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Duke University
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Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Best laptops for both high school and college?

I'm a junior in high school, but I want to invest in a laptop that'll be useful in college too. What are some good options that balance price and performance for schoolwork?

11 hours ago

One fairly cost-effective laptop brand you might want to consider is Acer. Their Aspire 5 model in particular gets good reviews for its quality and affordability. It's a solid all-around choice that can handle standard academic tasks like Internet research, streaming lectures, and Microsoft Office projects.

Another option is the MacBook Air. If you're more comfortable with iOS and ready to invest a bit more, this is a top pick for many students. One of the lightest and thinnest laptops, Macbook Air is also known for its long battery life which can be a life-saver during long study hours without access to a power outlet. Keep in mind that the cost is on the higher side, but Macs also have pretty stellar resale value.

Lastly, for optimal productivity, you might consider a 2-in-1 laptop such as the Lenovo Yoga C740. Besides being a standard laptop, it can also fold into a tablet for note-taking, sketching, or casual web browsing. It offers good performance and battery life at a reasonable price.

Remember to consider what you will mainly be using the laptop for (e.g., gaming, graphic design, programming, general coursework), because specific tasks might require specific features like a more powerful graphics card or CPU. Happy shopping!

11 hours ago

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.