Has anybody heard anything about PC and Mac laptop package deals (hardware + Microsoft Office) for Yale incoming freshman? I'd like to buy it and get it all set up at home before dd heads off in August. Is there a number to call at Yale & ask?
I called the Yale IT dept, and the only deal for Macs is the standard $100 educational discount that everyone gets. They told me that we'll get the Yale software deals (free Chrome, Firefox, Antivirus and $20 Microsoft Office deal) by using her Yale NetID to log-on to yale.edu.software.
The Apple website in addition to the $100 educational discount is also offering $100 itunes card for Mac purchases made between June 11 and Sept 21. I called & asked if I could use it for the AppleCare, but no go. However, Apple does offer an educational discount of $60 off, reducing the 3-year Applecare plan to $183 for a 13" MacBook.
Also, just as an FYI, the Yale IT link shows the 13" MacBook Pro with 2.5GHz, 4GB ram & 500GB hard drive as $1,282 after the $100 education discount. The Apple website, however, shows that same configuration as $1,099 after the discount. You also have the option to upgrade from 4GB ram to 8GB ram for an additional $90 at time of purchase, so I think we will do that. There is also a 13" Macbook Pro with the 8GB Ram standard & larger hard drive, but it is several hundred dollars more. I thought that possibly the less expensive one we're considering was last years model, but Apple said that both 13" Macs are new and will include codes for the free upgrade to the new Mountain Lion operating system. So, I guess we will bite the bullet and cross this one off the to-do list this week.
Just thought I'd provide this info in case someone else is shopping for MacBooks.
My son often ran his small fan for the white noise effect, so I'd recommend a desk-top sized one.
I would recommend a tower fan over a desk top one. Space on the desk is limited and the tower fan will cool a much larger area and can be placed in a corner.
To YoHoYoHo, I would say DEFINITELY for move-in day. I would have died helping my son set up his room without a fan, at least in any building on Old Campus.
YoHoYoHo (and any other parents): For the sake of your child, get a fan, and make it big.
Our relatively small suite of four people had as many fans, and we needed to run them 24/7 until mid-october. In Vanderbilt, the window seats are fine for propping up a big fan. Fans that can clip to furniture are also helpful.
My daughter had a stand fan for the common room and a box fan for her room. Her suitemate last year had her own and a clip fan for the desk/computer.
It gets so hot in some of the dorms and the room my daughter had in Morse, they only opened a little for safety reasons I suppose so it was very needed.
She also used it for white noise during the year, so it was never really put away.
Any opinions about fridge purchase vs. rental? I'm inclined to the latter -- We live close by, so storage over summer is not a problem. Any models to stay away from or look for? Also do 5 kids share one of these 4 cubic foot fridges?
Thanks for the fan info.
D will be sharing a room. If we happen to arrive to the room first, before roomate, is it better to:
1. Pick a bed and start unpacking right away, so that we don't have both roomies unpacking at the same time, for practical purposes, or
2. Wait for roomate to arrive before choosing a bed, etc, for etiquette purposes
YoHoYoHo-- last year my daughter's FroCo (Freshman Counselor) explicitly asked everyone not to make any choices until everyone had arrived. I think that's the best approach; otherwise the late-comer is likely to feel stepped on--
I do too. First year my D had a single (loved that) but the following year, she just asked, any quirks or things you'd prefer, window, right side/left..sometimes these things matter. Being close by, she was always able to get in early and then have time to help her roommate or just give her space to move in without tripping over each others boxex.
We brought a fridge the first year, one from my son's previous years and the following year they rented (on 4th floor) and everyone pitched in money-wise and it was delivered. It was nice not to move it. She contemplated getting a tiny one for her room since they never seemed to clean it out, leaving old takeout etc. fruit, but did her best to just use it for drinks and gave up on having anyone change their habits.
Fans are a must. We purchased a decent sized oscillating fan---K1s roommate has a tiny one...really too tiny to do much good.
If they want a tower fan--they can order it via Amazon etc...
On fridges--we bought one for K1 last year--it is very nice, decent size...picked it up at the Walmart. Yes it was carried up and down 3 flights... yet so was the futon etc....That is part of college move-in/out. K1 stored the fridge with some other stuff so it will come out of storage next month.
Of all of the stuff purchased for frosh yr--the only thing "dumped" was the rug which was Never vacuumed!! Yuck!
I told K1 I was more than happy to buy a new one--than have them keep that thing....
Re the rug same here..my D said it wasn't too great to begin with but never seemed to cleaned and stuff fell on it, etc. She rolled it up toward the end of the year in the common room and then they dumped it.
We didn't contribute a lot with furniture etc. but I did supply 2 fans for the common room/bedroom and they were very grateful. : )
The got a decent couch from a departing junior and they even helped deliver it which was nice. Always good to check bulletin boards and network for items at the end of the year.
