<p>The OP needs to consider what their child ALREADY has, whether those items need replacing, whether the child will contribute anything towards the cost, and whether the family can afford these things.</p>
<p>If the child already has a good Smart phone (that may still be on contract!), then getting a new one would be pricey…about $600. </p>
<p>If the child has a newish laptop that won’t need replacing for a year or two, then it’s understandable why the child should wait…maybe be a reward for 2 good years of grades!</p>
<p>I’m not sure how much the new iPad 3 with 4g is, but I’m guessing around $800. Then add in a MacBookPro with a good-sized screen and that can be about $2,000…so the initial cost could be well over $3k…which may be a lot more than the family can pay or wants to pay.</p>
<p>I was talking to a friend of mine about this thread and she reminded me of a freshman who enrolled last year (not at Bama) and insisted on having all the latest and greatest…phone, computer, tablet, etc…and yet, he never even finished the semester. By midterms he was failing so badly that he ended up withdrawing. </p>
<p>I’m not saying this as some prediction for any student, but, maybe if none of these things are really needed right now, the better thing to do is to use some of these things as rewards…and iPhone at Xmas if Fall grades are good…and iPad next summer if the spring grades are good…and so forth.</p>
<p>Two other things that may influence your decision are the student’s major and also your cellular service and contract. Nursing majors use smart phones to operate the simulators in the labs. Since the Macbook Pro suited D’s needs better, it was natural for us to choose the iPhone 4S when our contract allowed an upgrade since she would need a smart phone and the two were compatible to sync. In our case, it made sense. Because there is wifi on campus, we didn’t find it necessary to buy the 3G or 4G and went for the plain iPad 2. I think it boils down to personal preference and finances…and whether your child is responsible enough to protect your investment. If a child is prone to breaking or losing these items I would have to think harder about spending the money, but that is just me.</p>
<p>To the OP’s question, some kind of computer is necessary/needed, but it doesn’t need to be an Apple product. I think some kind of smart phone is either necessary/needed, or quickly approaching that status because, as others have pointed out, Profs. and others at UA seem to assume real time access to emails for providing information or asking questions that can be time critical. Some kind of tablet device isn’t necessary/needed, but many people prefer them over laptops for use during class. </p>
<p>FWIW, based on his first year at UA, our son views his Iphone as necessary/needed, and he views his laptop the same way because he spends a lot of time working in a lab and needs access to his computer when he is at the lab. Because he tends to go directly between the lab and classes, his laptop is with him most of the time, so a tablet would just be a redundant thing for him to carry.</p>
<p>I agree completely with Randomparent…and I wasn’t trying to go off topic here. The reason I mentioned the cellular contract is that if a student’s phone is eligible for an upgrade or the parent is buying a new phone for them now, it might make financial sense to get a phone that will best meet their student’s needs down the road. Getting a phone that was compatible with her Macbook Pro made sense and getting one she could use in upper division did too. D’s iPad 2 is an extra in our case, but not the computer or phone.</p>
<p>^^^ I agree with you bamagirls. Obtaining a smart phone when it is most affordable to do so under your particular cellular plan seems pretty “smart” to me. ;-)</p>
<p>Let me clarify, our son is not bratty at all. I should have provided background info in my original post, but did not want to bore everyone. Our son is an extremely intelligent, courteous young adult.
He is also a NMF Finalist and will receive an ipad, courtesy of Alabama-THANK YOU! (not to mention the scholarship).
He does not have a laptop and will receive one as a graduation gift from us. This is a gift for the hard work in high school-outstanding grades, NMF finalist and awesome ACT & SAT scores.<br>
He is currently working full time as a camp counselor and he tutors part time. He also worked part time in high school, in addition to participating in sports.<br>
That being said, the main sticking point is really the phone, our carrier is US cellular, they have the Samsung Galaxy. He wants an iphone, which means he would need an individual plan, which gets pricey. My husband is not willing to move us to a carrier that offers iphone, since he’s very happy with US Cellular. Our son does not currently have a data plan, which is why we’re looking at the Samsung Galaxy vs. the iphone. Or should he just keep his phone, which only has voice and text, since he will receive an ipad and a Macbook pro or some other type of laptop?</p>
<p>I’m not a parent so I don’t know how much my opinion is of value, lol, but I would say a Macbook and iPhone would be sufficient enough. Alot of college students tend to use Mac because they’re usually faster, more reliable, and don’t get viruses anywhere NEAR as much as Windows does. And iPhones have many convenient features and applications to complement his education, time management, etc.</p>
<p>I think the person who posted that regrets posting that and apologized. I didn’t take it that your son was a brat at all. Many of us understood what you meant.</p>
<p>I think it really is going to come down to personal preference, especially if Dad is set against either an individual plan or changing carriers. If you go with either, I recommend Verizon. D seems to have better luck with her Iphone4S on Verizon than some of her friends with AT & T do on game days and from inside the stadium, but some may have different opinions on this and that is okay.</p>
<p>My D, as random parent also said, has come to depend on her iPhone. She didn’t have it initially until our contract allowed for the upgrade and the new phone was released.</p>
<p>If he is happy with his current phone, he will be fine. If he gets the new phone he will be fine, but may find he relies on his Ipad3 less and his phone more. It really is just personal feeling at this point. I wouldn’t worry too much about it either way. There are kids on campus with both types of phones, some with and some without iPads. As for the computer, he will find the ability to sync the two (or three devices) very helpful, but he can survive without it if you so choose.:)</p>
<p>Or maybe go pre-paid with no contract. $55 per month, which is probably more than you pay now if you are on a family plan, but not awful. Of course, you pay full price for the phone then but as you said, he’s NMF, free tuition, free room. </p>
<p>Bb7- it looks like the closest us cellular store to Tuscaloosa is in Tennessee. Do they have coverage in Tuscaloosa, or will you be paying roaming fees? That may be the best reason to convince your husband to consider changing Providers.</p>
<p>I think a laptop is a must, considering UA is pushing for a laptop centered campus (look at the new SERC building, no computer labs). I’ve found that my smart phone can be so much of a lifesaver it’s rather ridiculous. I love my Galaxy SII. A tablet is more of a luxury than a necessity IMHO, but it can be nice to have! Plenty of people take notes on tablets rather than bring bulky laptops. </p>
<p>However, they do not all need to be Apple products. Android rocks!!</p>
<p>The GalaxySII is very much equivalent to the iPhone 4…and I think the Galaxy3 has recently come out or will soon…don’t know the differences between II and III. There are about 5 different Galaxy phones. </p>
<p>If you want to avoid having the additional cost of having your child on a separate carrier/data/texting plan, then have your son look at the GalaxySII. </p>
<p>iPhone, MacBook, and iPad? The holy trinity? Actually, you need all FOUR as you have to add a vanity license plate a la aplluver or spoiltkd. </p>
<p>Seriously, there is no way to justify an IPad in college, if you have a laptop and smart phone. But heck, if you have more money than sense, go ahead and spoil the babies.</p>
<p>The OP’s son gets the iPad3 as part of his NMF scholarship package at the UA. He will need a computer and some sort of phone to keep in touch, so her question relates more to whether to go with the Macbook Pro and iPhone or PC and standard cell phone. It isn’t necessary to insult her for seeking opinions.</p>
<p>I didn’t realize the closest US cellular location is in TN, that surprises me.
We attended Bama Bound orientation and our cell coverage was great everywhere on campus, the dorms, the Ferg, everywhere. We have a nationwide plan so we will not have any roaming charges.
We’re going back and forth between the iphone and Samsung Galaxy. Our son is working full time and he will contribute towards the phone. If he wanted to, he could just go out and buy one on his own and sign a contract. In our state an 18 year old is an adult, and he has the funds to do so.<br>
I’m leaning towards a new Samsung Galaxy, as his current phone does not have data. This would keep us with US Cellular, which is our carrier of choice. He will receive the ipad as part of NMF, and we will buy him a Macbook pro as a graduation gift. I’m not familiar with the smart phones, as I have a “dumb” phone, just voice and text.
I know there is an Apple app store that seems to be popular, but I consider that an unnecessary luxury and that will not sway me towards spending more for an iphone.
For those critics out there-consider the fact that this young man has a NMF scholarship, which covers his tuition and board, if that makes me an indulgent parent, for planning to reward him with a smart phone and computer, that he will use on a regular basis, so be it.</p>
<p>if you are going to get an iphone, wait for the new one that will come out in September or so. it’ll probably be the iphone 5 instead of a new version of the 4s. imo they are a lot better than any other smartphone…</p>