A lot of students have already flocked back to school. There may be something that they still need, though, to help them achieve their goals for this academic year.

CNET collated a list of smartphones that students will need as they go back to school this 2016. These gadgets are expected to become a tool for productivity and not just to take great selfies of their time in college.

1. OnePlus 3

In the publication's review, the OnePlus 3 is said to be "the best budget Android phone you can buy" - perfect for college students. It is described as having a premium look and feel as well as having a performance that can compete with other high-end handsets.

2. Samsung Galaxy S7 Active

The S7's Active variant is more durable for students' use where accidents are inevitable. It is waterproof and has a reinforced housing. Now, unexpected splashes and drops will not stop students from enjoying their life in college.

3. Apple iPhone SE

Another budget phone, this time from Apple, gained the consumers' attraction once more for its size. It is easy to use using just one hand and is compatible with Mac. It is also equipped with Apple's tools that can help with productivity.

4. Last year's "it" phone

Buying last year's top phone, whether it be the Samsung Galaxy S6 or Apple's iPhone 6S, can save students a lot of money. It can save you up to $100 through deals and still provide you with a device that does everything you will need in college.

With these smartphones, students can download these note-taking apps that they can use in the classroom. Evernote, Google Docs, Microsoft Word and OneNote as well as Dropbox are some of the apps that can help college students. These are available on Google Play and Apple's App Store.

Free note-taking app Penultimate, which is deemed as "the best digital handwriting on iPad," allows users to handwrite, draw diagrams as well as doodle on their notes. Scannable is a free app that allows users to scan documents and turn it into a PDF file. These are only available at the App Store.