked hangover, there's not much WebMD doesn't know.

CNN [iTunes Link]
Being on a university can sometimes put you in a bubble to the outside world. Stay connected with what's going on out there with the CNN mobile app. Arguably one of the best news applications available for the iPhone, the CNN mobile app provides live streaming video of breaking news events, customized headlines and news categories and push notifications to alert you when you're out and about. Another unique feature is CNN's iReport, allowing you to use your iPhone to report on news and stories from wherever you are.

Keynote Remote [iTunes Link]
Presentations and powerpoints are given out like candy on today's college campus. Help set yourself above the pack with an elegant Apple-made application that runs your Keynote presentations. Save presenter notes for yourself and even time your slides and transitions, with your audience none the wiser.

Shazam [iTunes Link]
Next time you're at a ... social engagement of some sort, bring Shazam along. You never know when you're going to hear a song you've been trying to figure out. Shazam listens to the music playing and can tell you the song and artist information and even provide links to band websites and the iTunes purchase link. Shazam caters to different levels or users with a free version, a premium $2.99 version (known as Shazam Encore) and even a Product(Red) version that supports AIDS in Africa.