In your opinion, has the iPad (with iPad OS and Smart Keyboard) reached that level where you can use it to replace your laptop for college (while still owning a Mac desktop)? I just bought a brand new Mac desktop set up and I’m debating whether I should turn in my MCP 2015 for an iPad, or whether to keep the MCP as my to go device.
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All iPads iPad for College
- Thread starter driggs_15
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What are you using it for ? If only for basic stuff sure but if you need to use editing apps I would say a Mac be better
On the go I would just be doing class work on the internet, possibly using pages and Microsoft office, research, taking notes, and online exams.
The question is have colleges adopted new technologies? My cousin's exam software required Windows specifically so I had to research Boot Camp and install Windows on his MBP.
For most of this, yes, an iPad could do. My only concern is MS Office. As a finance student, Excel on iOS couldn’t do all of the things I needed to to be able to solely use the iPad. It’s easier to navigate Excel on a Mac anyways.
Some class/textbook sites are also way outdated and don’t work well on iPads or force you to download an app that crashes or doesn’t work. I’ve found this to be less of a problem recently than it was 3 years ago when I started college though. My college now includes iPads in tuition for all incoming students, so clearly, they believe in its ability to be the be-all device for students, or at bare minimum, beneficial.
I have 3 kids in college or recently completed college. They all use MacBooks. I asked my youngest (college freshman) if he sees very many people using iPads instead of Laptops. Answer: Nonexistent. However, there are some folks that have iPad as supplemental devices for note taking etc..
There seems to be more enthusiasts using iPads instead of laptops than regular people using iPads instead of laptops.
And these “enthusiasts” don’t go to college, otherwise we’d see their many iPads.
For my part, every time Apple makes iPad improvements or adds features to iOS/iPadOS, I get excited about the possibility of replacing my MBA. And every time, it just doesn't cut it.
Maybe it's me stuck in my ways. But, I just feel like I am forcing it.
Maybe it's me stuck in my ways. But, I just feel like I am forcing it.
I bought an IPP 12.9 2018 in November 2019. I’m a last year resident on neurosurgery and I found it great for text (pages app), preparing keynote (keynote app), reading scientific paper and studying on pdf books (adobe reader app). The big screen and the pencil 2nd gen are gorgeous for this last two things. Not comfortable for excel sheets.
MS Excel sucks on the iPad IMO.
I use PowerPoint on my MacBook instead of Keynote. I like Keynote, and stuck with it for a while, but everyone uses PowerPoint so that's generally what I use. Often times I'm not plugging in my own device and have to give the file on a USB stick to plug into a Windows computer that's already hooked up. It's easier to do that from PowerPoint on a Mac although iPadOS might help things a bit now.
The iPad is often better for scientific paper PDFs, and you can highlight with Pencil etc. Highlighting on a MacBook is awkward.
Some interactive websites / web applications may not function properly on iPadOS on the iPad. They don't necessarily function properly in Safari on the Mac either, but on the Mac you can switch to Chrome. (Chrome on iPadOS uses the same rendering engine as Safari, but on the Mac it uses its own rendering engine.)
For my VPN software, it doesn't work properly with my workplace on the iPad. Works fine in Mojave, but not in Catalina. That will probably change eventually but for the time being, this is the situation. It's usually moot though, since I generally just use my Windows desktop at home to VPN in.
Netflix is nicer on the iPad, esp. because you can download episodes to the tablet. You can't do that on a Mac.
Go with a Mac. As of now there are a number of fringe compromises you'll run into with iPad. MacOS is a more mature experience.
Not always allowed for big conferences but YMMV.Always plug-in my device, far better for me
Though I love the idea of using an iPad or iPad Pro for college you are far better served with a laptop. That being said I did use an iPad for a couple of conferences and it was adequate with a connected keyboard. It did require an adjustment to my workflow a little bit however. Though in that short term situation the iPad served me well, I am unsure if that is sustainable over the long haul.
My freshman college son took an introductory stats class this fall. The prof required that the students use R for some of their problem sets. He had no problem downloading and running the necessary software on his MBA. I don’t think it would be possible on an iPad.
Of course, he might have been able to work around this somehow by using a computer in one of the open labs, but that would limit when and where he could work on assignments.
Of course, he might have been able to work around this somehow by using a computer in one of the open labs, but that would limit when and where he could work on assignments.
Yes it is, and that’s mostly because you have a Mac desktop at home, as well as computer labs as backup.
For going to lectures and taking notes, or even typing out reports, it’s not bad if you get (pay for) the right apps, and get a mouse. And forget trying to make an iPad replicate the functions of a laptop. Its a different product, and while it can’t do some things that a laptop can do, it is also capable of things a laptop cannot do, while overlapping many, but not all, functionality of a laptop. It is what it is.
That means get Office365 (or buy an app like Polaris 2019), GoodNotes or Notability, a separate PDF app that lets you save as PDF, and a cloud storage app like Dropbox, iCloud, SpiderOak, iDrive, etc. That, and maybe a web browser that lets you run Flash (e.g. Puffin).
It also depends on what you study, because I wouldn’t recommend one for computer programming or running simulations, but it would be an improvement in some classes like arts, or even a subject like math.
For going to lectures and taking notes, or even typing out reports, it’s not bad if you get (pay for) the right apps, and get a mouse. And forget trying to make an iPad replicate the functions of a laptop. Its a different product, and while it can’t do some things that a laptop can do, it is also capable of things a laptop cannot do, while overlapping many, but not all, functionality of a laptop. It is what it is.
That means get Office365 (or buy an app like Polaris 2019), GoodNotes or Notability, a separate PDF app that lets you save as PDF, and a cloud storage app like Dropbox, iCloud, SpiderOak, iDrive, etc. That, and maybe a web browser that lets you run Flash (e.g. Puffin).
It also depends on what you study, because I wouldn’t recommend one for computer programming or running simulations, but it would be an improvement in some classes like arts, or even a subject like math.