Having the right computer on campus is as important as buying the right textbook. While students still use their PCs as glorified typewriters, taking notes and cranking out term papers, they also use them to sign up for classes, study course materials, E-mail instructors, send instant messages to classmates, and play the latest movies and music. Students headed to college this fall will most likely be buying a new computer. Some students won't have to worry, as their institution provides one. All students at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., for example, are handed an Apple iBook on Day 1.

Before buying a computer, make sure it works well with the other computers, networks, and software on campus. For example, if the college has gone wireless, a compatible connection to take advantage of the Internet access offered in classrooms, libraries, and dorms is necessary. Check the college Web site for details. MIT's, for example, lists configuration recommendations plus specific computers that the university has deemed compatible.

College students are offered numerous discounts on computers, often negotiated by the school with particular manufacturers. Students who purchase IBM notebooks or desktops through their university, for example, can shave 25 percent and more off the retail price. In the Apple line, students can buy a 12-inch iBook G4 for $999--a $100 savings--or a 15-inch PowerBook G4 for $2,299--$300 off retail. Students may also find savings on software. Microsoft Office Student and Teachers Edition, for example, costs $159, less than half of commercial versions.

The hunt. Finding these deals may take some sleuthing. Check the school's and manufacturers' Web sites. The online Apple Store for Education has Web pages customized for thousands of schools. School bookstores usually boast excellent deals. In July and August, retail computer stores offer back-to-school sales.

Whether to buy a desktop or a laptop may have plagued previous generations of buyers, but it's a no-brainer for college students today. Laptops win hands down, as they are chock full of power and memory. And they save space in cramped dorm rooms. You'll want an Intel Pentium-level or Apple G4 processor, a hard drive of 40 or more gigabytes, and at least 512 MB of memory. Don't settle for laptops with less than six to eight hours of claimed battery life.

Wireless connectivity is a must. Most current notebook models come with built-in access to the popular Wi-Fi wireless technology. If you're buying a laptop that has Wi-Fi as an option, get it; you'll spend less than $100, and it will be well worth it.

Consider the software programs that come with each machine. The computer could house an impressive library or a recording studio. Education models of IBM ThinkPad notebooks, which start at $1,349, come with more than 2,000 classics of western civilization preloaded. Apple's iBooks come with software for managing and buying digital music, organizing and sharing digital photos, making movies, and creating music.

If you've got some wiggle room in your budget, spring for a larger display. Choosing a 14-inch screen over a 12-inch one may cost a couple hundred dollars, but your eyes will thank you. The fortunate few with limitless budgets who aren't concerned about distractions may want to splurge on a notebook that can double as a home entertainment system, such as Toshiba's $2,699 Satellite P25-S670 with built-in TV tuner, Harman/Kardon speakers, 17-inch widescreen display, and DVD burner. Now that's something to E-mail home about. -Mary Kathleen Flynn