Services and Fees
Question 4.2 Details
Will you be required to purchase your own computer?
A growing number of campuses require that each student purchase or lease a computer for use at the college. Other campuses, stopping short of requiring computer ownership or leasing, are strongly recommending one or the other. At other schools, students in particular programs or departments may be urged to buy or lease a computer. Nonetheless, many institutions realize they serve students who do not have the resources to buy or lease and have made significant strides to provide computing opportunities on campus and in distributed locations. Such broad and varied computer access signals that campuses have adopted extensive use of information technology throughout the curriculum.
Whether bought or leased, student computers must be accompanied by appropriate technology support for hardware and software, consulting support for questions and problems, and some form of standards to ensure that they will function well for academic assignments and independent work.
The tables below illustrate trends in student computer ownership and institutional policies on buying or leasing. Ask about these trends on the campuses you are considering. See also question 4.3 on possible costs of computing and network connections.
| Percentage of Students Using Their Own Computers |
| All |
Doctoral1 |
Master's2 |
Bachelor's3 |
Associate's4 |
Other5 |
| 67.1% |
81.5% |
74.8% |
80.3% |
34.8% |
58.1% |
| Policies on Student Computer Requirements |
| |
All |
Doctoral1 |
Master's2 |
Bachelor's3 |
Associate's4 |
Other5 |
| All students are provided a personal computer |
2.5% |
.6% |
2.1% |
5.3% |
.0% |
5.0% |
| Students in general required to buy/lease own computers |
3.7% |
6.3% |
3.3% |
1.8% |
1.2% |
6.4% |
| Students in some departments required to buy/lease own PCs |
13.6% |
36.8% |
9.5% |
1.8% |
6.6% |
14.3% |
| PC buy/lease recommended but not required for all students |
30.7% |
27.6% |
43.2% |
51.5% |
1.8% |
22.1% |
| PC buy/lease recommended but not required in some departments |
8.0% |
12.6% |
7.5% |
3.6% |
6.6% |
10.0% |
| No requirements or recommendations about PCs |
40.1% |
14.9% |
32.4% |
34.9% |
82.5% |
40.7% |
| Other |
1.5% |
1.1% |
2.1% |
1.2% |
1.2% |
1.4% |
1 Schools whose highest awarded degree is the doctorate.
2 Schools whose highest awarded degree is the master's.
3 Schools whose highest awarded degree is the bachelor's (4-yr.).
4 Schools whose highest awarded degree is the associate's (2-yr.).
5 Specialized institutions such as tribal colleges, law schools, health-related institutions, and art schools.
SOURCE: The EDUCAUSE Core Data Service
2004 Summary Report
Page Last Updated: Monday, October 02, 2006
|
Unless otherwise noted, EDUCAUSE holds the copyright on all materials published by the association, whether in print or electronic form. In certain cases the work remains the intellectual property of the individual author(s) (see Special Circumstances).
