Lap Tops at Ivy Tech?

U.S.A. Indiana

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For Ivy Tech students, I was wondering if many of you or students in your classes use lap tops in class (to take notes)? I am thinking of buying one as I'm beginning my pre-reqs in the Fall (at Lawrence campus). I just don't want to be the only one in class taking notes on a computer because it will probably annoy everyone :) Anyway feedback and advice would be much appreciated! Thanks.

Now that I think about it, I could almost promise that a coworker bought hers with additional FA.

I called Lawrence campus financial aid office last week and they said they had never heard of any additional FA for lap tops. However, I wonder if this is accurate because it seems like I get lots of different answers from different people over there when I call. If anyone knows more about this I'd love to hear it! Thanks!

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Specializes in Dialysis.

If you are getting a loan you can get extra for a laptop. For example, second year students can get up to $4500 subsidized, and $4000 more unsubsidized through Sallie Mae. So, last year when I could get $3500, I planned to use the extra for a laptop. I got a laptop, put it on my credit card and planned to pay it off with FA loans. Well, after all the fees and books, I didn't have enough lol! So now I have a credit card bill that's killing me. But anyway, this year I think I will take the whole amount, even the unsubsidized, so I'm not struggling so much with living expenses.

BTW, I bought a Sager laptop after looking at lots of HPs, and have my Dell order delayed for over two months. I would highly recommend the Sager, and will never go back to Dell or HP again! Plus, my laptop is in YELLOW! They also come in pink, white, and black. Okay, my nerdy side is coming through now. I got it though PCTorque.com. http://www.pctorque.com/sager-7260-gaming-computers.php

It is a 12.1", so I can take it to class with me.

-Kate

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I also bought an ACER at WM and love it. It's super fast and works great. I'll never pay a ton for a computer again.

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We had bought a laptop from WM 2.5 years ago and the hard drive was shot. I was shopping around for a new one and took it into BB with me. They diagnosed a bad hard drive and asked me if I had remembered purchasing a warranty with it.

I went home and literally dug through old reciepts in our safe and found it!

So I sent it off last week; hard drive has been replaced and I will get it back tomorrow. I am SO thankful I saved oodles of $$$.

Its an HP, its ok but I would not buy one again. But getting it fixed for free sure made my life a little less expensive.

That Sager and Acer looks great though!

Brenda

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Hey Kate,

Do they offer the loans, both sub and unsub for the fall semester as well? Do you have to specifically ask for both?

I got a sub one for summer but wondered if I will get more for the fall and spring 2009.

( new to school and the village idiot when it comes to school loans) :)

Brenda

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Specializes in Dialysis.

Okay, how do you get a loan for Summer lol!? I ended up getting a Summer scholarship, which covered the school expenses, but not anything more. I like that loans give you more for living expenses, and would have applied for Summer had I known how.

I applied last Fall for my 2007-2008 loan, and it covered the whole year in two dispersements (one in Fall and the other in Spring). I think I'll need to reapply here soon for 2008-2009. Maybe someone else knows when you're supposed to do that? I already did my FAFSA, so it should be relatively easy to get my loan this year.

-Kate

:clown:

Hey Kate,

Do they offer the loans, both sub and unsub for the fall semester as well? Do you have to specifically ask for both?

I got a sub one for summer but wondered if I will get more for the fall and spring 2009.

( new to school and the village idiot when it comes to school loans) :)

Brenda

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Specializes in MICU - CCRN, IR, Vascular Surgery.

We have a laptop that's a few years old that my husband normally takes to school with him. I don't know if I'll end up taking it with me once I'm in nursing school. Or maybe we'll get a newer one, I'm not sure. I've never taken a computer to class with me before, so I don't know if it would be beneficial to me. Recording lectures though, is so incredibly helpful for me.

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Kate,

I got my summer loan via Sallie Mae @ Open Net. com.

Its a stafford loan, sub loan.

I also got a small Pell Grant.

But check with Sallie Mae. Its a very easy process and takes about 4 days.

https://opennet.salliemae.com/W2WPortal/?NavPoint=BorrowerLogin

Brenda

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Hmm the laptop I am buying through Dell is costing me around $600 and that's only because I am buying a flash drive and messenger bag along with it. You don't need the extended warranty or anything extra on it. Buy it factory and you should be absolutely fine.

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I would highly suggest the extended warranty on any computers. The usual warranty is only good for 1 year. Our laptop was purchased Nov 05 and we paid 68.88 for an extended warranty for 2 extra years after the original manufacture warranty expired.

It came in mightly handy last week when the hard drive went kaput! ( 2nd time in three years)

Saved me approx 300.00 both times. Bought it at WM and we have had an excellent experience with them in regards to their service providers.

My son bought a Dell 4 years ago and bought the extended warranty also. It was pricey but it has paid for it 5 times over! After the third time of sending it in to replace the hard drive, they sent him a new one........with an option to purchase another 3 year warranty for 50.00.

Even if you buy it factory direct, that is no guarantee that you wont have problems with it.

Buying extended warranties in the past on appliances/electronics has saved us literally thousands over the years.

Brenda :)

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I have asked our IT guy at work, my father (who is a computer genius), and a good friend who is also a master on computers. All three have told me to forgo the warranty simply because the price you pay for it is a good chunk of the cost of a new computer. You might as well buy a new one. The laptop I was looking at definitely cost more than 70 bucks to extend the warranty!

And I didn't say factory direct, I said buy it factory, meaning buy it the way its sold without adding ANYTHING to it. Buy it how it comes. You don't need all that extra memory, RAM, hard drive space etc if you are only using it for school.

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I am lookng at the WM service plan here in front of me. States All computers only 68.88 for a 2 year service plan. ( which would then be 3 years total)

So I don't see why they would say forgo the warranty when a new hard drive on day 367 when your warranty is over and your computer is dead would cost you approx 2-300.00 to be installed if it went bad.

Mine is a basic. Nothing fancy, didn't need or want it. Its a plain Jane.

Makes that 68.88 look pretty darn good unless of course you want a disposable laptop and buy a new one every 1-2 years.

Microsoft even states the hard drives in comps are only good for an average of 1-2 years.

500.00 every 2 years for a new laptop vs 500.00 + 68.88 for a three year protection plan that can be renewed for a fee of 50.00 for another 2 years.

My son paid 179.00 for his waranty through Dell for 3 years and like I mentioned in my previous post, it has saved his butt many times because the hard drive has gone back 3x and he was sent a new one....................much cheaper than the cost of a new laptop.

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