Student88

I can't tell if you are suggesting a 15 or 13. I'd like the portability of a 13" but I am currently using a 13" and the screen is feeling cramped. But at the same time I am concerned about weight.

What is heavy for a laptop? The new 15 inch macbook is about 4.46 pounds. My current 13.3 is 3.5 pounds. Do you think 1 pound makes a different? It would in terms of price and performance.

Which do you think is the better screen size for a graduate student? You need to work off the laptop most of the time writing papers, and running program software like SPSS and SAS. You also want to be able to bring it with you to school occasionally. The laptop will be your main source of entertainment (ie. no tv at home) and you want to keep this laptop for at least 5 years.

What's the best way to reduce the use of paper? I really want to not use as much paper as possible, other than my planner. I am thinking tablet is the way to go and doing research on the best on to get. Anyone go completely paperless?

Just to update. I finally decided and got a Dakine campus back pack in plain black. It seemed simple enough, with a cooler pocket and laptop area and decent price. Not a fan of the large branding though. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00862J79Y/ref=twister_B0086DOI2O

I'm currently using an external keyboard. But I am starting school in a few weeks and it may be impractical to carry the external keyboard with the laptop. Thanks for the input everyone! I probably will get a new laptop by the end of the year or wait until the back-to-school deals come up. I am afraid of my computer suddenly stopping during the middle of the school year.

I currently love my 4 year old toshiba laptop (13"). However some of the keys have stopped working and needs to be replaced. I also want to upgrade the ram from 4gb to 8gb. I know I will be running a lot of statistics programs like R,SAS, and STATA and the ram will come in handy. However the cost of the keyboard repair and upgrade will be around $300. Do you think it is worth it and cost effective to do the repairs and upgrades instead of buying a new laptop? My computer is no longer covered under warranty and any other future repairs will cost $. But other than the keyboard I haven't had a problem with it. I'm also not a fan of windows 8, and finding a windows 7 laptop is a bit more difficult and costly. Other notes, my program is 2 years long. I'm not sure what the average lifespan of a laptop is and I'm hoping mine could last that long?

Does Evernote allow you to record lectures and type notes at the same time? If not, does anyone know of an android app that can do this? Thanks!

Yay! Glad you found the one! Thanks for sharing. Please report back on what you end up getting! I love seeing all the bags!

I'm look at backpacks too. I just want one that isn't so young looking. I was looking at leather backpacks but that may not be practical during the winters where I live. I'm also looking at totes for lighter book days and I found a great alternative to Longchamp bags and it's by Bric's which also sell nylon type totes.

Thanks everyone! All the information is very much appreciated!

Hi everyone, I've been out of school for 3+ years and I start grad school in August. I was wondering how many hours to schedule study timer per course? In undergrad I believe it was suggested to study 3 hours per 1 hours of class/lecture. Will it be any different at the graduate level? Thanks in advance.

Just curious, how long is the MPH program that you are attending? I think most programs can be completed in 16months depending if you take 4/5 classes each semester. Though realistically, it would probably be close to 20months before completion.

I think I found the backpack for me, the Ogio Soho laptop backpack: http://ogio.com/women-s/soho They are about half the price on amazon. Though, I wonder if a bright colored bag would be acceptable in grad school?

I'm in the same boat! I will only be able to take 2 large suit cases with me to my campus apartment. I don't know if I will be able to take everything I want. I think I will buy my kitchen needs when I arrive to my new place as pots and pans can take up weight and too much space in the luggage. I think I will take only must-haves in the suitcases.