<p>Seems not really necessary if you can't really use it during the week, but only during the weekends.</p>
<p>My theory is that if you are living under wi-fi access 24/7, a tablet or iPod touch would be enough to cover the needs for a cell phone(of course, not all). </p>
<p>I'd probably just get a very old T9 and use it only for calling if I'd make it into any BS.</p>
<p>i’m more of a texter than a caller (i use like 20 minutes a month on my cell, tops), so i don’t know what to do, just get a phone from a network in the states? but what about summer months… hmm. </p>
<p>then again, giving up the privilege (read: not a right) of texting is a minute price to pay for boarding school, right? i’m more than willing to give that up…</p>
<p>besides you’ll be at boarding school so most of your friends will live on campus with you, so there’s not much need for texting/calling, i guess. maybe if you open your window and holler really loudly, that’ll work too? & it’s certainly cheaper :D</p>
<p>PS: i only have an old T9. so heh i guess i won’t have to give that up
i think it’s good to have an emergency phone, like a pre-paid one, but if it was truly an emergency phone used only sparingly, i wouldn’t get a monthly plan, only prepaid. just my two cents :)</p>
<p>jerryeps, me thinks more essay and less cc.
oh wait. //HYPOCRITEALERT</p>
<p>I think you’ll want a cell phone. You don’t need a plan–my kids both have prepaid phones that don’t cost much and give them exactly what they need: for one lots of texts and the other, enough minutes for quick calls home whenever he wants to check in. My advice is to just get a cheap phone for a month or two (like a $20 tracfone), figure out how much you use it and what you use it for, and then switch to a prepaid phone and plan that fits your needs. In our house, we pay about $50/month for four cell phone plans and everyone has what they need. And if a phone gets lost, it’s not a huge tragedy.</p>
<p>That said, my kid says most kids at his bs have an iphone or droid–and he thinks one would be nice for travelling or bus time when he’s headed to competitions (for games, internet connection, music etc.). An ipod touch can work okay, though, for that. Just depends, I guess, on who you are and what’s important to you.</p>
<p>You’ll want a cell phone. My daughter has a prepaid phone, as well. It’s handy to be able to send texts while away from your room. Teachers and friends will also text to set up meetings, or send quick notices of changes, i.e., we’re meeting in this building, not that building. </p>
<p>I like the prepaid option. If you lose the phone, you don’t need to worry that someone’s calling internationally on your account. When the account runs out of money, the phone stops working. It’s very easy to add money to the account.</p>
<p>Periwinkle’s input suggests that it’s important to ask this question at revisits. At Exeter, I think teachers mostly communicate by email; students use texts, email and facebook.</p>
<p>As much as I dislike cell phones, I’m afraid it’s no longer a question of whether or not to get one but what plan to get which includes the prepaid option. The students tend to text more than they talk on the phone. They text each other across campus for a variety purposes. Not to have a cell phone can keep a student out of the loop with friends. The schools have their rules with usage with respect to times and places and the students pretty much abide by the rules or forfeit the phone. It use to be a privilege that has transformed into a necessity</p>
<p>I am on my mom’s family plan, so it is actually cheaper for my two-person family (which includes myself) if I have a phone! You know, the whole more bang for your buck concept and what not. Also, texting is a really convenient way to keep in touch with others, and wouldn’t you want to feel secure with a means of communication if you went off-campus? I would suggest adding your kid to your family plan. It may even be cheaper than prepaid!</p>
<p>I don’t know. My daughter’s cell phone died halfway through freshman year and she survived. Service was spotty and at the time, cell phones were only allowed to be used in the dorms. (that policy has lightened up a bit). Each room at M’burg has its own telephone and # and incoming calls are free. Cell phones, in her case, were a nice plus, but not strictly necessary.</p>