Sebastian (a lady) Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I may have to buy a second printer to get us over the gap before our households arrive. Rather than buy something junky, that costs a ton in ink; I'm thinking of getting something that ds can take with him to college in a couple years. So how much of a printer do you send to school with your kids? Or do they mostly just use some kind of printing center on campus? I have horrid memories of waiting in line late in the evenings to print papers, or learning where the under used computer labs were on campus. But that is a long time ago, when the guy down the hall with a daisy wheel would get paid in sodas for print jobs, because it looked so much better than the dot matrix printers in the battalion print rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Neither of my kids brought a printer. At their small LACs, they have printers in each dorm and at multiple locations across campus. They also have a professional print shop associated with the library. That said, they rarely have to print stuff. Most assignments are submitted electronically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I think it depends on the school and the major. I don't know anything about what it's like in dorms, but while I've rarely printed something to be submitted, I've printed lots of things that professors have sent out (assignments, solutions, etc.) and not having a personal printer was a giant pain. Spending half an hour in crossing campus, printing, then crossing back was not a good use of my time. I went to a CSU, so not a small school at all, and while some buildings had a computer center in them, generally the best bet was printing in the library, which could be 10-15 walk away, depending on where you were. I bought a cheap B&W laser printer and third-party ink, and couldn't be happier. It's also useful for non-school (or homeschool) related things, just everyday life stuff (forms, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I'm with Ellen. The library. :) When I was in school a couple of years ago for an advanced degree, I printed exactly 0 papers. They were all uploaded via pdf. Incidentally... that's what my middle-schoolers do as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 My school has a copious number of computer labs. I was actually quite surprised. There are at least 1-2 in every building. B&W printing is unlimited and color is available at a select few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I think it depends on the school and the major. I don't know anything about what it's like in dorms, but while I've rarely printed something to be submitted, I've printed lots of things that professors have sent out (assignments, solutions, etc.) and not having a personal printer was a giant pain. Spending half an hour in crossing campus, printing, then crossing back was not a good use of my time. I went to a CSU, so not a small school at all, and while some buildings had a computer center in them, generally the best bet was printing in the library, which could be 10-15 walk away, depending on where you were. I bought a cheap B&W laser printer and third-party ink, and couldn't be happier. It's also useful for non-school (or homeschool) related things, just everyday life stuff (forms, etc.). This, including the type of printer, the knock off ink, and dd's satisfaction. One poster said it depends on the major. DD is a music ed major and lived w/ an English major her freshman year. DD printed so much (many papers to write for her honors classes, you know) that she needed new toner by the end of the year. Her roommate? She used her printer so infrequently first semester that she put it in the closet and took it home at winter break. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retiredHSmom Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 My daughters both have printers at college. One is an engineering major and one is a math major. Both have had to submit many paper copies of things. One class required each student to bring 9 copies of each paper submitted to be passed around their reading group. One of my daughters has a laser printer with a flatbed scanner but in and one has an inkjet with a scanner. Both have loved the scanners and used them to make copies and to scan documents for storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in Richmond Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Both of my kids also used their college's printers. One had free printing, and the other had a nominal fee on her account per page printed. In the latter case, it was still cheaper than purchasing a printer and buying expensive ink. The college printers were all over, including a few in their dorms. Super convenient! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 None of my three guys have needed (or wanted) printers. There are plenty of places on campus for what they need to print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 We are sending our daughter to college with a printer...only because we have an extra. It is small, cheap, and wireless. Although most dorms have printers now and students have printing allowances, I'm a little nervous that a printer will be out of order at a critical time. But, I am an over-thinker. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 USAFA had a recommended printer. Does USNA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Interesting. Funny how things change. There were such shortages of printers, that I didn't always share info on my favorite, lesser known printers. But then, to date myself, I think I only remember seeing one printer on campus that students could use that wasn't using tractor feed. I suppose the answer to my question is to get the printer I want to get, without future college use being an issue. I love my wireless printer and I could totally see having on each floor of the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 But then, to date myself, I think I only remember seeing one printer on campus that students could use that wasn't using tractor feed. All 4 of ours were tractor feed. And some rocket scientist ALWAYS scrolled it up half way so he could get his out leaving everything in the queue to print out half way down the page. But I was referring to 5 years ago when ds went to USAFA and they were definitely talking personal printers to have in their rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artichoke Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 We sent ds with an inexpensive Brother b&w laser printer. It's gotten a lot of use over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 When we are at orientation for oldest (sophomore, big state uni, engineering school), someone said that they sent a printer with their kid and kid was most popular kid on the hall. People constantly wanting something printed. That could be good or bad depending. We did not send dd with a printer. She has had no issues getting to a place where she can print things on campus. The one thing I didn't like. The campus id is like the Disney room key, your key to everything - room, dining plan and of course your id. You had the option of also using it as a debit card. We didn't want to do the debit card thing. But the only way you can pay for on-campus printing is this little card. So I think we put like $50 on it. In her 3 semesters there, she hasn't asked us for more. So she is either filling it herself or has not used that much yet. OH! and although it is an engineering school, she is a humanities major. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I would wait until the student has been on campus for a while before deciding whether one is needed. You can always buy one online and have it shipped directly to them if the printing options on campus aren't sufficient. Dorm space and desktop space can be at a premium and often it's just not needed. Sebastian, just read your post instead of just the title, and if your existing printer is good, I'd just pay for any printing until it arrives with your household stuff. Years ago printing on campus was terrible quality and inconvenient. Thankfully that has changed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 none Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 One daughter has a printer right in her dorm. The other daughter never had to print anything. All assignments/papers were digital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Thinking back to the printer I took to college -- it was called a typewriter! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Thinking back to the printer I took to college -- it was called a typewriter! Regards, Kareni And I was kicking myself for not being proficient enough with it. I could have made a mint typing papers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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