Frequently Asked Questions
What is the laptop requirement in the Park School?
All Park School students are highly encouraged to have a laptop; certain majors and concentrations will require a MacBook Pro and specific software in order to participate in and complete assignments for required classes. If you have not recently purchased a laptop, we encourage you to buy a MacBook Pro since it will meet the requirements of any major and concentration within the Park School. There are several models of the MacBook Pro available; any model will meet the requirement.
What kind of discount will Park students receive on laptops?
Apple provides an educational discount for all computers sold to college students; that discount ranges from 5 percent to as high as 20 percent, and the Park School has no control over those rates -- except to assure you that they are built into your final cost. Ithaca College also offers discounts on Dell laptops to enrolled students.
How do Park students access the special discounts?
The Apple education store for Ithaca College can be found at: http://store.apple.com/us_edu_252836.
The educational purchasing program for Dell computers can be accessed at the following link.
Information Technology Services: Purchase Programs
What kind of technical support will be available in the Park School for all students?
Park students are encouraged but not required to purchase the Apple Care Warranty, which lasts for three years. All students with MacBook Pros will receive laptop support through the Student Computer Repair Center, staffed by an Apple-certified technician. The school maintains a cache of loaner machines, which will be provided to students on an as-available basis should their own laptops need to be sent out for repair.
Student Computer Repair Center
Why have some majors in the Park School adopted a Mac laptop as their standard?
The media and graphics capabilities of the MacBook Pro computer make it uniquely suited to the intensive digital production and editing requirements of some courses. It comes with a bundle of very good multimedia software, including iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand, and iWeb.
What software programs will students be required to purchase?
Like a textbook, software is a teaching and learning tool, and different degree programs and curricula require different kinds of software and those change from year to year, as new versions come out and new tools get developed. We highly recommend that every student purchase the Microsoft Office Suite (which includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), which Microsoft makes available for purchase by students and teachers at a significantly lower rate than the full retail price. Our college is frequently able to pass on substantial discounts on software for enrolled students, so we encourage you to check out this site before you make a purchase:
Information Technology Services: Purchase Programs
What if a family simply cannot afford the financial burden of a laptop computer?
Apple offers very good loan programs that allow a family to purchase a laptop over time. In addition, Park will offer a very limited loaner program, on a semester-by-semester basis, to those families whose documented financial need makes it impossible for them to purchase a laptop; please contact the office of the Dean of the Park School to discuss the program.
What if I need a PC laptop for my work in another degree program?
The MacBook Pro will run the Windows OS through a software program called Boot Camp, which you can purchase separately.
Mac OS X Compatibility (Apple.com)
