I’ve recently decided to enroll in the fall of 2017 for FSU’s class of 2021 and I’m currently trying to make a list of things I need to buy before school starts. Among that list is a new laptop. I have an old macbook pro right now, from 2012 I think, and I’m definitely going to have to buy a new computer before school starts! So, I was wondering if I should look at macs or windows? I probably prefer a mac but I don’t want to go to a campus where nearly all the professors and other students are all windows-operated because I’m nervous that there’d be a lack of compatibility between mine and others. I know this is a somewhat frivolous thing to worry about but I’d really like a second opinion! Thanks!
There’s a thread in the Parent’s Forum regarding purchasing a laptop which you may find useful if you haven’t already looked at it. Some people make a good observation that purchasing the laptop from the School’s bookstore may include free service by the school’s IT department.
I doubt you’ll run into compatibility issues with a Mac given the prevalence of web-based applications and platform independent file formats (such as .pdf). Apple has also historically had a strong presence in universities. If you’re using Pages, Numbers, or Keynote, you may run into formatting issues when trying to share files with other students using Office. If you decide to go with a Mac, I’d recommend sticking with Office 365. You also have the option of using Parallels or VMWare to install a Windows virtual machine on your Mac just in case you come across some odd situation where a PC is required.
For FSU, unless your specific major program has a requirement, it really doesn’t matter what laptop you purchase. Even the computer literacy class that used to require you use a Windows computer got rid of that requirement a few years ago.
Just make sure you get something with decent specs, not a low-end laptop that’s going to be severely underpowered and in desperate need of replacement in 4 years. If you get a new Macbook from this year, you should be fine.
Office 365 is free anyways.
A lot of computer classes are formulated for windows… & Mac can be tricky when submitting documents. I have to check my settings all the time because even when I use word, my files are still submitted in an unsupported format. Macs are flashy, but Windows works just as good if not better.