Does Apple have any way of confirming university student status?

[amammad]

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.

Well I don't suppose anybody expect quite such a pious response to the question. At the end of the day, he graduated two weeks ago. Until that time, it was legal. It's hardly a crime against humanity now.

But I'm assuming you never break a law... never downloaded a single mp3... never installed software on your machine you haven't paid for...never cross a traffic light just as it's changed?

Well good for you. It must make you a very proud human being.

 

[a456]

The 'real' student discount comes when you purchase from a computer on your university network.

 

[mondesi43]

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.

So here's what you do:

Enroll next semester for your masters degree.
Buy your computer.
Quit school.

Then the internet police won't inerrogate you. Oh wait, someone will always complain about or judge you on this forum. Afterall, it makes them tough.

 

[jf8]

i posted the link a page ago.
but
yes, yes, and yes.

and yes, i have had to provide proof via faxed copy of my id and tuition bill for an online purchase.

I am talking about a retail store purchase. We know there is an agreement for the online education store. But do you sign an agreement (electronically or otherwise) in store that states that you agree to those policies?

 

[skye12]

Yes, they do check. A friend was sent an invoice for the discount after it was discovered he wasn't a student.

Apple indicated it would be turned over to authorities for fraud if not paid.

 

[ben.mcmahan]

Yes, they do check. A friend was sent an invoice for the discount after it was discovered he wasn't a student.

Apple indicated it would be turned over to authorities for fraud if not paid.

that could get expensive quick these days!

MBP $200 discount
Applecare $100 discount
Free Ipod $300 discount
$600!!!
Tax...at 8%?
$48
almost $650!!! ack ack!

 

[Macky-Mac]

I am talking about a retail store purchase. We know there is an agreement for the online education store. But do you sign an agreement (electronically or otherwise) in store that states that you agree to those policies?

what they do in the retail stores is ask you to show your school ID if you want to use the education discount

 

[ben.mcmahan]

I am talking about a retail store purchase. We know there is an agreement for the online education store. But do you sign an agreement (electronically or otherwise) in store that states that you agree to those policies?

ahh, gotcha. i should have read more clearly.

my (perhaps flawed) understanding from reading the agreement, is that when you purchase via your edu discount, you are then buying from the "apple store for education" regardless of your physical location, and therefore subject to their regs listed in the agreement.

they do make it clear that the policies apply whether you buy online or from an "authorized campus reseller" - but they are not specific as to what constitutes an authorized campus reseller - i can only assume that all apple stores are designated as such, since they all seem free to give the student discount.

read thusly, retail store purchases are subject to the agreement.

Note: I just tried to call my bro (bought an imac last june, as there was no applestore on campus) to see if he had to sign anything...

my guess? they could care less, they just want you to buy a computer from them. if you abuse the policy and they catch you, you can be billed, but considering the going rate for a edu purchase is more than that of a refurb, i'm guessing they dont invest a whole lot of time chasing, as long as you have A) and ID, or B) a .edu email.

now as i keep saying, with the $300 ipod rebate, maybe they check more carefully, OR maybe they figure everyone can find someone that has a legit edu account to buy for them if they try hard enough, so why bother to be anal about it...

i contend they reserve the right, but rarely enforce (this coming from someone who had to "prove it")

b

 

[jf8]

I believe "authorized campus resellers" are school-operated stores that sell Apple products with the student discount. They could be part of the school's regular bookstore or ran by some other department. I know of one school where the authorized campus reseller is part of the art department.

They can't reserve the right to audit discounted in-store purchases (after the sale is completed) unless they have it as a written policy that customers agree to when they agree to the purchase.

 

[ben.mcmahan]

I believe "authorized campus resellers" are school-operated stores that sell Apple products with the student discount. They could be part of the school's regular bookstore or ran by some other department. I know of one school where the authorized campus reseller is part of the art department.

They can't reserve the right to audit discounted in-store purchases (after the sale is completed) unless they have it as a written policy that customers agree to when they agree to the purchase.

they do have a written policy - i've linked to it before, but the question is, by participating in the education program (i.e. when you buy a computer with the discount), is this tacit acceptance of the terms of the policy? i would argue it is, i.e. if you accept the discount, you've agreed to the terms..but i'm not a lawyer, and i have no idea what would actually happen if they asked you for "proof" and you did not have it, nor do i know what they did with the fax of my student ID and tuition bill. Foucault anyone?

 

[jf8]

they do have a written policy - i've linked to it before, but the question is, by participating in the education program (i.e. when you buy a computer with the discount), is this tacit acceptance of the terms of the policy? i would argue it is, i.e. if you accept the discount, you've agreed to the terms..but i'm not a lawyer, and i have no idea what would actually happen if they asked you for "proof" and you did not have it, nor do i know what they did with the fax of my student ID and tuition bill. Foucault anyone?

It's not a written policy; it's a HTML document on a website. You do not agree to the terms of some webpage when you make an in-store purchase unless you sign a document that says so.

 

[ben.mcmahan]

It's not a written policy; it's a HTML document on a website. You do not agree to the terms of some webpage when you make an in-store purchase unless you sign a document that says so.

1) are you sure? you're getting into some technicalities here that i dont claim to be an expert on...as my post clearly stated

2) my point about foucault is i think they have established a policy where they are able to convince most people to police themselves - i.e. do the right thing, and also a means by which they can attempt to enforce the policy if they feel they need to.

if you bought a computer in store with an edu discount, but they found out you were not a student and they billed you for the difference, would you have legal recourse to challenge the extra charge? is that what you are getting at? i'm unclear here...

 

[jf8]

1) are you sure? you're getting into some technicalities here that i dont claim to be an expert on...as my post clearly stated

2) my point about foucault is i think they have established a policy where they are able to convince most people to police themselves - i.e. do the right thing, and also a means by which they can attempt to enforce the policy if they feel they need to.

if you bought a computer in store with an edu discount, but they found out you were not a student and they billed you for the difference, would you have legal recourse to challenge the extra charge? is that what you are getting at? i'm unclear here...

No. What I'm getting at is that by going in store and making a purchase with a discount, the policies written on a website do not apply unless they are also written or mentioned while making a purchase in the store. It's not a technicality at all.

Imagine that jf8's Computer Store has a 10% discount for students. jf8's Online Computer Store's policy says that I will charge or bill you for the difference if I find out you're not a student. And by making a purchase online, you agree to those terms and I can bill or charge you if you are not a student yet still use the discount.

jf8's Mall Computer Store also offers this discount. If you go in to the store, say "I am a student" and show a student ID, and make a purchase, the website policy does not and cannot apply in any way unless I say it does. If my in-store purchase policy does not say that I can charge or bill you for the difference if you use the student discount and you're not a student, then I cannot charge or bill you for the difference. Unless you sign a piece of paper or electronic agreement that says you agree to a policy of something like "If I am using the student discount, I affirm I am a student", there is no fraud.

I can't come back and say "oh, you should have read the website" for the details of the in-store purchase policies. Even if the website said "in-store policies", the policies would actually have to be printed or referred to in-store and you would have to agree to them in some way at the time of purchase.

 

[Siegbert]

I have a question:

I'm a Belgian student and I'm enrolled in a Belgian college. I'm going to LA this summer and I'm planning on buying a MacBook. I was wondering if I could use the 6% student discount. I have a student ID and also my registration form.

Thanks

 

[Father Jack]

To get the higher educational discount you must be online from the college / university computer network. At least thats the way it works in the UK.

You can get the lower educational discount by sending a copy of your student ID

 

[logana]

To get the higher educational discount you must be online from the college / university computer network. At least thats the way it works in the UK.

You can get the lower educational discount by sending a copy of your student ID

Not quite - HE discount is also available on telephone orders and also in-store at Apple Stores. This is for the UK - been there - done both.

 

[logana]

I have a question:

I'm a Belgian student and I'm enrolled in a Belgian college. I'm going to LA this summer and I'm planning on buying a MacBook. I was wondering if I could use the 6% student discount. I have a student ID and also my registration form.

Thanks

Somebody will correct me if I am wrong but I think Apple only give the student discount to students at establishments in the same country. Meaning students at a Belgian University (wherever they are resident) will get a discount from Apple Belgium. I don't think that the academic status can cross borders....

Might be better to wait for the "back to school" promotion later this summer and get the free iPod (Touch?) and a discount and the 3 year warranty with the HE store. HE discount in the UK is like 15% though.

 

[Father Jack]

Not quite - HE discount is also available on telephone orders and also in-store at Apple Stores. This is for the UK - been there - done both.

When my son inquired about HE discount from Apple (Cork) he was told he could only get the higher discount if he ordered on-line from a college / uni computer network. They said he could receive the lower discount by phone if he faxed a copy of his student ID card.

 

[jf8]

In the US, there is only one student discount that I am aware of.

 

[Tallest Skil]

In the US, there is only one student discount that I am aware of.

It's called the Student Developer Discount, and it puts the Education discount to shame. Do some research.

 

[ert3]

They call the school and confirm.

Amazing how this topic is being kept alive on a cusion of bullets.

If you buy online they will simply check with the school, they probubly won't even call to bother you unless its a problem.

 

[SchneiderMan]

They call the school and confirm.

Amazing how this topic is being kept alive on a cusion of bullets.

If you buy online they will simply check with the school, they probubly won't even call to bother you unless its a problem.

yeah right, they will never call the school

 

[dukebound85]

i know that i had to fax student id's and other verification to apple before....

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Amazing how this topic is being kept alive on a cusion of bullets.

Yeah, this is the first thread I made here. Never thought it'd still be going.

 

[gnasher729]

Do you know that for a fact, or are you just speculating? Because I would be very surprised if that conduct were criminal.

On Wikipedia, the definition of fraud is: In criminal law, fraud is the crime or offense of deliberately deceiving another in order to damage them – usually, to obtain property or services unjustly.

If you claim to be a student, in order to get a computer at a lower price than non-students, while knowing that you are not actually a student, that is fraud. If you truthfully tell the shop that you stopped being a student say five days ago, and the shop agrees to give you the lower student price, that is not fraud. The question of the thread title "Does Apple have any way of confirming university student status?" makes it quite clear that the former was intended.