Will I need a laptop for my degree at UNI?

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#986713 13-Feb-2014 13:13

I largely didn't bother taking a Laptop (or anything much really) to my lectures (This was about 5+ years ago). For my IT papers I usually just used the Uni PCs - especially as they had all the required software good to go.

I've never really been a note taker

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nakedmolerat

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#986715 13-Feb-2014 13:20

ushare: Hey guys

So I am going to Victoria this year and have decided to do a conjoint degree. A BCom Majoring in Accounting and Finance and a BSc majoring in computer science. My main question for those who have taken a similar degree is will I need a laptop for uni?

Cheers guys

much appreciated

Few years ago when I was in Dunedin, I did not have laptop for the first 2 years. There are more than enough computer labs available for students to do their work and gaming. The only reason I bought laptop after that is because I need it to play DotA and counterstrike.

asmcar

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#986728 13-Feb-2014 14:01

I'm currently finishing my Bcom at Victoria after 3 years so I can only speak on that side of things rather than the other side of your conjoint. However as others have said a majority of students have laptops with them, many use it to mess around in class (myself included to be honest) alongside note taking. As far as I am aware there is no requirement to have a laptop and the university provides plenty of computer facilities as well as printing, students that chose to have one do so out of convenience. Wifi is also prevalent and covers all of the campuses and lecture theaters. Some lectures are video recorded however that is at the discretion of lecturers whether they utilise it or not, some do some don't. Almost all lectures provide lecture notes online, which is usually a PDF of their powerpoint slides and expect you to take notes alongside these slides, it's arounf 50/50 split between people who print them off and write alongside, and people who chose to type notes while having the slides open in another tab.

As others above have said you don't need an expensive laptop, I have used a Samsung S3 Chromebook (Cost me around $300NZD a year ago from Amazon) for the past year doing third year papers, taking notes through google docs which sync to google drive. For me this option has been nice and portable, affordable and is great for everyday web browsing as well as note taking although I am not sure how it would be for programming / code etc.

Let me know if you have any other questions about Victoria or Bcom etc.

JokezNZ

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Master Geek

#986739 13-Feb-2014 14:26

ushare: yeah the thing is i have a descent rig at home and so before i fork out a couple of grand for a laptop i want to be sure. The uni recommends them but say its not an essential.

Now that i think of it, i have several hour gaps between lectures on some days and having a laptop will probably help.

Also during lectures, would i need one for taking notes? I am a quicker at typing than writer and taking notes for programming code would probably be on a computer?

Just finished my BCOM Accy Coml at Vic last year. I also started with Comp Sci (but dropped it, got too hard for me lol). I never took my laptop to Uni. I wrote all my notes by hand. My friends who brought laptops to classes tended to just muck around on them searching the net and stuff (WOW got censored for say s#it....). You also don't needa spend a couple grand on a laptop can easily get good ones for like $500 these days.

I was at Te Puni hostel my first year, just kept my laptop in my room and out in the halls.

EDIT: While I never went to the library I did know that there was always lines for computers but being a CompSci student you may be able to use the computer labs in Cotton and when down at Pipitea in 2nd+ years you'll have access to the computers in the Railway Wing.

rayonline

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#986759 13-Feb-2014 15:03

At Vic, the accounting courses will require you to do things like essays, spreadsheet calculations like the different methods of depreciation etc. You can use the computer rooms ... but public spaces and libraries have WiFi all you can use Internet. At times yeah it can be hard to get a computer esp when the peak season re: assignment submissions.

In the Kelburn campus library (cental) they have signs up that you queue for a computer, LOL.

I guess you can get it done at home ...yeah. But what about group work, group presentations etc. or work together to solve something ... They also block Facebook at peak hours, haha. For myself I didn't use much of it, I pretty much used it for forums and FB haha on my own smartphone and laptop that I took to uni occasionally. For me it was really just working with others or if you are doing your assignment in the library etc.

A no. of the accounting papers at Vic provide you a couse book (binded) up that you buy at the start of the semester and it also has lecture notes in them with the fill in the blanks, others may have Powerpoint slides that you can access via Blackboard at home or at uni and print out and fill out the blanks the completed slides are usually updated after the actual lecture. But yeah .. some students do take notes with their laptop in class but it can be difficult to draw diagrams LOL. Even a $200-300 used laptop would do, just not a Celeron.

You may have to print more stuff out b/c they give things like solutions to weekly questions for you .. etc. After the week they upload the solutions per the week.. I find it better to just print it out ... but with a laptop you can refer to the PDFs electronically. Also prior to a lecture you occasionally find that the lecturer hasn't uploaded the lecture notes yet ... so with a computer or laptop you can print them off just before the class.

JayADee

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#986846 13-Feb-2014 16:33

For computer programming when I went to uni they had a PC lab specifically for programming students but I did all mine on the desktop I took to the dorm with me. Handwritten notes in lectures worked fine esp. for quickie diagrams but no reason not to use a laptop I suppose.

Geektastic

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#986875 13-Feb-2014 16:59

You could consider a Livescribe smart pen. Very useful as it will record sound and digitize the notes you take. Combined with Evernote you end up with searchable notes written by hand !

A good Olympus dvr will record lectures quite passably as long as you are not sat at the back of a 500 seat lecture theatre.

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rayonline

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#986880 13-Feb-2014 17:02

Wanna save some money and less items ... As of 2yr ago VUW Accounting courses yes .. students record lectures all the time. Don't need an Olympus Dictaphone. I had and used one, on 99% of my classes. When the battery went dead or I forgot to bring it, I used my old Nokia and that was fine too. Nokia E75 and then the C6-01. I only got my Android last year. The volume is lighter but you can just raise the volume ...

Batman

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#986921 13-Feb-2014 18:01

Taking notes: pen and paper

Looking up things (from lecture notes To Google): laptop and internet

Facebook and games: that's probably what you'll end up doing I'm afraid

sxz

761 posts

Ultimate Geek

#986969 13-Feb-2014 20:16

ushare: yeah the thing is i have a descent rig at home and so before i fork out a couple of grand for a laptop

If you have a good rig - you only need a cheap laptop for typing really - $800 max for a decent new laptop good for typing. Much less for a second hand one!

ushare: Also during lectures, would i need one for taking notes? I am a quicker at typing than writer and taking notes for programming code would probably be on a computer?

Without a doubt. Will make your life a lot easier. I did law - finished in 2006. First half without a laptop, second half with a laptop. Almost everyone had laptops in class from second year onwards for this very reason - you can type much faster than you can write, and you can read it again later - big help especially when you are tired.

Also a lot of the course outlines were given to us as a word document - you can open it and type directly into it in class. If you were handwriting you would have to copy across all those headings and references.

Geektastic

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#987043 13-Feb-2014 22:03

sxz:
ushare: yeah the thing is i have a descent rig at home and so before i fork out a couple of grand for a laptop

If you have a good rig - you only need a cheap laptop for typing really - $800 max for a decent new laptop good for typing. Much less for a second hand one!

ushare: Also during lectures, would i need one for taking notes? I am a quicker at typing than writer and taking notes for programming code would probably be on a computer?

Without a doubt. Will make your life a lot easier. I did law - finished in 2006. First half without a laptop, second half with a laptop. Almost everyone had laptops in class from second year onwards for this very reason - you can type much faster than you can write, and you can read it again later - big help especially when you are tired.

Also a lot of the course outlines were given to us as a word document - you can open it and type directly into it in class. If you were handwriting you would have to copy across all those headings and references.

I can definitely write faster than I can type (and with less errors!).

I did have a secretary who could take shorthand dictation - man, could she write fast!

charsleysa

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#987285 14-Feb-2014 14:33

I'm currently studying Bachelor of ICT and it's a highly practical coDell so a laptop is definitely a must, though you don't have to spend as much as me.

I got a $2k (after 30% discount ) laptop for Dell and it was worth it for me since I hate screens under 1080p.
I would say get a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM as development can chew through RAM like there's no tomorrow .

Also consider a good brand (don't get HP) that has good support .
I got a Dell laptop for that reason, next day parts replacement is great when something in your laptop fails and you've got an assignment due at the end of the week.

Regards
Stefan Andres Charsley

JimmyH

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#987492 14-Feb-2014 19:45

A laptop is highly useful for work in the library without fighting for a machine, work on the train etc. However, as others have said, if you have a decent desktop where you live then you don't need a high end laptop. Go for low-end, budget and light (since you will have to lug it around).

For lectures, it's personal preference. Depends whether you are happier/faster writing or typing. Even now, when I have a good high-end laptop at work, I prefer a paper and pen for meeting notes etc, particularly where there are diagrams involved. Faster and less hassle.

Mind you, I have been known to still refill my pens out of an ink bottle........

ushare

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#987523 14-Feb-2014 21:01

Thank you for all your comments guys.

I think i might get me a medium to high end laptop for my self and if it doesnt suit me for uni, i will pass it onto my sister who has been wanting a laptop for a long time.

Could anyone recommend me a sleek laptop that is medium to high end and has a 1080p screen? (like the person above, hate anything below 1080p.

I know a lot about desktops but have zero knowledge with laptops :/

Anyway so if anyone knows any laptops that look really nice, have descent specs (programming, little video editing and a bit of gaming). I just want something sleek, portable and powerful. happy to spend up to $1.7ish k

Thanks for all your input guys. Really helps :)

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#987543 14-Feb-2014 21:59

ushare: Anyway so if anyone knows any laptops that look really nice, have descent specs (programming, little video editing and a bit of gaming). I just want something sleek, portable and powerful. happy to spend up to $1.7ish k

Why do you need to do video editing on a lappy?
To do that you need a really upmarket laptop - which sounds like overkill for your needs.
What is more important to you - portable, or powerful?

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