First, it's a good idea to go to the banks in your neighborhood, and "shop them" on their products (ask them questions about checking accts, student, free, fees, etc). If you live on the east coast, BB&T is a great place to get a first checking account.
Banks have student checking accts, and a majority of them are free until you graduate college, then it becomes a free checking acct. Open up a savings account as overdraft protection. Finally, never use ATM or online balances-if you do, you might get overdraft fees which are sometimes $35+
Many states will open an account for a 16 year old...and almost all banks offer free checking if you have direct deposit of your paycheck.
as far as i know, most places offer online banking nowadays.
your best bet is to talk with people who bank in your area. you want to look for a place that offers free checking with no monthly fees and things like overdraft protection.
