Our student requested one after the first semester of freshman year - an engineering student. His laptop just wasn't enough. He uses if for all the reasons others have said - note taking, problems sets et. I'm not sure why a poster said they are for Olds only - Ipads are an excellent tool in the college students' tool box.

DD asked for one before she left for college for note taking. I was surprised because she is not even a Mac person. But she uses it a lot.

Uses an iPad with stylus for note taking

My engineering student uses iPad with stylus for taking notes, doing problems, etc. and MacBook. She is able to move notes from iPad to laptop I believe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, GenZ doesn’t use iPads. I love mine, but it’s very much a tool of the olds (and small children, I guess).

False. Ipads are great for taking notes, doing problem sets, creating study guides for exams. Our student uses one in addition to his laptop.

This. My son got an IPad about a year ago and, especially because of note taking, it's now his go-to device. Seems to have been enormously helpful to him in both taking notes and staying organized

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wondering the same. Engineering students we met at UVA used tablets - not sure if they were IPads - or if other majors use them as well. On a Pamplin webinar last week, VT recommended non Apple PCs for all students, which apparently work best with their software.

My VT kid uses an IPad and non Apple laptop.

Same

I’m a senior in college. Let them try a semester without and decide after. I absolutely swear by my iPad (with Apple Pencil) in a STEM major, but some of my classmates still prefer pen and paper (maybe 50/50 iPad/no iPad). I generally don’t use my iPad for non-STEM classes or for CS.

Yes. IR/Russian double major. Uses a stylus to take notes and complete work in Cyrillic. Also has a Cyrillic Keyboard down loaded and can switch between the two.

My college kid (rising senior) has never used an iPad. My HS kid uses an iPad at home a lot, but not for school and unless the college DC attends requires one for some reason I don’t see that changing.

Anonymous wrote:I know we need to get our kid a laptop, but would an iPad also be helpful? Do kids take laptops to class or would the iPad be better for that?

One rising senior, one rising sophomore, both have laptops but no ipads. Also each have a phone and noise canceling headphones (dorms can be loud, as can a house with more than half a dozen friends when you need to study!).

No

Device choice has largely been personal preference in our kids' experiences at 3 different colleges. None of our have used iPads. Some of their friends do. (Per above comment, neither did our engineering student. Again, personal preference.)

Anonymous wrote:I know we need to get our kid a laptop, but would an iPad also be helpful? Do kids take laptops to class or would the iPad be better for that?

parent of Engineering student at an ivy: the engineers and other stem majors use ipad with stylus for note taking as it is better for formula writing and diagrams(ie orgo) per DC. They also have a Mac Air that the school suggested. About 1/3 picked the PC the school suggested, 2/3 picked the Mac, and most have an iPad and stylus in addition. No one uses the iPad as the sole device.

Anonymous wrote:Yes my kid uses her iPad to take notes when allowed. She does of course also have a laptop.

+1 Got the iPad for a study abroad trip to cut down on weight and bulk. Still uses it now in combo with laptop.

Yes my kid uses her iPad to take notes when allowed. She does of course also have a laptop.

My music major uses an iPad Pro, but I think it's just a very expensive way to organize his music for various ensembles/studio teachers. He writes his papers on his laptop. Not sure what he uses for notes.