Do you feel alone with your psych studies? Or, perhaps you’d like to join a social networking group that focuses on students, but that doesn’t focus on students from your school. The number of college networking sites is growing, from college-based online social networks that focus on various schools on campus to sites set up by other college students to meet other students from around the world.

The following list of twenty-five social media sites for college students is categorized from study helps to sites where you can socialize while you rate and compare your experiences. Each link within those categories is listed in alphabetical order to show that we do not favor one site over another. And, while some sites charge for their services, you might look at these sites as ones that you may use throughout college and into your career.

Study Helps

1. Box.net: Many college groups use this site to collaborate, share information and to socialize. You can incorporate Zoho for editing, Facebook for sharing files with friends and picnik to edit photos plus many more services. This is not a free social networking site, but it may be worth sharing the bill to gain independence.
2. Campusbug: Submit questions for answers, form study groups, organize, research format bibliographies, chat, create flashcards or just waste away the day with games. It’s up to you how you use this site for your college activities.
3. Carmun: Work with others in study groups or work by yourself to build that bibliography for your thesis or paper. This site allows users to save online sources and URLs, insert footnotes, format a bibliography, generate that bibliography and works with over 200 college and university libraries to make your searches easy.
4. Cramster: This community and networking site is all about homework help for math, science, engineering and business classes for both high school and college students. Educators, parents and subject enthusiasts work with students toward the common goal of helping students excel in classes.
5. Evernote: You’ll love the simplicity of this site, where you can snag notes, images, information and tag it all for easy reference. Or you can just capture information through your phone or by email, and Evernote will automatically process, index, and make all that information searchable for you. This system recognizes handwriting, which may provide you with a clue as to its value. Plus, you can share, collaborate or keep your information private, depending upon how you want to use this site.
6. GradeFund: Do you like being rewarded for your GPA? Sign up at this social networking site and then invite family, friends and organizations to learn more about you and your achievements. The higher your grades, the more money you may earn for that effort.
7. LibraryThing: Catalog your books from over 690 world libraries, get free early reviewer books, and join for free or for a $25 per lifetime membership. This site is both a valuable resource for study materials as well as an addiction that can last a lifetime.
8. Wikispaces: Use this site to build a wiki for your study group. You can try it free before you spend anything on the collaborative effort, but for the price of a cup of coffee per month you can be guaranteed some privacy.

Major Focuses

9. AlleyDog: This is a new but growing social media site for psychology students from around the world. Get in on the ground floor to build a network that you can use after you graduate.
10. College Art Student: Join this network to show your work, to offer and get critiques and to join a group focused on the various niches in the art field.
11. Connotea: This is a free online reference management tool and community for researchers, clinicians and scientists to organize, share and gather information. In the process, you can build a ‘library’ that you can share in full or in part with others.
12. Footnote: Use this community site to find and share historic documents for your studies. It’s a great site for history buffs, researchers, military historians and students who need primary documents for history classes and more. You can use the site for free to gain limited access to documents, pay a monthly fee or go for the full year price to use the entire community site.
13. Green College Network: This is a shared platform for students, teachers, college groups and corporates that all share a desire for a greener future. This community might appeal to environmentalists as well as to students who want to connect to a student-driven community for the environment off campus.
14. Social Media Law Student: One goal driving this site is to connect lawyers to new technologies in hopes of making the practice of law easier – both inside and outside of the courtroom. Rex Gradeless founded this community based upon his interests in social media and in law.

Getting Around Campus and the World

15. CEA Study Abroad Programs: Although this is not the only study abroad networking site on the Internet, it is an active one. And, you do not need to be involved with a CEA program to become part of this community.
16. Community Walk: New to campus? Or, do you need to create maps for your favorite places so you can determine how to save gas or footsteps? Use this site to create personal or community maps with friends. Show the map of a blog, add photos, videos and comments to personalize your journey.
17. Dopplr: Why just stick to college sites when you can create a resource for the rest of your life? Use this site to connect with people in your travels, both local and around the world. Get travel advice, learn about advisories and connect with people to create international relationships.
18. ZimRide: You probably don’t jump into cars with strangers. But, if you need a ride across town or across the country, what do you do? Use this site to connect with others in your college or community so you can share safe rides no matter where you want to go.

Career

19. Brand-Yourself: College entrepreneurs have an easy go at entering the business world after college with this site. Differentiate yourself from your competition in the job market and succeed in your chosen career with this community. This site was created by three student entrepreneurs.
20. Brazen Careerist: Forget LinkedIn – at least for now. Use this site to connect with other students, to control and grow your personal identity and to build a foundation for personal success. This site has been described as “Twitter meets Linkedin meets Gen Y” by FastCompany.
21. Entrepreneurship and Education Network: Faculty, students and alumni come together for university entrepreneurship activities, curriculum, research and competitions in an environment that is not university-affiliated.
22. GetMatched: This college career network can help you get matched to over 25,000 jobs and internships. While you’re at it, you can discover your strengths and connect with other like-minded people.

Rate and Compare

23. Internship Ratings: Internships can help college students become more familiar with a given industry. But, how do you find the best internship for you, so that you don’t waste valuable classroom and study time? How do you help others avoid a lousy experience or repeat a great internship? Use this site to rate, research and compare internships across the nation.
24. Rate My Professors: More than a review site, this community provides forums, contests, grant information and more as students gather to rate professors and watch as professors strike back.
25. Unigo: Interact with college students across the nation in forums as you learn more about various campuses from the students’ perspectives. This community focuses on reviews, videos, photos and news that can help you stay tuned with your campus or to learn more about other campuses.

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