One of my kids used a Macbook all the way through. The engineering kid used Windows for a couple years but changed to a Macbook.
I use an Ipad with stylus for notes for work and could never go back to paper. I also use a paper like screen protector and I had to get used to it… I was surprised I preferred without it!
Here is the link for computer requirements for Virginia Tech.
I think making my daughter wait until school started would have given her an anxiety attack.
A week into college she complains that she can’t take notes on her laptop like everyone else. I said, what’s the problem, it’s a 2 in 1? She said “it doesn’t lay flat”. I’m no computer expert but I googled the model we bought and the photos showed it folding flat. So I texted her the photo. Oops. She hadn’t wanted to try to fold it bc she was afraid of breaking it. 
VT sells computers at their bookstore that come with a repair guarantee and loaner, but they’re expensive. We bought hers at Best Buy and got an extended warranty. The COE provides loaners. She’s in grad school now on year 5.5 with the same computer (Asus). She did buy herself an IPad about a year ago which she uses both for school and entertainment.
I’ve seen both Macs and PCs used in engineering. There are some engineering software programs that are written for PCs only that will run on a Mac using a PC emulator program. They run, but not always well. I’d use the computer he has for the start and see what programs he is using and what works best.
There are other considerations. My son ended up wanting a larger screen size because he was doing a fair amount of CAD, and his PC rarely left his room. My daughter wanted a more portable laptop as her school had computer labs that she used when she did her CAD work. She wanted one to use in meetings and classes and so portability was more important.
One option is to get a smaller more portable laptop, but also a large monitor to leave in the dorm room to plug into the laptop when using it there.
This is our setup of choice. iPad, laptop, double wide monitor + keyboard + mouse. It’s great!
I agree that a smaller lap top (15" or less) with a secondary monitor is a great way to go. My daughter has her 15" Dell XPS plus a portable monitor. They both fit easily in her backpack and allow her to easily study at different location. 17" laptops are big and heavy.
Note, my daughter is studying chemical engineering. If your child is studying civil or mechanical engineering or CS then they may eventually want larger, non-portable monitors.
The ipad works as a portable 2nd display for a macbook.
It’s been a long time since I’ve used a PC laptop so I can’t comment on using a tablet with those. It might be just as easy.
The best choice depends on the school and subject. Most of the kids use to use Macs in my son’s Engineering and CS classes. I would suggest looking at the subreddit for the school. There will very likely be posts about it by students. Often those will be more accurate and up2date than info posted on school webpages.
This is what we went with for my son. Surface tablet for engineering school. Handwritten notes, diagrams, equations, etc. with a stylus.
In the end my son had a large monitor, a separate keyboard, separate mouse and an external hard drive for more storage. The laptop itself never left his room. The laptop began to have it’s issues and we just went ahead and bought a tower PC for him.
While my kid likes this set up, I don’t think a desktop would work for him. While he is my only child who works at his desk, not the bed, he has ideas and squeezes in work here and there throughout the day.
When we went to admitted students day at D22’s university, the student tour guide (an engineering major since it was for COE admits) highly recommended an iPad and an Apple Pencil. I was like, “Whoa! We already agreed to get you a MacBook like we got your sister, we aren’t getting an iPad on top of it … that’s ridiculous. Sheesh!”.
About two weeks into her first semester, D22 bought herself an iPad and an Apple Pencil. She uses it all the time … so easy to take notes and do homework on it and submit the homework.
My D20 (a non-STEM major) was so impressed that she bought herself one and uses it to take notes as well.
Our D , BME at Hopkins, takes impeccable notes using iPad and pencil and also uses a MacBook.
S, CS at Stanford, used a Razor with dual boot Linux/Windows, and also had a desktop with enough GPUs to act as a heater in the winter time😜
Programmer here. Windows can easily be installed virtually on any Mac computer with full functionality, if it ever comes to that. It really comes down to taste and preference. If you get a PC, get a good one, because build quality varies. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses. MACs are better integrated with their other products and services, iPhone, Apple Watch, etc. PCs excel at gaming.
Whichever machine you choose, be sure to set it up with an auto backup with a cloud service, i.e. iCloud, Google Drive, etc. Computers get lost, stolen, dropped in swimming pools, you name it. A good protection plan and online backup can be a life saver.