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Does Apple have any way of confirming university student status?

Bob Loblaw

Bob Loblaw

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 31, 2008
203
48
Oakton, Virginia
I'm buying an iMac soon, and I went to the Apple store for my former college (graduated two weeks ago) and saw that the 24" iMac (which is what I'm looking at getting) is $100 cheaper there than the regular store. Saving that $100 would be great, plus I could use that to make a couple upgrades to the computer.
 
Yes, they ask a certain random selection of people using the student stores to prove they are students by providing proof of current student status. No matter how you choose to justify it you are basically trying to commit fraud.
 
Oh, ok. It's worth it to at least try though I guess.

Plus, I just noticed the upgrades are slightly discounted. Upgrading to the GeForce 8800 is +$135 instead of +$150, and going from the 320GB HD to the 500 is +$45 instead of +$50. Not all that much, but every little bit definitely helps.
 
robbieduncan said:
No matter how you choose to justify it you are basically trying to commit fraud.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's not worth it!:p

But if in-store they just want to see the ID? I have to go back to my school next week to do last minute check-out things, there's an Apple store 30 minutes away. Maybe I'll stop in there.
 
If your buying it in store, the only thing they can do is ask for you Student ID, if you still have it, then your good. If your buying online they can do random audits, and also, if you buy instore and participate in any student exclusive promotions like the free iPod one, you are subject to random audits as well.
 
Does your university have its own computer store that sells the iMac? I know for my university, the store actually allows discounts for graduated seniors to continue all the way up until the next freshman class begins, so you might still be able to qualify. Cheers.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
That's harsh. I was typing that when you posted your original comment.

Calm down, guy.
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Why is it harsh? If you asked for advice on intentionally defrauding an individual would you expect a "nice" answer? This is really no different. If you want to commit a crime then that's fine, but don't expect my support or sympathy if you get caught.
 
atluten said:
Does your university have its own computer store that sells the iMac? I know for my university, the store actually allows discounts for graduated seniors to continue all the way up until the next freshman class begins, so you might still be able to qualify. Cheers.
Click to expand...

No, unfortunately. Our bookstore has two gigantic Macs in the store, just for showing off mainly, but they don't actually sell them.
 
Looks like the US Apple Store doesn't give as tasty discounts as University students get in the UK. Here the 2.8GHz model is $293 cheaper and the 3.06GHz model is $353 cheaper.
 
robbieduncan said:
Why is it harsh? If you asked for advice on intentionally defrauding an individual would you expect a "nice" answer? This is really no different. If you want to commit a crime then that's fine, but don't expect my support or sympathy if you get caught.
Click to expand...

It's not like I've never been to college and never intend to. I'm a recent graduate that never had the money to purchase one. Now I want to and have the ability too, not even a month after receiving my degree. I think it is a bit of an overreaction.
 
Well thanks for enlightening me guys. I wasn't aware, and most of you informed me in a kind manner.

Looks like I'll wait to hear back about a job with a school here in town, and if I get that job--problem solved thanks to the fact that staffers qualify.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
It's not like I've never been to college and never intend to. I'm a recent graduate that never had the money to purchase one. Now I want to and have the ability too, not even a month after receiving my degree. I think it is a bit of an overreaction.
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OK, that's like ripping off family.:D
 
Check what the expiry date is on your student ID. Sometimes a school will keep you on register until the start of the next term. IIRC that's the criteria, being a registered full time student, not whether you are attending classes this month or not.

If you have a VALID student ID on the date of purchase, you are good. If you don't, then pay the civilian price, or wait until you do qualify.
 
robbieduncan said:
Why is it harsh? If you asked for advice on intentionally defrauding an individual would you expect a "nice" answer? This is really no different. If you want to commit a crime then that's fine, but don't expect my support or sympathy if you get caught.
Click to expand...

I agree with robbieduncan. I think it's highly inappropriate for anyone in these forums to condone or encourage unethical or illegal behavior. The same goes for pirating music or software. No matter how anyone may feel about these issues personally, such conduct should not be openly supported in these forums. :cool:
 
Well I just e-mailed my bookstore to see if Alumni still qualify, because that was brought up in one of those other threads posted.

ggjstudios said:
I agree with robbieduncan. I think it's highly inappropriate for anyone in these forums to condone or encourage unethical or illegal behavior. The same goes for pirating music or software. No matter how anyone may feel about these issues personally, such conduct should not be openly supported in these forums. :cool:
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I entirely see where he's coming from, but he could have made his comments in an actual constructive, helpful form like others have done here.
 
If you do it in store, it's the simplest thing in the world. All you have to do is show some form of student id (I forgot mine a couple of years ago, and logging into an e-mail address on a demo mac was enough for the apple guy). Just some way of showing them you have a connection to the college.
 
Can any of you tell me if if the back-to-school promotion pertains to 1/2 time grad students or just undergraduate or just full time students? Gracias. :)
 
hmm my 7-month old white macbook had a dead hard drive a couple months ago....so i walked into a local apple store and got a replacement Penryn MBP....i showed them my ID which i did NOT realize at the time that it had already expired....granted i am still affiliated with the university right now, the apple store guy didn't bring it up, nor did any of the stores or restaurants i had been to in the past few months when I still asked for my student discounts LoL

honestly, i think most stores would just be happy to make a sale!

P.S. the apple store guy also didn't bother me with the fact that I had purchased a white macbook last July either, now that i'm thinking about it! maybe when they refer to not more than one laptop a year, they mean an academic year that runs from September to August??
 
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I got an e-mail from Apple UK last week - sort of confirms what robbieduncan has been saying. Presumably I received it because I bought a MacBook last October for my son who is a student. He does not graduate for 2 years so no doubt I will get another next year too.

Your educational discount expires when you graduate it would appear.
 
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