Just put in your calendar when the original warranty expires and buy the extended - it covers cracked screens, water damage, drops etc. I’ve been pretty impressed with the repairs to my kids computers - all 4 of mine carry them around in backpacks and back and forth to school through airports.
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Not sure if this will work for you or relative costs, but on a recent college tour we saw a number of students using an iPad and stylus to take notes.
There’s also pretty cheap student insurance for students’ belongings. We got for d19 through college student insurance dot com. Sounds dodgy, but they paid out for both times she cracked the screen of her MacBook with very little hassle. They cover a bunch of stuff, not just computers, for very reasonable rates and low deductibles. They were recommended by another parent at her school.
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D22 uses a laptop that completely flips, and she likes taking notes with a stylus that way. She preferred just the one device and didn’t want a separate iPad.
I think that won’t work for S25, though – he has trouble writing (motor skills difficulties) and does much better typing his notes. Which is why I was thinking a cheap Chromebook…I’ll have to think this out some more.
(There are also his gaming requirements, LOL – who knows what he needs for that?!)
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Check with the disability office but I understand that a lot of colleges do allow some kind of talk to text device for motor difficulties-I don’t really know anything about it but I’ve seen others mention it. That might be a better option for notes taking?
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We’ll definitely be in touch with the disability office! But he does type just fine, and has done well in public high school with a typing accommodation – it’s just the writing with a stylus that would be problematic.
(Developmental dyspraxia - for starters, lol - with the requisite motor and spatial dysgraphia that often comes with it.)
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The decision is made and announced and to absolutely NO ONE’S surprise, we are now the parents of a Clemson Tiger! 
He’s so happy, that despite the fact that this isn’t what I would’ve chosen for him, I’m happy seeing him so excited. He was kind of adorable tonight, he wanted to wait until we were both home, he sat us down on the couch, gave us a little lead in talk about what he was thinking and how/why he made his decision, and… picked up the sunglasses we got at Clemson and put them on. 
So I guess I need to start investing in some orange and purple clothing. 
By which I mean purple. I do NOT do orange clothes for anyone, even my baby boy.
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Glad the decision has been made and that your son is excited about his next step. Congrats to him and to his incredibly supportive parents.
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Silver lining–your husband loves purple, right?
More seriously, I do think kids owning their choice (and actually getting to make it) will carry them through at least some of the inevitable rough times that come in college. I’m proud of how you have handled this. Well done!
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Congratulations to your kiddo!
If it’s any consolation, as I’ve mentioned Clemson is only a couple hours from us, and so many kids from our school land there – and they all LOVE it. So much strong school spirit. I have a friend whose son marched in the band there all through undergrad, and in grad school, too.
My D26 really loved the energy on campus – it was one of her earliest tours – even though they don’t offer quite what she wants to study, and she’s intimidated by the size of the band. But her peer leader from when she was a freshman is there, and he still messages her occasionally and tells her to apply, lol.
Tl;dr – students love the school. Your D25 will, too. And I know your heart will be full seeing him thrive. 
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Huge congrats to him!!! He is going to love it! And there is really “something in them hills” that you will also grow to love! I loved my time there and am definitely sad that my D25 won’t be going there.
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Welcome to the family!
C-L-E-M-S-OOOOOO-N!!!
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We have our own news tonight! D25 picked Tennessee for nursing! She’s excited about the new nursing building, and the girls she has met online have felt more like her people than ones at other colleges. This is the “far away state flagship”, so it will be new scenery, a milder climate, and more outdoorsy things to be able to do as well. And she is definitely hyped for the Tennessee spirit at football games this fall.
I’m not sure how I’m going to feel about orange that isn’t paired with purple (Clemson colors). Maybe I’ll need to pair Tennessee orange with UWashington purple (which is where S22 is heading off to next fall, and claim I’m supporting both of them!
And she is going to be so annoyed every time I start singing Rocky Top, which of course I can’t resist doing to annoy her.
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1 - 2 - 3 - 4
1 - 2 - 3 - 4
C - L - E - M - S - O - N
T - I - G - E - rrrrRRRRR - S !! FIGHT Tigers FIGHT ###### FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!
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Congratulations! I think she’ll love UTK. We had so much fun when we visited last fall…. And sang Rocky Top about a zillion times during the blowout football game we attended. I’ve been going to pro games since I was little, but I’ve never been in an atmosphere like that!
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One of my favorite moments in college football is when Tennessee played “Dixieland Delight” after upsetting Bama a few years ago, and the entire place was rocking!
Good for you for supporting your daughter in her dreams, aspirations, and in the way she feels most at home.
I bet that was a fun game! Haven’t seen a game in that stadium yet, so definitely looking forward to that.
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We looked into it recently and our homeowners covers our kid’s stuff, even if living in a dorm…I think it is up to 10% of your overall policy and I think this is pretty standard (though obviously check your own policy)
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I think the cost of this insurance was less than our homeowners deductible. It was super cheap, a few years ago but I just checked the bills and it was $125 a year with a $25 deductible per claim. But yes obviously each should check their own policy.
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My son’s high school is purple and so I have a wardrobe full of purple clothing, it’s a shame none of the schools my youngest is looking at is purple! It looks great on everyone 
Congrats on the decision
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