My S discussed with his 1st year roommate and decided one would bring a mini fridge and the other a printer. He is happy to have a printer in his room and has had floor mates use it as well. Cost under $100.

No. The school will most likely give a set amount of printing credits for each semester to your kid. Its usually more than they will ever need. Printing will be available all around campus. Also, many professors are now moving to getting papers electronically. Save the space in what will be a very small room.

Many give you a certain amount of credit, and you have to add money if you go beyond it. I noticed this on tours (think printing should be free, come on!)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Why pay extra if you don’t have to. Printers/toners/papers are cheap.

You don't pay to use college printers. It's included in the outrageous tuition and fees you are already paying

Not all colleges. Even Brown charges for it.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Why pay extra if you don’t have to. Printers/toners/papers are cheap.

You don't pay to use college printers. It's included in the outrageous tuition and fees you are already paying

No-there are printers throughout campus—including many (most?) dorms.

Also, space is very limited in their rooms, which are sometimes doubles forced into being triples (picture 3 DCUM kids—with all their stuff—sharing a room that would have been tight for two)!

No.

Papers are turned electronically.

Consider dorm room space and priorities. DD wanted a microwave and Keurig more than a printer. Definitely didn't have space for all three. Hasn't had any issues printing on campus. Most work is submitted electronically. (This may change in future years as she moves beyond larger lecture courses)

Our kids took it. STEM and Humanities. Both used it but I also think it is because they were lazy about printing it elsewhere. They were used to having fully equipped home office before they went to college. I think it is a personal preference.

No. We were recommended to leave it home.

First DC took one freshman year and never opened the box. Did not take it sophomore year. Plenty of places to print out the few things that need to be printed. They get a $ amount to spend each semester and he usually doesn't use it all. Computer Engineering major. May be different for history or English major.

Second DC took one and never opened the box but used a roommate's (and paid for a toner cartridge midyear) as well as the University ones freshman year. He took it again sophomore year, but I do not know of he has hooked it up yet. Math major.

Yes. Why pay extra if you don’t have to. Printers/toners/papers are cheap.

Students at almost every college are allotted a certain number of pages of printing a semester that they can use by swiping their IS cards. There are printers available all over campus - in dorms, academic buildings, libraries, etc. the colleges deal with paper jams, toner, repairs etc.

Also, many professors want work submitted electronically via email or the class website.

Save space and don’t bring a printer. If your kid decides after a bit that they really need or want one, they can order one online and have it shipped to them.

Don't overthink it too much.

My kid didn't want to bring a printer to college. She prints everything at the library/elsewhere. She's never had an issue. She knows others that brought their printer. Kids aren't so obsessed with printing that they'll strategically befriend your kid just for their printer.

DH is planning ahead...

Is it a good idea to send DC to school with their own printer to have in their room and save time vs. printing elsewhere? Or does that result in every kid who wouldn't otherwise give you the time of day becoming your best friend when they need to print something, so that you're out of ink and paper when you need them? (sorry if that sounds cynical but in my day it wasn't printers, it was late-night pizza orders that made you suddenly and very briefly ultra-popular).