Question 1: What type of laptop/device should I bring to Lehigh? Are their recommendations for certain colleges / majors?
- College of business page for finance majors
- General link to LTS specification
Question 2: Can a student bring a PC for the dorm room? Is there enough room on dorm desks to set up a dual screen?
- Yes, students can bring a PC to their dorm. However, though dorms are reasonably sized, you want to use your space in the most efficient way possible. If you like to game often or if you like to do video conferences, then having a PC may be beneficial. Lehigh also offers PCs at Linderman and EWFML library, so if you want to use a PC but do not want to bring your own, they are still available. If you do not want to bring a PC, buying a computer with a larger laptop screen could be another option.
Question 3: What does Note taking look like in the classroom at Lehigh? Should I bring my Laptop to class?
- When it comes to note taking the classroom, majority of the time you’re going to be on your Mac, your laptop, your windows, whatever device you’re using. Some students do use tablets or iPads. If you have a touch screen on your laptop or other device, using a stylus can be very effective if you are an individual who likes to hand write their notes, while also not having to lug around tablets of paper or binders with paper notes.
- Most times professors will upload PowerPoint notes to Course Site, which is our main site that you will access your college courses. Often these notes will be downloadable in order for the students to write on and edit for your own personal note.
- Yes! Definitely take your laptop to class.
Question 4: Can you bring your own printer to Lehigh? Is printing available in the dorms?
- Yes, you can bring your own printer into your dorm room. Lehigh does provide printing in almost all of its buildings, so it is definitely not a required item to bring.
- However, you will not be able to connect to Lehigh Wi-Fi if you bring a Wi-Fi printer. This is because how our Wi-Fi network is secured and configured you’re not going to be able to connect it you’re only option for printing from your your room would be do you use a USB printer or you could set up a personal hotspot and connect your laptop and printer. Though this is often inconvenient, it is possible. I also want to note that you want to use the space in your dorms wisely, and the fact that their are so many printers available on campus, it is more of a hassle then a convenience to bring your own printer to campus.
- From personal experience, “I brought a wireless HP Tango printer to Lehigh. However, I couldn’t connect to Lehigh, so I’d use my personal hotspot, which would sometimes not work, but it was great it was great with being able to print whenever I wanted. I soon found after the first month of being at Lehigh that I was constantly going past the library on my way to classes and had plenty of time to go to the library to print papers out. Therefore, I would recommend not bringing a printer as you have more space in the dorm, have many any printing options available at Lehigh, and you don’t need to worry about paying for ink or paper with your personal printer”
- Printers are not available in Lehigh dorms, though they are found in virtually every other building on campus.
Question 5: Are there any recommended software’s that are best for note taking in class? If I have a laptop, should I bring a Chromebook, iPad, tablet etc… to take notes on?
- The Microsoft 365 office programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.. are great resources. Also Google docs can be very beneficial when you have a group project and have to share documents with multiple people.
- When it comes to the how to best take notes (online, paper pencil), ones personal preference for whatever you’re most comfortable with is best. If you like to type your notes, then use a word or google doc. If you like to hand write your notes, you can use paper pencil, a touch screen, tablet, or iPad.
Question 6: I am not sure I can afford a laptop, what are the options for me?
Question 7: I have a laptop that works for now, but may not work in 2 years. What should I do?
- If you are currently using a laptop, you can bring that to Lehigh. being comfortable with your technology will greatly benefit you. However, if you know it may not be functional for your entire time at Lehigh, this allows you time to figure out what device will be best for your purchase. Lehigh has certain recommended brands such as Mac, Windows, and Lenovo machines. Once you complete your first semester at Lehigh, you can see what device qualities your prefer, such as if you want a touch screen, if you want a larger screen, or if you want more storage space.