This is absolute nonsense. I made a switch to an iBook in 2005 when Windows XP was unstable and the feature set of Mac OS X was way out in front. Now we've got Windows Vista and in terms of features, both are neck and neck and it's much more stable.
Yes, there are benefits to getting a MacBook. Superior design and good build quality are the main ones, but when you compare Apple's current lineup with that being offered by other manufacturers, you'll see that every single computer in the line (with the exception of perhaps the Mac Pro) is grossly overpriced. As a student myself, I know how important it is to be frugal. There's also the fact that across the board, all PC manufacturers (well, except from Apple, who continually release ugly looking products like the new iMac and MacBook Air) are making huge advances in their design of their computers. Dell's XPS line for example is stunning to look at.
Spending extra cash on lesser hardware and also facing a challenge in using that new equipment (at least for a while) all while trying to undertake a degree is not a good plan in my opinion. My point is nothing to do with competency, it is about time. If you're spending time in class, time revising and time socialising, it doesn't leave much left for learning a new OS.
The biggest problem I faced at University with my Mac laptop was getting it to play nice with the WiFi network. It uses 802.1X authentication and the certificates required were packaged up in a .exe file. I then had absolutely no idea how to get those installed and the networking configured using my usenername and password because there were no instructions provided by my university for Mac OS X. Had I been using a Windows machine I would have had it up and running in a matter of minutes.
