At the acceptance weekend for my school they said that you can request a $3000 loan for a computer, printer, etc. It's a one-time loan, so you have to make sure it's a computer that will last 4-5 years. And, the big catch is: you can't buy it before August 1st. So, check if there's a loan policy at your school , and make sure to find out if there are any funny rules about dates before you go buy it.