Tuition: approximately $13,000 a semester. Room and Board: approximately $2,500- 4,500 a semester. New technology fee: around $500 a semester. The experience of using a shiny new iPad and MacBook Pro: Priceless.
By: Alexi Swank
Contributor
Tuition: approximately $13,000 a semester. Room and Board: approximately $2,500- 4,500 a semester. New technology fee: around $500 a semester. The experience of using a shiny new iPad and MacBook Pro: Priceless.
Students old and new at Seton Hill University (SHU) this fall will get the opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to own a brand new iPad. While the new class of 2014 is raring and ready to go, older students understand how much an education on The Hill costs, and are not quite as willing to spend the extra dough. The real question we are all wondering is: Worth it or not?
As a sophomore and orientation assistant (OA), I was given the chance to test out the new system before other students moved onto campus for the semester. With nearly two weeks in on the iPad, I am thoroughly enjoying the ability to access my email and even Facebook at any time on campus.
What makes it better is that if I travel home for the weekend and would like to use the Internet, it’s very simple to connect to any of my home networks. Plus, the quality of the available applications, or apps as they are known, is extraordinary. Apple really isn’t kidding when they say “there is an app for everything.”
On the other hand, on SHU campus sometimes it is difficult to maintain connection due to a lack of access points across main complex and in the residence halls. Also, although many apps are free, the majority of them come with a small purchase fee of $0.99 and can go as high as $14.99. That little bit can add up to a big money problem.
The Mac, a system much faster and more efficient than a PC at multitasking and multimedia can certainly come in handy when trying to do as the typical, multitasking, college student. Quick moving network speeds allow for easy access to class information on GriffinGate, and readily installed programs such as iChat and Word ensure that students will have the necessary supplies to make the grade.
However, the complications that follow the Mac are just like that of any individual buying a new program or appliance. If you don’t know how to use it, you have to take the extra time to learn. As a PC user for most of my life, it is a challenge to adjust to the complex setup of the MacBook Pro.
Similar to the iPad, holding an Internet connection can become a bother, and the battery life certainly is no exception. With such a high-tech piece of equipment, it is bound to take up a lot of energy at a time.
With two weeks of experience on both of these expensive toys, I still have not learned all that there is to know about them, but that is to be expected from all of us. After all, that is why we’re here at SHU, to learn something new everyday. The Griffin Technology Advantage has simply given us each an open opportunity to discover one other tool to aid us in learning.
The final answer to the question: I believe that the iPad and MacBook Pro are definitely worth the encounter, and all students should take the chance to get to know the Macintosh/ Apple System.