Statistics

There are 3 ways to know if it will work:

1. Read all the details of all of the functions of the cheaper program to see if it includes all of the ones you will need for your class. You'll need to get the details of what you will need for class from your instructor/school and the details of the program from the company. That will be difficult and time-consuming.

2. Ask your instructor if the cheaper program will meet your needs. The instructor may or may not know the true answer. A recent student of the same course might also know.

3. Buy the cheaper program and see. You'll run the risk of maybe having to buy the more expensive program later if the cheaper version is missing a few things you will need.

I recommend buying the version that the school recommends. They probably chose that version on purpose and/or designed their assignments based on the assumption that the students would be using that version of the program. SPSS has many versions, each with different levels of sophistication. In general, the expensive versions include more statistical options. The fully loaded versions are over $1000.

I emailed the prof and he said we could also just use the computer lab on campus. He did ask me what the price difference was between the grad pack v. student version. So I sent him a description of the student version. Maybe he will give it the okay.

He sounds like a decent guy who is interested in helping the students get the best deal. That's a good sign.

BTW: I paid the rent while I was in grad school by being the teaching assistant in the computer lab who helped students run their statistics there. I also helped a few who had purchased the program themselves and were running their stats at home. But that was several years ago and I am not up-to-date on all the updates to the various versions of the program.