Do you need a Laptop?

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Do you think it is necessary to have a laptop to be successful in college?

My program requires one and we're required to pay a technology fee ($1,000) to pay for it. If we complete the program we get to keep the laptop. If we don't, we forfeit the money paid for it.

I don't know if it matters but I'm in a dual LPN/RN program. The LPN portion is through a vocational tech school and the RN portion is through a community college that they've partnered with. The community college is waiving the wait list for the RN clinicals so once we finish with the LPN portion we'll start right on the RN classes.

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Well I think having a computer is pretty important but it doesn't have to be a laptop. I never bring my laptop to class - and in fact a lot of professors are starting to have a "no laptop in class" policy because

1. it is distracting to other students

2. students with laptops usually aren't paying attention because they're occupied with other things...like talking to buddies on AIM or browsing myspace/facebook or even allnurses! (:chuckle) Regardless I think that's disrespectful to the instructor.

I like the portability of having a laptop. I study in other places besides my dorm (student union, starbucks, barnes & noble/border's, etc) and having a portable computer can come in handy if you need it and you're not at home.

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My program requires one and we're required to pay a technology fee ($1,000) to pay for it. If we complete the program we get to keep the laptop. If we don't, we forfeit the money paid for it.

I don't know if it matters but I'm in a dual LPN/RN program. The LPN portion is through a vocational tech school and the RN portion is through a community college that they've partnered with. The community college is waiving the wait list for the RN clinicals so once we finish with the LPN portion we'll start right on the RN classes.

Does your LPN program require the pre-req's that a community college RN program does? Or are you going to have to do the pre-req's once you enter the RN program at the community college? How long is your LPN program? Unfortunately, I dont think my community college has anything like that :(. What is the name of your vocational school?

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Does your LPN program require the pre-req's that a community college RN program does? Or are you going to have to do the pre-req's once you enter the RN program at the community college? How long is your LPN program? Unfortunately, I dont think my community college has anything like that :(. What is the name of your vocational school?

The pre-req's that we were required to take for the LPN/RN program are A&P, computer basics, Nutrition, Psychology and English. My voc school (Ohio Hi Point) has just started this dual program so it's very new. The LPN portion is 18 months and while doing the LPN classes, we're concurrently taking all the other pre-req's for the RN program. After the LPN portion, we'll take a LPN to RN transition class in the summer (of 2010) and then have three semesters of the RN nursing classes. So it's a total of 2.5 years. The main reason for this program is that the RN portion through the community college is waiving the waitlist for the RN classes & clinicals and the cc, which is located about an hour away, is coming to a small town near me for the classes & the clinicals will be at a local hospital. I start in January (though I'm taking Nutrition, English & Psychology this fall) and can't wait to get started.

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That sounds like a good program, especially since you are guaranteed a spot in the RN program. It is going to take me a couple of years just to get through the pre-req's at my community college and after that I am still not guaranteed into the RN program. Which is harder when you are older because you dont have the time to waste waiting to get in.

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What is everyone choice for a laptop? I have a Acer Aspire 500 but am really thinking of purchasing a Mac for fall school.....any pros and cons? They are so expensive......not sure which one to go with, the Pro or notebook...any suggestions?

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Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

well, i have a lap top i am actually on my micro biology class now, and it is so boring so i am online lol,

anyways, yeah a laptop is useful for me because i type all my lectures, and i also go on youtube to see some medical animations, and cell stuff, bacteria and such, i learned how to do a gram stain from youtube lol, before we even had to read all that lab crap i was done with mine!!!!

i have a dell 1520 right now but it is too bulky, my wife is using our eee pc for her classes,

if you can wait 3 weeks i highly recomend the new dell E, it is not even launched yet, but it is great for school

- mad cheap 299USD

- small

- only weight 2 lbs so you can easily haul it around the campus

- comes with linux or windows xp

- it is not full of crap on it,

- the hard drive is small like 8GB but you wont need more than that nways

-you can use it for internet, and it has of course USB ports

- it is tiny and great

that is my choice for school laptop!

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My program requires one and we're required to pay a technology fee ($1,000) to pay for it. If we complete the program we get to keep the laptop. If we don't, we forfeit the money paid for it.

I don't know if it matters but I'm in a dual LPN/RN program. The LPN portion is through a vocational tech school and the RN portion is through a community college that they've partnered with. The community college is waiving the wait list for the RN clinicals so once we finish with the LPN portion we'll start right on the RN classes.

Are you freaking kidding me?

That is highway robbery!

Are you attending a private school by chance? I can't imagine a public school pulling that kind of stunt.

I have never, ever heard of a college requiring a student to purchase a laptop FROM THEM.

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Are you freaking kidding me?

That is highway robbery!

Are you attending a private school by chance? I can't imagine a public school pulling that kind of stunt.

I have never, ever heard of a college requiring a student to purchase a laptop FROM THEM.

Nope, not a private school, actually a vocational school and actually we're getting a pretty good deal with the dual program because all of our pre-requisites from the community college are included in our tuition (which is the same tuition that the strictly LPN students pay). I know $1,000 is a lot for a laptop but it's required so not much I can do about it. This same vocational school is a voc school for high school too and they give all the high school students laptops so it's pretty standard for this school for everyone to have laptops (though I don't think the high schoolers have to pay for theirs - hope not cause my son is going there and I don't want to fork out another thousand dollars but I'll find that out tomorrow at his meeting).

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$1000 is about right if you don't want it to be obsolete tomorrow.

You want:

Window XP OS,

2.4GHz preferably or more (2.15 GHz will work on one model),

MUST be, for wireless 802 ''4965'' for 5 to 1 speed avantage or newer 5xxx,

5400 hd speed minimum or 7200 hd speed preferably, 160gb good size (except with Vista OS - STAY AWAY!!),

dvd r/w,

at least 14.1" screen (the smaller, the faster),

hopefully some video card other than stock (usually stock on 14.1"),

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY (which is NOT likely included in that $1000 price tag) IS 4 YEAR ACCIDENT WARRANTY - $400!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So above IF it had all of above MINIMUM reqs, would be $1400. I've only found ONE for $1400 (or a little less) and a few in increments of $50 up to $1750. TOSHIBA has the best values and about the only ones with Window XP (Microsoft won't let most BIG companies sell XP, except on business PC's). And those are from 14.1" to 17" screen sizes: faster at 14.1" with better video cards, and less horsepower and drive speeds at 17". 15.4" offers good values, and maybe the best compromise.

Oh yeah, go for 32 bit, with Win Xp; and prefeably NOT (only if last resort) Vista Business conversion to Win XP. You have the big OS size and bs Bill Gates Indian programming surprises you will not like.

32 bits OS is faster. 64 bits would be for large databases ONLY, and slower otherwise. Not to mention, VISTA is a handicap with no use of MS Office 97, which is all anyone needs (and its free to copy :saint: ).

Adhere to these rules, and you will have a 10 year laptop (updating warranty of course which is available on business notebooks only usually, past the original 4 year limit).

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$1000 is about right if you don't want it to be obsolete tomorrow.

You want:

Window XP OS,

2.4GHz preferably or more (2.15 GHz will work on one model),

MUST be, for wireless 802 ''4965'' for 5 to 1 speed avantage or newer 5xxx,

5400 hd speed minimum or 7200 hd speed preferably, 160gb good size (except with Vista OS - STAY AWAY!!),

dvd r/w,

at least 14.1" screen (the smaller, the faster),

hopefully some video card other than stock (usually stock on 14.1"),

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY (which is NOT likely included in that $1000 price tag) IS 4 YEAR ACCIDENT WARRANTY - $400!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So above IF it had all of above MINIMUM reqs, would be $1400. I've only found ONE for $1400 (or a little less) and a few in increments of $50 up to $1750. TOSHIBA has the best values and about the only ones with Window XP (Microsoft won't let most BIG companies sell XP, except on business PC's). And those are from 14.1" to 17" screen sizes: faster at 14.1" with better video cards, and less horsepower and drive speeds at 17". 15.4" offers good values, and maybe the best compromise.

Oh yeah, go for 32 bit, with Win Xp; and prefeably NOT (only if last resort) Vista Business conversion to Win XP. You have the big OS size and bs Bill Gates Indian programming surprises you will not like.

32 bits OS is faster. 64 bits would be for large databases ONLY, and slower otherwise. Not to mention, VISTA is a handicap with no use of MS Office 97, which is all anyone needs (and its free to copy :saint: ).

Adhere to these rules, and you will have a 10 year laptop (updating warranty of course which is available on business notebooks only usually, past the original 4 year limit).

I think I will just print this and take it to the nearest best buy and tell the sales guy this here is what I want! :lol2:

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$1000 is about right if you don't want it to be obsolete tomorrow.

32 bits OS is faster. 64 bits would be for large databases ONLY, and slower otherwise. Not to mention, VISTA is a handicap with no use of MS Office 97, which is all anyone needs (and its free to copy :saint: ).

Baldee:

I just bought a Gateway with Vista and Office 2007 Student version, and I HATE it! Can I put Windows XP Home Edition on this computer (like my last one) or will Vista not allow it?

Thanks.

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