Just wondering if theres promotions in College questline or do you jump from student to archmage? I was hoping for new sets of robes every once in awhile....

Apprentice to Archmage.

The higher level robes (novice, adept expert, & master) show up on the Trainer's inventory as you level up different schools, but you need to buy them.

Archmage robes are really good for mages to use. Unless you are going on just one kind of spell then you should probably get robes so u get better stats on that one magic type. But for mages such as me, they are great because I use all types of magic and the recharge bonus is wonderful.

Im trying to play a Necromancer using ice spells and conjuration, but im sort of forced to use flame destruction in College quests. Im also hoping to find good necromancer robes, but so far at level 9 all i found is novice level ones

They don't give you [censored] for rank or anything. Tho the archmage gives you a sweet circlet. You have to buy the higher level robes and they are [censored] expensive.

You're better off leveling enchanting and finding some clothes you like and enchanting them yourself.

They do very subtly give you a "Mage"'s Circlet. at one point, and the Archmage stops treating you like a halfwit kid and lets you pursue things openly. That seems to be the only mid-step at all though. I gather that's supposed to be a Novice - > Mage rank promotion, but its easy to miss.