time-when they arrive. At Cornell
University in Ithaca, New York,
"free computing accounts ... are
distributed at registration to pro-
vide students with enough comput-
ing time to meet normal require-
ments," say Cornell recruiters.
"Computers are rapidly becoming
integrated into academic life as an
increasingly important part of in-
struction and research." Some col-
leges charge a nominal fee for these
accounts; others provide them as
part of the total tuition package.
Chances are that your college will
already have several hundred per-
sonal microcomputers set up at var-
ious workstations for you to use.
Given that, are there still advan-
tages to having your own PC?
"Don't be silly," laughs Rebecca
Ralston, a student at Loyola
University in Chicago. "Of course
there are! With the kind of software
around today, I can rely on my PC
to correct my spelling, punctuation,
and grammar before my term
papers ever leave my room!"
Speaking of rooms, here are two
additional persuasive arguments
for having your own PC:
* You do not need to wait your
turn on the (usually) limited num-
ber of machines your school makes
available (schedules that can some-
times mean midnight-or-later treks
from your room to campus work-
stations).
" You can tie into huge pools of in-
formation sources (data bases) that
are widely scattered geographically
without ever leaving the comfort
and safety of your dorm. A PC
enables you to search through li-
brary holdings, periodical lists,
electronic "encyclopedias," and
even "bulletin boards," a kind of
electronic information clearing-
house, at any hour of the day or
night. You also can subscribe to a
variety of services that provide the
freshest information in your field.
T he Academic Computer Ser-
vices department at De Paul Uni-
versity in Chicago keeps track of the
frequency with which students use
the university's academic computer
network. The newest figures in-
dicate that, in addition to using
their PCs strictly as computers,
more and more students are using
them as terminals too, dialing up
campus mainframes as easily as
they use a telephone.
Says Dr. Keith Phillips, a profes-
sor in the Computing Research
Laboratory at New Mexico State
University in Las Cruces, "The stu-
dent with a PC of his or her own has
a definite advantage when it comes
to the competitive edge in achieving
academic success. Frankly, I
wouldn't want to leave home with-
out one." e "
Some Suggestions from the Pros
L ike some of the same considerations that lead a student to
choose a college or university in the first place, intelligent,
rational decisions must be made about that newest roommate, the
PC. Is it "friendly"? Affordable? And above all, does it meet the
user's specific needs?
The last consideration is undoubtedly the most important. It is a
waste of money to buy a powerful computer capable of running all
sorts of programs and storing all sorts of memory a student neither
needs nor wants, but the fact is that overbuying is the single most
common mistake a first-time purchaser makes. Obviously, it makes
good sense to find out which computer applications are going to be
useful to your line of study. If your major is English or liberal arts,
will basic word processing be enough? Will you need special
4 systems for engineering, accounting, economics, or pre-med?
Scott Mize, a founder of Strawberry Software in Watertown,
Massachusetts, thinks it's wise to find out if your college has a
e preference for one computer model over another. If so, that will
likely mean you'll be able to pick up a PC made available to the
school by the manufacturer at considerable savings. It's also smart
to check with your school's campus computer center to find out
exactly how much "support," such as free or reduced-cost
software, it is able to provide for your brand of PC. This is also
the first place to look for other PC-related information, including
0 free manuals and helpful suggestions on "peripherals," should
you want to add some specialized equipment to your PC after
you've had it awhile.
4 Compatibility is another issue to consider. Before you go off to
school, you'll want to be certain that you have a program that will
allow your PC to communicate with the large, central mainframe
S machines already in place on campus.
Once you've decided what kind of a PC you need, buy the best
one you can afford, and make certain you understand exactly what
kind of service and support is available. Many computer
O manufacturers maintain toll-free hot lines for users with questions
or problems.
Do as much of your class work on your PC as you possibly can.
4 Dropping in or moving paragraphs, editing, deleting, and making
corrections soon will become second nature to you, and will save
significant amounts of time, effort, and paper.
Coming to campus with a computer doesn't necessarily mean
you'll go right to the head of your class. But your chances of
making the grade are no doubt better with a PC than without one.
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