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So you've graduated from secondary school and have just been accepted to college. Although going to college is still just studying, it's a more intense kind of studying as opposed to high school. This is because you are now going to try to get a degree in a chosen field of study such as law, medicine, fine arts, etc. That means you will be doing a lot of research and writing a lot of papers. You will need a computer to help you in this task.

Do you need a desktop or laptop (or notebook in some cases)? While desktops are a lot cheaper and can store a lot of items, the best device for a college student who has to go from class to class usually from one building to another would be a laptop. It is lightweight and easy to carry around. You can also use it for the internet anywhere there is a service available. But if you're careless and are prone to losing things, stick with the desktop.

What should a newbie like you look for in a computer? Here are some things you should take into consideration before committing to one:

• PC or MAC? That is one of the first things you should ask yourself. Which one is better? Both have their good points. Mac is usually more expensive but this will not be for long as Apple gears up on becoming more competitive when it comes to pricing. Also, more software are being developed that can be used for both platforms. The rule of thumb in solving this issue is to go with you will be majoring in. A student whose major has anything to do multimedia and the arts should consider getting a Mac because this is what most professions in that industry are using. For business, law, and science majors, PC would be more advisable because of the office tools needed available to this platform. If you still can't make up your mind, go with what's being used in your campus' library and laboratories. This way, at least your system will be compatible with theirs.
• Memory (RAM). A computer's random access memory or RAM will determine how fast your applications will load. In this case, the more the better. If you read the system requirements for any software that you want to install into your computer you will see there a minimum RAM requirement. Problem is with each improvement in software capabilities, the more RAM required. So the best way for you to ensure that your computer can take on all your needs for the nest 3 to 4 years is take the minimum RAM required in your software and multiply it by 8. That's how much RAM you conservatively need for you computer.
• Hard Drive. This is where you store your files and software applications. You will be needing a lot of this if you plan to store large files. The higher you hard disk space, the better.

Although there are a lot of things to consider when buying a computer, these are the most important features to look out for.

F Stewart is an IT Professional. He launched CollegiateWallpapers.com to allow college students, alumni, and fans to feature their favorite teams on their websites. Visit http://www.CollegiateWallpapers.com for more information.