<p>My D is starting Elon in the fall. Can anyone recommend whether or not to purchase a laptop through Elon, with their software and support package, or is it better to shop on your own? Their prices seemed a little higher than what I could find independently, but I'm not sure if the maintenance support was as good as Elon's or if it is worth a little more $ to be compatible with what they will need. Also, is it worth waiting until late summer when prices might be lower?</p>
<p>Congratulations on the acceptance! When my S started Elon (graduating in May), we purchased a computer through my husband’s company (really good deal). Not sure of the value through the school. You would think they’d get some kind of special pricing. Well, in any event, the school will send discs before the start of the fall semester which will have all the applicable software required. Of course, you will need to load to any computer you have. My S has used their tech services in the past and they have been really helpful.</p>
<p>Our son has had no problems this year using his laptop that we bought him 3 years ago at Elon this year. The school will send software during the summer, you just have to let them know if you have a PC or Mac. I don’t know what kind of deals you can get through the school, but I would certainly do a lot of price comparisons before making the choice.</p>
<p>We looked at the school deal 2 years ago, but buying directly from HP (they have special deals for all students, whether your school has an arrangement with them or not – it’s called their Academic Purchase Program) was a better deal for us. My son didn’t like the Gateway models Elon was pushing. Just upgrade the maintenance plan when you purchase to include on-site support, one-day shipping, etc and you should be fine.</p>