<p>I am a senior in high school trying to decide what device will be the best for me. I am hoping to attend PSU for music education. Would an iPad be a good idea, versus an Apple laptop? I don't mind using the external keyboard, but what are the drawbacks to an iPad? (Do music professors still rely heavily on CDs that I wouldn't be able to access, programs that don't run on like - something like Finale? - or any other issues). Thanks so much!</p>
<p>As a college instructor and the parent of a college student, go with a laptop if you can only afford one. More and more things will run on iPad, but not everything. Even if you are a music major, you still have to take classes like English which require word processing. I teach traditional and online courses and I use my iPad a lot, but still need a computer as do my students. Every semester I will have a student with an iPad that wished they had a laptop too. A Mac air is great because it is lightweight enough to take to class. Many schools use Course Management Systems like Blackboard or Canvas. They work ok on tablets and iPads, but they work best with laptops.</p>