Plan for the long term
Students use several different strategies when they select a computer to bring to campus. Because the technology changes so rapidly, each of these options match different students’ academic needs and financial situations. But all of these strategies share one thing in common: planning for the long-term.
- Some students buy a top-of-the-line model with an eye towards keeping the computer for their entire UD career.
- Some students use University computing sites their first year, waiting until their second year on campus to buy a computer.
- Some students bring an older computer to start, upgrading to a new computer during their second or third year at the University.
- Some students buy the basic version of the fastest computer they can afford then add extra memory, optical and storage drives, a larger monitor, and a printer, and upgrade audio and/or video capability over the life of the computer.
- Some students buy inexpensive computers their first year, planning to upgrade their entire systems during their career at the University.