Should I save up to get a new computer for college?

iceyblue62

I'm thinking of getting a job this summer. And hopefully so I can buy a new laptop for myself and for college (not this fall but the one after hopefully so I guess that would be 2013). And I have a (the year 2011) MackBook. So It's almost a year and a half old, and I think I have the 13 inch. But I'm thinking I want to save up for a bigger size (and better one) for college. So that one can be strictly done for home work, and other school work stuff. Also I'm just wondering, would it be a good idea to buy a printer to for my dorm? So I can print assignments out quickly. That way I don't have to go find their computer lab at like midnight when I finish a paper or something? But I'm wondering if that'd be even allowed in the dorms though. I'm planning on going to FIDM. And I'm not quite sure what their dorm room rules are. So would it be a good idea to get a better laptop for school along with a printer? P.S I haven't got into FIDM yet, I'll only be a Junior next year so I'm going to apply like spring of my Junior year, or fall of my Senior (I'm not sure which is better because I'm home schooled so yeah..) anyways. Should I get a new laptop? Or use the one I have for college?

Answer
I'm currently attending a UC, and from personal experience I can tell you that the i5 that you have on the laptop is more that enough. I have the core 2 duo laptop back from 2010 macbook pro 13inch. And guess what? Thats considered a very good laptop compared to other students. So you shouldn't even be worrying about getting a new laptop. Mine works just fine and mine's is older. As for the screen size, I agree that its too small and a hassel. I'm currently in computer engineering and my laptop screen is quite annoying so I just got a monitor that was 24 inch. My macbook runs beautifully on it with no lag and your's will be no exception. Just buy a monitor, mouse and keyboard you'll be set. Besides if your doing intense work and in the engineering department you would be in the labs anyways, since most program there. If you want the bigger screen size when your going to class you'll regret. Most desks on campus are not as big as you think. Most people prefer using netbooks in class since they actually fit on the desk and the user can write stuff with a pen and pencil if required. So no, its pointless to buy a new laptop since the size you have is the most desirable when traveling. When your in the dorm, do the office set up I recommended before. As for the printing, I would say that you shouldn't waste money since its quite pointless. All dorms allow atleast in the UC to stay up as long as you want, so you can go and print out any time. If your worried of security, then you have escort service and even police patrolling at night. So basically printer is a luxury which most people might mooch of you anyways but definitely not a necessity. The only thing I would recommend is installing windows on your mac since you might have programs that your professors use that are not compatible with it. And a last note, remember new beautiful laptops get stolen....so save up for all those late night snacks that you'll be eating in college. :)

Will this laptop be too overpowered for me?

Shana

I'm a high school senior and I'm looking for a laptop for when I go away to school to study Computer Engineering. I've been looking around a lot, and I'm really interested in one laptop that's a bit over my budget. It's specs are just lightyears ahead of what's currently on the desktop I use everyday, and being the tightwad I am I want to make sure my money is used for the correct laptop. It's a refurbished laptop from bestbuy which is making my father nervous (he wants me to get a brand new laptop for my money), but we brought an open-box laptop there before and it works great. I rather skimp on my budget than spend four years in college with a $1500 laptop and no food or clothes.

The laptop is $899, has a 3rd gen i7 (would've preferred 4th gen, but I'll take what I can get), 1T HDD plus a 8GB SSD, 12GB RAM, 2GB NVidia GPU, and a 1080p touchscreen.

As a CompEng student, I'm not sure how much of the software would be required on my PC (there's no Laptop requirement at these schools, I just want what I want), but I'm sure it'll be minimal. I definitely have to have minecraft on there, and Sims 4 whenever it comes out. I'm not a big gamer, I just need something to mess around with during my free time. I'm a huge multitasker, and my current Desktop HATES that. I'll have Chrome open with 10 tabs, at least 3 windows word docs open, a drawing program, and notepad++ open at all times.

The thing is, I need a laptop that would last me AT LEAST 5 years. Will this overpowered beast keep up with the times (it's already a million times more current than my desktop), or will downgrading to something closer to my original budget of $750 be better? Alternatively, for the same price I can get a BRAND NEW convertible Ultrabook of the same brand with a 4th gen i5, 500GB HDD (no SSD), 8GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics, 1 inch shorter 1080p touchscreen, and it weights a pound and a half less. Or even, I could start my search all over again and see if other brands come closer to $750, but wow is that i7 pretty or what

Answer
You will get much better graphics with the i7 (EDIT: 4th generation) and also better battery life. Win 8 is a much better memory manager than Win 7 and does not require the additional RAM that Win 7 requires. 4 gig is fine for Win 8.

These links are very helpful. I prefer the first one.
http://www.costco.com/Toshiba-Satellite-S75-Laptop-|-Intel-Core-i7-|-Backlit-Keyboard-|-Office-2013.product.100074155.html
http://www.costco.com/all-laptops.html?refine=30207%2b63

Yes, you must be a member to buy here but the savings on this one item alone will pay your membership for a year or two. Look at the HD size and RAM and what you will get at any other store. I just purchased a Toshiba S75 and saved at least $100 plus got additional RAM and larger HD.

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do you think colledge should be free?

Brian

im writing an introduction for three topics(the other two topics are on my other questions). i need your opinion or 3 reasons why you think it should or shouldn't be free. that's all i need. its gonna be my thesis.
lol i know how to type college its just became a habbit that every time im done spelling colledge i realize i spelled it wrong and that its actually college just to lazy to correct it.

Answer
The 10 Best Colleges With Free Tuition in 2013.

1. College of the Ozarks â Point Lookout, Missouri

Dubbed âHard Work U,â College of the Ozarks promises that students donât pay tuition, work for their education, graduate without debt and develop character. The college offers degrees in 34 academic areas on a 1,000-acre campus overlooking picturesque Lake Taneycomo in southwestern Missouri.

2. Berea College â Berea, Kentucky

Berea College was founded in 1855 and was the first interracial and co-ed college in the American South. Its substantial endowment allows the college to offer enough financial assistance, along with federal and state grants, to all students with financial need to cover tuition in full as well as a laptop computer that each student can keep after graduation.

3. Cooper Union â New York City, New York

Founded in 1859 by Peter Cooper, the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art has offered a full-tuition scholarship to every student since its inception. Located in bustling Manhattan, Cooper Union offers degree programs in architecture, fine arts, and several engineering disciplines with an impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8.5:1.

4. Alice Lloyd College â Pippa Passes, Kentucky

On its 175-acre campus surrounding Caney Creek in Pippa Passes, Kentucky, Alice Lloyd College offers a tuition-free education to applicants from 108 counties in the Appalachian region. All students participate in the collegeâs Student Work Program, working a minimum of 160 hours per semester on a job on campus or in the local community.

5. Curtis Institute of music â Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

For those looking to make a professional career in the musical performing arts, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia offers merit-based full tuition scholarships to students regardless of financial need. Admission is highly competitive with a total enrollment of only 165 students.

6. Barclay College â Haviland, Kansas

Founded by Quaker settlers in 1917, Barclay is a Bible college that offers degree programs in Youth Ministry, Pastoral Ministry, Christian Elementary Education and other fields. Located in the small town of Haviland, Kansas with a population of under 1,000, Barclay has a 13-acre campus and offers an environment free of the distractions present at many other colleges.

7. Webb Institute â Glen Cove, New York

Founded in 1889, Webb Institute is a highly-specialized college that offers a single undergraduate degree option in naval architecture and marine engineering. Located on the Long Island Sound on a 26-acre campus with its own private beach, the Instituteâs 80 students benefit from a student-to-faculty ratio of 7:1. Graduates of Webb Institute also enjoy success in the job market with a 100% job placement rate.

All students receive a full-tuition scholarship and are responsible only for other costs including room and board, books, and other items.

8. U.S. Merchant Marine Academy â Kings Point, New York

One of the United States Military Academies, the Merchant Marine Academy prepares students for careers in the maritime industry and armed forces. Around 1,000 students enjoy its 82-acre campus on the north shore of Long Island to earn degrees in marine engineering, naval science, marine transportation, and other fields. Unlike other United States Military Academies where graduates are required to fulfill a service obligation through enlistment in a branch of the U.S. armed forces, graduates of the Merchant Marine Academy have the option to fulfill their service obligation through private employment in the maritime or transportation industry.

9. U.S. Air Force Academy â Colorado Springs, Colorado

As a dedicated military academy focused on preparing its students to serve as officers in the Air Force, the Air Force Academy offers bachelorâs degrees in more than 30 major areas of study. With an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, each student can get individual attention from instructors.

10. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY, New York City, New York

Macaulay Honors College is unique in that its students enroll at one of eight colleges within the City University of New York network and receive guidance through the collegeâs advising program to develop a comprehensive, individualized academic program. Macaulayâs own campus is located a few blocks from verdant Central Park on the upper west side of Manhattan.

Good luck.

Need help with future career plans!?

Jordan

I am a 19 year old male who still hasn't made his mind up of what he wants to do with his life. So I would appreciate any advice on helping me through this time. Throughout my life, I have always flip-flopped on what career path I want to follow. I went through the typical childhood fantasies of wanting to be cop/firefighter/etc., however as I got older I still wasn't able to figure out what fits me best. For the longest time, I have wanted to be an Architect, but realized recently that what I thought a typical architect did was different then what they actually do. My current thought process is to become an accountant. I have always been good at numbers and took college level calculus in High School. I also have dreams of owning my own company one day and being an accountant would certainly help. I am just not sure that is what I really want to do. I'm not sure if my uneasiness about becoming an accountant is because I really am worried about it or just scared of making the wrong choice. I currently working at the local Walmart working for minimum wage, hoping to go back to college next year. I went to the local tech school right out of high school, but had to take online classes and because I couldn't get myself motivated I soon failed out after two semesters. That is when I got my first/current job. I believe I am ready after 6 months to go back to college, but I just don't know what I want to do with my life. When I am not working, I can often be found in two places, in front of my laptop playing games (mostly mmorpgs in molds of empire building and the such) or in front of the TV playing the Ps3(current obsession is football). I'm just wondering if yall have any advice or maybe some websites that could help me out with this or maybe some ideas to get me thinking. Thank you for all the help, I appreciate all comments. Also if this in the wrong section, please tell me which section would be a better fit for this question. Thanks.

Answer
Don't worry you'll probably have to change career 5+ times in your life. Complete the accounting and keep a hand in the other areas.

Congrats on your initiative. Good research efforts.
Complete thorough realistic research to achieve life sustaining income. Maybe accounting, engineering, law, medicine, computers, .... Always get job descriptions with course requirements from employers, unions, certification groups/associations. Donât sign up for education till youâve done this, EVER!!!

Pick a path where you don't start working bankrupt with debt. Don't become another casualty of the Trillion$ student debt. You must earn enough, $200k+ to support a family in a major City. Do not low ball your life and your family. If you can't find work volunteer to get in the door. Try volunteering at good potential employers and go down from there to community service, but get in anywhere and start working/networking, even if itâs for free. Be a model worker, no yapping, internet, cell phone..start work 30 minutes early and end work 30 minutes after day's end. Keep learning from more courses, read books, get another language, etc.

There are almost 50 million people on food stamps, ~20% of males 25 to 54 yrs not working, lowest SATs in 40 years, debt to GDP over 100%, 25% of global prison inmates with only 5% of global population, etc, and whatâs uncle Samâs answer to America's problem, which impacts the rest of the planet? Corrupt political paralysis and meteoric debt plague spiking by adding a trillion dollars of debt in 2013 to criminally prop up financial markets artificially. What a mess we live in!

You are On Your Own. YOYO's the word. Never forget it. Take control of your own lives and ignore whatever fictional solutions the politicians and corporate bobble heads throw around as their self-profiteering benevolence.

Abandon obese consumer spending debt addiction culture and resulting self-enslavement. Cut your lifestyle in half or less of the destructive unrealistic American dream nightmare standard....small house or apt..one car or no car .. always have a second job cause the one you have can/will disappear ...save and invest over 50% of your income if you can .... stay with your parents....parents move in with your kids...Rent with friends...rent rooms in your home ..Live like the wage you make today could be the last you'll earn, always. Stay away from Ponziâs, addictions, unhealthy lifestyles, get rich scams, online rip offs and purple Kool-Aid cults.

Most of all maintain constructive positive relationships and forward planning. Have fun at it without spending money. What you want to do is great but do it with a strong dose of reality and caring for your future, family and community. Good luck! Cheers:).

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