<p>Anyone have experience with the UMass computer purchase program? My twins will be freshmen in the fall and we want to get them laptops as a graduation present. Of course they both want MacBooks, and I know Apple is running a promotion now, you get a free iPod. Do you think there are better deals than what UMass offers? On the other hand, it's usually an advantage to buy through the school because they have on-site IT support, I've heard.
thanks for any advice.</p>
<p>My guess is the pricing is the same as that offered by Dell & Apple, the two UMass lists, in their educational pricing. That’s how it worked at the other colleges my kids have been at. </p>
<p>Apple, for example, if you go to their web store, will ask you to select your school and then will take you to that page. I’ll bet the prices are the same and the deal for the ipod is the same. It really is a good deal: if you were going to buy an ipod touch and you buy the white MacBook for $949, then you’re getting the computer for $720. </p>
<p>To save money, you can buy RAM elsewhere and it’s an easy install. Apple will also offer a deal on MS Office; Word is sort of the de facto standard for papers. I think an educational license might cover 2 laptops, but it may be one laptop and 2 desktops or something like that.</p>
<p>Thanks, Lergnom. I’ll check with UMass just to make sure.</p>
<p>here’s a link to the UMass hardware recommendations:</p>
<p>[Computer</a> Discounts @ UMass Amherst - OIT - UMass Amherst](<a href=“http://www.oit.umass.edu/hardware/usave.html]Computer”>http://www.oit.umass.edu/hardware/usave.html)</p>
<p>I have to say I am not too impressed with their choices, although the discounts aren’t bad.</p>