CS Student Buying New Comp, advice re ADC

[Earendil]

So, I'm going to make a few things clear first:
I am current a student working on my B.S. in Computer Science. I'll be going into my senior year next year.

My current laptop is approaching 5 years old, and while it does still work, it is growing long in the tooth, and I feel I should take advantage of Student discounts while I have the chance.

The question, as always, comes down to Uni Student discount vs ADC Student Discount. I hate to have such a decision come down to money, but let's be honest, I'm a student, and there is a reason they offer students a discount in the first place.

Right now I'm looking at a midrange Macbook Pro, and perhaps getting an iPhone or iPod touch. Not because I need a cellphone or iPod, but because from a programming standpoint, it looks like a really fun little toy to play around with and create apps[/nerd moment].

I wouldn't mind investing a little money in ADC, but I'm not sure how useful I will find the entire package as a CURRENT overwhelmed and busy student. So what it comes down to is this: If I can at least break even by getting a student ADC account ($100), and hardware compared to just a Uni Student discount, that is awesome and I'll go ADC. If there is no significant difference in hardware cost, and going the ADC is going to leave me $100 short, than I'm not as sure the extra material is worth it.

I'm open to other ideas and being convinced otherwise

* Bonus if there is an ADC discount worth noting on an iPod touch/iPhone.

~Tyler

 

[laprej]

You need to do a little research on your own, but when I was a student the ADC student membership did actually save me money over the educational discount that I would have received from RPI. So get the price from your institution and then compare that with the prices from the ADC Hardware store. You can find a link to that here. Once you glance over the terms, then you can click on the link to the ADC Hardware Purchase Program store and see how the prices stack up.

 

[Earendil]

You need to do a little research on your own, but when I was a student the ADC student membership did actually save me money over the educational discount that I would have received from RPI. So get the price from your institution and then compare that with the prices from the ADC Hardware store. You can find a link to that here. Once you glance over the terms, then you can click on the link to the ADC Hardware Purchase Program store and see how the prices stack up.

THAT is the link I couldn't find. After a while I just assumed that one couldn't see the prices until one became a member, and so my request was for info from those that were members. Thanks Laprej, for leading the blind

Interesting that everything is discounted a little bit more on the ADC store compared to the EDU store...EXCEPT Applecare, which is EDU = $239 and ADC = $349

I wonder if it's a mistake...