The smart phone is a multi use item…used as a phone, camera, music player, calendar, minicomputer, GPS. It’s not just a phone.
D1 happily used a prepaid flip phone for the first 1 1/2 years of college (2012-13), with an iPod touch to serve the other functions of a smart phone. However, while D2 was still in high school, she started running into problems using her flip phone as it could not receive group texts. One of her teachers sent them to students to notify them of changes in assignments, etc., and was untroubled by the fact that D2 couldn’t receive the notifications (don’t get me started about the teacher - or the high school). So it all depends. You could always try with the flip phone and switch if necessary.
A smart phone is not necessary, but it does make life a bit easier. I know a handful of student who have flip phones that are fairing well.
Last fall, I was at this meeting where 100 or so people had to wait for a extensive amount of time. Everyone (so it seemed) was on the smart phone killing time. I was one of few people who didn’t have one. I felt very behind and isolated.
My daughter never asked but that’s when we decided to give her a smart phone as a Christmas gift. She said “thank god, now I don’t have to walk all the way to class when professors e-mail to cancel the class or change the classroom!!”
My co-workers were amazed that my college-age daughter didn’t have a smart phone. One of them said it’s almost necessary for young people to catch up with technology not because it looks good but because it is expected that they know how to operate common office gadgets. She jokingly said it’s a social abuse that we didn’t give her a smart phone earlier!
My D’s bf has managed to (almost lol) get his phd in engineering without a smart phone so I think it’s possible for an undergraduate to survive. My D who is out of college had a smartphone but gave it up a year ago for a flip phone as she was dropping her phone and breaking it. She did get an iPad mini which she likes better for maps and communication. But she never had a smartphone in undergrad and also survived.
Didn’t think it was necessary…until I realized all I use mine for: text, email, banking, paperless airline tickets, camera, alarm clock, calendar, alerts, reading downloaded books if I’m stuck waiting, yardage on the golf course, emergency flashlight, music, Facetime with kids, etc. And I do not have knowledge of all the functionality as much as Goskids do…
I think it’s a necessity.
Our kids got their 1st smart phone after both had finished college, 2012. They both got their degrees just fine without a smart phone. Their campus had wifi everywhere and they could use their netbooks as needed. They’re both happy with their smart phones now and probably would not willingly go back to not having a smart phone. Both have decided that the smartphones are really helpful for navigating via googlemaps.
I never had one until I married and my husband added me to his data plan. Four years of college with a “dumb” phone. I don’t believe I suffered any, but it certainly would have been a nice tool to have. I use the one I have a lot now, but I also waste a lot of time with it which may well cancel out the organizational benefits! Most of what I do with my phone now, I did with my laptop in college. I did buy myself a GPS to walk around town with as a student, which seems sort of archaic now that I have google maps on my phone.
The airline ticketing alone is a great thing. Kid #2 is on his way back from his orientation and I was able to check him in and have his boarding pass emailed so he has it on his phone.
Yes, but us dinosaurs prefer paper boarding passes, just in case the system is down (as has happened to us more than once).
But you can take your phone pass to the desk or kiosk and have them print it if you have to
Kid has no access to laptop or printer so he needed the E version - he just texted that he’s on his plane 
You can check in early, get the electronic boarding pass, then reprint a paper boarding pass when you get to a printer, or at the kiosk at the airport.
Waving to ema! Hey, glad to see you 
Yep - that’s exactly what I told him to do (not sure if he did or not) - take his E boarding pass to the SW desk or kiosk to print a paper one for good measure.
The question by OP is whether college kid NEEDS a smartphone. Convenience is a WANT not a NEED in our household. One can print a paper boarding pass at their residence or hotel if they don’t have a smart phone or just get one at the airport. Most college kids don’t spend a ton of time flying and I wouldn’t base a phone decision on this, but obviously opinions differ.
“^I’m not saying it’s not useful, but if a student has a tablet (or his laptop which many of mine carry), he can do all those things.”
Sure, but if a student has neither a smartphone nor a tablet, the smartphone would be the obvious choice over the tablet. I love my iPad, but it doesn’t do the job of either my smartphone (always connected) nor does it do the job of my computer (managing / processing data). An iPad is more of a media consumption device, IMO.
I did t read through all of this, but I can tell you my older son lived without a smart phone, and didn’t care, at all, until he got to college. We got him a smart phone at Thanksgiving. I can’t claim its a necessity, but it sure helps.
I don’t believe my phone company would sell me a smartphone without the data service. In the US it would be very expensive to buy an unlocked smartphone.
I really don’t know that many people (1 at work) without a smartphone.