Is a Laptop Necessary for College?

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: MySoS
I take my Notebook to class every day, but again I commute 1 hour to school each way everyday and I stay at school for the entire day. But I never actually take my notebook out in class. My laptop has been very helpful I highly recomend you get one.

Us commuter guys have it different than the residents - they've got their stuff within walking distance all the time. We, on the other hand, either bring it with us, or are stuck in labs.

 

[BullsOnParade]

If you dont feel bad roping your parents for the dough, get one. My opinion is that you barely need a PC at school given how many computer labs are usually available 24hrs a day, and i'm an EE. They're convenient and let you be self reliant. Then only thing I know is that if you spend more time out of your room that in it, your college experience will be all the greater, both socially and academically. But you're a girl so you're not going to be glued to your desktop PC like most guys. In that regard a laptop could be really beneficial.

 

[Chelsey]

"But you're a girl so you're not going to be glued to your desktop PC like most guys."

That was a rather sexist comment My boyfriend and I are both computer nerds. I built a POS computer for playing around while I'm at his house, so when I'm over there we are both browsing the net and messing around on the computer at the same time. However, we both manage to stop periodically and "have fun".

Are the computers at college those cheap Dells like my high school has? If they are, I will not set foot in a college computer lab. I'm planning on upgrading my desktop, and if I have any money left from that I'll be buying a cheap laptop so that when I am visiting my boyfriend at UMR I'll have a computer to do work on.

 

[MySoS]

Originally posted by: Chelsey
"But you're a girl so you're not going to be glued to your desktop PC like most guys."

That was a rather sexist comment My boyfriend and I are both computer nerds. I built a POS computer for playing around while I'm at his house, so when I'm over there we are both browsing the net and messing around on the computer at the same time. However, we both manage to stop periodically and "have fun".

Are the computers at college those cheap Dells like my high school has? If they are, I will not set foot in a college computer lab. I'm planning on upgrading my desktop, and if I have any money left from that I'll be buying a cheap laptop so that when I am visiting my boyfriend at UMR I'll have a computer to do work on.

At my school we have a large variety of computers including new P4 and G5 towers.

 

[cmdrmoocow]

Originally posted by: everman
Not at all. A pda with keyboard is nice though, that's what I use. Try something like an Axim X50 with keyboard. My X3i can last through 4-6 hours of note taking on one battery.

I have an X30 High, and I use the standard keyboard with it. Lasts all day for just notetaking, as well as lets me online when theres downtime.

Much cheaper than a laptop, and more portable. Also, less likely to be stolen, as you have it on you all the time.

 

[Chelsey]

It'd be nice if Mizzou's computer labs contained nice computers. Our dells at school still have ball mice and 256mb ram is a lot. The screens either have images burnt in them or have my computer science teacher's finger smudges all over them. The guy literally swipes his fingers on the screens when he's trying to talk to you. I mentioned something about the oils in his fingers corroding the screen and he just laughed.

 

[bleeb]

I don't think laptops are necessary but if you want to blow another 1000 bones on top of tuition and housing, by all means go ahead.. you're not using YOUR money right?

 

[FoBoT]

this sounds much too complicated, you better skip college altogether

 

[patrick409]

I had a laptop as my primary computer in college. Never once brought it to class. Only time it left my dorm was maybe once a year I'd want to bring it to the library.. It was useful when I was at my gf's place and I had work to do though.

If you already have a desktop, you'll rarely ever need it outside of your room..

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: jumpr
You do NOT need a laptop in college. It'll never leave your dorm. Trust me. I'm still using the desktop I got for college, and I'm just NOW thinking of buying a laptop because I might be spending the summer in DC.

100% true. I'm a senior in comp. sci. and I've never for a moment required the use of a laptop. The people who used to bring one in first year stopped - it's too damn bulky/heavy and pointless. Notes by hand are much quicker and you don't end up MSN'ing the lecture away instead.

 

[erub]

another vote for no, i'm halfway thru my junior year in EE, and while i'm always on the computer (either playing around or actually doing work - usually the former), i am one of four places:
1. home
2. computer lab in EE building
3. campus computer lab (hey, they got the flat panels - and the girls!)
4. library (desktop computers there suck, probably a good thing becaues i can actually study there)

oh yeah, A&M's library will loan you out a laptop if you want one to type a paper on or waste time in there (done that a coupla times)

there is only one kid in any of my classes who brings a laptop to class, to take notes, and he's pretty damn efficient at switching between PSPICE (EE diagramming), MAPLE, MATLAB...blah too much hassle if you ask me, and my handwritting is horrible! graphs are a problem too, gotta use paint for that

and of course he is known as LAPTOP GUY

dont be that kid

 

[Freejack2]

Originally posted by: Gl4di4tor
Instead of a notebook I would recommend a palm pilot, it's more portable and a lot less expensive.

Thats what I did. You can get a Palm VX or something like it with a keyboard for about $50 off of ebay. Mind you, you'll feel a lot less worse about a $50 palmpilot getting stolen than a $1000 notebook.

 

[vshah]

i have a desktop and laptop at college. desktop is for storage and gaming and stuff, whenever i get time for it. laptop i take EVERYWHER...library, classes, meals. makes it easy for me to study on the go. (which is what works for me)

0.02

-Vivan

 

[BHeemsoth]

Originally posted by: SaturnX
If you're takin' and math courses, a laptop will be utterly useless in class, unless you can somehow use Equation Editor faster than you can write or know LATEX better than you can copy.

--Mark

I have both my desktop and an IBM t42 at college. I find taht I use both of them on a regular basis, and I feel that I benefit from having both.

Having the powerhouse desktop, and the lightweight laptop that I can bring to group meetings, study sessions, and to do work in the libaray is great,


EDIT: Forgot to say that my laptop is school issued, and required for all Bentley Undergrads.


-Brian

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: Chelsey
I'm getting ready to go to college next year and have started looking for laptops. I propose this to my mom and she freaks out and proceeds to tell me why I don't need one. So, do I? Why or why not? By the way, I AM taking my computer with me to college, so I'll have my normal tower with fancy stuff in it, and a laptop of some sort with a network for them. Here are my reasons for getting one:

- I take notes in great detail, and I can type faster than I write
-I'd use less paper
-When I screw up taking notes and have to erase, I miss important stuff
-I'm a perfectionist, so every letter has to be perfect and my handwriting has to be neat
-I'd like to have a computer with me when I visit my boyfriend at Rolla
-I would rather not have to type papers at the same place all the time
-convenience


And a bunch more reasons that I can't think of at the moment. If you don't think I need one, please state why, because I can't really think of any reasons why I wouldn't need one.

Very bad idea, a laptop is a MAJOR distraction. Grades-- with laptop, trust me. Of course, you CAN be a responsible user...

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: erub
oh yeah, A&M's library will loan you out a laptop if you want one to type a paper on or waste time in there (done that a coupla times)

That's cool...I did not realize that.

 

[RMSistight]

Originally posted by: Chelsey
I'm getting ready to go to college next year and have started looking for laptops. I propose this to my mom and she freaks out and proceeds to tell me why I don't need one. So, do I? Why or why not? By the way, I AM taking my computer with me to college, so I'll have my normal tower with fancy stuff in it, and a laptop of some sort with a network for them. Here are my reasons for getting one:

- I take notes in great detail, and I can type faster than I write
-I'd use less paper
-When I screw up taking notes and have to erase, I miss important stuff
-I'm a perfectionist, so every letter has to be perfect and my handwriting has to be neat
-I'd like to have a computer with me when I visit my boyfriend at Rolla
-I would rather not have to type papers at the same place all the time
-convenience


And a bunch more reasons that I can't think of at the moment. If you don't think I need one, please state why, because I can't really think of any reasons why I wouldn't need one.

You don't need a laptop. You need a tablet PC if you want to take notes in detail.

Also, if you need a laptop, buy one yourself. I did. You're an adult now. Don't be moaning to your parents everytime you need something. Get a job, save up the money and get one yourself.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Chelsey
Are the computers at college those cheap Dells like my high school has? If they are, I will not set foot in a college computer lab. I'm planning on upgrading my desktop, and if I have any money left from that I'll be buying a cheap laptop so that when I am visiting my boyfriend at UMR I'll have a computer to do work on.

at my college, we have Dells with P4 3.0GHz processors, 512MB RAM, DVD burners and CD burners with 19" flat panel displays running WinXP, in addition to a number of dual-processor G4s with a gig of RAM.

Good stuff, if hideously expensive.

 

[RMSistight]

Originally posted by: Gooose
I have both, a PC and laptop

i must admit, i never take it out of my dorm much, BUT!!!!

it helps so much when i have to take it somewhere - such as: back at home, to slideshows, to class.

One thing is - i rarley see people use laptops in class

YES...thank God. When I go home, I don't have a computer to use....well..I do but both computers are not maintained well. This is where my laptop comes in.

 

[Excelsior]

No..not at all. You will end up hardly ever taking it to class. It is only good when you want to travel often.

 

[yoda291]

ahem, whatever way you go, get a USB flash key AND online storage. A free one, and old one, ANY one and sync up into some space that is backed up regularly, like your email or a gmail acct.

Do now.

I used to work in a business school while I was in college and every year without fail, at least 50-60 people would walk around begging people to recover something from a floppy disc or scratched cd because the cure for cancer or something equally important was trapped on it.

also remember, USB keys can be lost or become inoperable, the internet is forever.

 

[Pepsi90919]

also remember, USB keys can be lost or become inoperable, the internet is forever.

i don't think you quite grasp the concept of what the internet actually is.

 

[yoda291]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

also remember, USB keys can be lost or become inoperable, the internet is forever.

i don't think you quite grasp the concept of what the internet actually is.

haha, sadly, I have an intimate knowledge of what the internet is.

I mean that functionally, for at least the term of her schooling, an online storage medium would be the most reliable and that she should have some sort of backup.

When I was in school, everything was dropped into cvs at the end of the week. Saved my rear more times than I'd like to admit.

 

[Mo0o]

Taking notes on paper is much more efficient than taking notes on a laptop, especially in science classes and the like.

 

[Siva]

So I have a laptop at college, my school actually gave them to us (a program that ended with this year's freshman class). Well, I do appreciate my ability to bring it to the library so I can go off into a quiet corner, use the wireless internet and read some online notes or type a paper while I listen to music or whatever. Basically its a good way to escape whatever distractions I find in a dorm room.

That said, I do 90% of my work at my desk with my laptop, it doesn't often leave the room. It was free so I won't knock it, but its hardly necissary. I will never ever use it to take notes in class, that's just cumbersome and awkward. A friend and I brought our laptops once and we ended up talking to each other on AIM all class.