Education Discount Online... Do they check???

From what I have read, Apple doesn't check if you're an enrolled student or not. I haven't personally ordered an item off the education store, but i'm pretty sure they don't do a check.

My understanding is they do not check. They have checked me once online due to the length of time I listed the college I said I went to. It was that I was still a student but graduated and went to another school for my master's. That said, they eventually asked me to fax my ID. I did so and they were ok.

You can do that. I mean hell, who cares if you're dishonest and such. I mean you can either suck it up and either wait to buy new or buy a refurb if you simply cannot wait. Point is they probably will not check, you'll get whatever you want out of this and go home happy no doubt.

Just remember that whatever computer you're buying now while still in high school you're probably going to want a new one when you go to college. I believe you just want a new notebook and it's not really a matter of "well I'm going to use the discount anyway, why not expedite it" theory that you so boldly claimed.

Good luck with your purchase. You have a good sense of entitlement, you'll do just fine.

I know for a fact that they do random audits on education purchases.

Checks are random -- you may be asked to provide proof that you're a student/staff, or they may hit someone else.

To a previous poster: I'm sure that Apple cares if the buyer is dishonest. I'd guess that all the people who do spend honestly care as well, especially since they pay higher prices when others are dishonest.

I used the education discount when I was accepted into a university, but wasn't enrolled. I didn't have an ID at the time, but I was able to login to the schools system with a login I was given in my acceptance letter, and the apple store took it as proof of academic enrollment.

Probably an interesting fact to consider, since you're going to college next year. If my memory serves me correct, you should hear back from atleast one of the schools you applied to in a month or two.

I bought mine with the education discount at the apple store. Although I did get mine in the summer. I talked to the sales person about how I was going to go to college in the fall and I was nervous and all that jazz... While I wasn't lying... they didn't ask for any proof. so... that's my story

You could always find a friend who is in college who is nice enough to purchase it in their name...

You can also go to the homeschool page if you are nervous about providing college enrollment proof, but that wouldn't be honest either, now would it?

You will find that being deceitful will usually come back to haunt you. Yes Apple does do random verifications, they have to as they are taking a markdown on inventory.

Burton8219 said:

I'm guessing it would be a lot harder to pull this off in the actual store, right?

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sblasl said:

You will find that being deceitful will usually come back to haunt you. Yes Apple does do random verifications, they have to as they are taking a markdown on inventory.

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Someone should tell our President that.

Burton8219 said:

bld, unfortunately I haven't applied to any colleges yet. I plan to do this between mid-late September and early-mid October. That is interesting that Apple let you use the Login ID as proof of a student. I think I'm just gonna take the chance and see if I can just get the discount. What's the worst that can happen, they ask for proof and I say I don't have it and just buy the refurb.

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I heard that if they audit you and they find you're not eligible for the student discount they charge you full price. Granted, these audits could take place after you buy your machine. You seem strapped for the money so it might not be worth the risk of having to hand over more cash.

Just go to your local community college and pick one up. I know a lot of college bookstores don't check IDs when you buy stuff from them, but they check it when you return. So save yourself the hassle and pick one up at a college bookstore.

I went to my community college a couple weeks ago and picked up my first macbook and I transferred to a state college a year ago.

They NEVER Check

ryannel2003 said:

From what I have read, Apple doesn't check if you're an enrolled student or not. I haven't personally ordered an item off the education store, but i'm pretty sure they don't do a check.

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This is the correct answer. There are no random audits. they NEVER check.

mBurns said:

I heard that if they audit you and they find you're not eligible for the student discount they charge you full price. Granted, these audits could take place after you buy your machine. You seem strapped for the money so it might not be worth the risk of having to hand over more cash.

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Then when you ignore their request for more money they send it to a collections lawyer who charges what you owe and all his fees. Happened to a buddy of mine. Yes they deffinitely do audits on these purchases more so now than before because of abusers.

Kevin

I mean, even if they don't check, it's kind of douchey to cheat the system.

Education discounts are for current students and staff of higher education institutions. When you go through the education store, you agree to the terms and conditions. It doesn't matter if you're buying a computer now for your education next fall, or for three years from now. If you are not a student, then purchasing a MBP posing by posing as a current student is dishonest.

The very fact that you're concerned that Apple may ask for proof of your student status shows that you're aware that what you want to do is not 100% on the up and up.

Multimedia said:

This is the correct answer. There are no random audits. they NEVER check.

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A friend of mine had purchased a Macintosh off the online education store, and just when the machine was ready to ship, the FedEx tracking page showed a exception, and the next day he did get a call from a representative, insisting that he fax in/mail his school ID. He was a student, and it all worked out good.

So this event makes me believe that Apple SOMETIMES does check. It probably may be rare, but saying NEVER might be an understatement.

As long as you stay within Apple's restrictions for educational purchases (e.g. one desktop per college year, two displays per college year, one notebook per college year...) they probably won't check.

My school has an education store set up through Apple and you have to log in with your student ID before it will allow you to purchase anything from the Apple Store. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple begins implementing this more often in order to keep people from cheating the system.

Yes they check. And I personally care if you are dishonest because it hurts those who do it by the book. I have to wonder if the slow increases and phasing out of discounts is due to the dishonesty of people.