laptop, PDA, and fiancial aid

[dd128]

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Hey guys so I was kind of wondering how most people were going to pay for their new laptop before classes started. I've filed my financial aid stuff, but was only accepted recently so I'm still waiting for all my info on cost of attendance and what not. I'm wondering do most people just buy their computer and PDA, put it on a credit card and wait for the first financial aid check to pay it off? I've also heard a rumor the first check is a little larger to accommodate these expenses, anyone have first hand knowledge if this is true?

 

[Doctor Bagel]

My first year COA budget was a few thousand dollars more than my second year COA to cover these expenses. My school always split financial aid awards into half where you get one in the fall and one in the spring, so that money you get extra will come in two chunks (3 if you have trimesters or quarters). So I would wait until you get pretty close to school starting and put it on your credit card. That way you can have it when you need it but pay it off as soon as you get the FA.

 

[CorpusERdoc]

Hey guys so I was kind of wondering how most people were going to pay for their new laptop before classes started. I've filed my financial aid stuff, but was only accepted recently so I'm still waiting for all my info on cost of attendance and what not. I'm wondering do most people just buy their computer and PDA, put it on a credit card and wait for the first financial aid check to pay it off? I've also heard a rumor the first check is a little larger to accommodate these expenses, anyone have first hand knowledge if this is true?

No, you receive two equal disbursements of your annual financial aid: one in August, and one in January.

Wait to buy your PDA and computer until then. It would be a bad idea to go down the credit card road...

 

[rgerwin]

it varies with the school. my first FA check was much larger than my second.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Make sure you actually need a PDA before buying one by the way. Most schools don't use them until third year.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Make sure you actually need a PDA before buying one by the way. Most schools don't use them until third year.

Good point. I don't have one and haven't needed it at all so far. Also, my clinical campus gives us PDAs for our medicine and surgery rotations, so it's possible I won't need one ever. And technology is always changing on these things (and prices decreasing), so hold off 'til the last minute.

About the laptop, you probably don't need nearly as good of a laptop as your school is telling you you need. Talk to students at your school to get the scoop on what you really need instead of relying on official recommendations. The school will likely budget you way more money than you need to get a serviceable computer. My school gave us something like $2500 for a computer, and I bought a $1100 macbook.

 

[dd128]

Make sure you actually need a PDA before buying one by the way. Most schools don't use them until third year.

Haha, yeah awesome point. 🙂 Thanks for the responses guys! I'm thinking I'll just wait until august and deal with my clunker dell until then 😛