printer for university

[FigmentSpark]

DS is off to residence for first year university in the fall. While I am worried about his physical health if he goes and there's a second wave, I'm more worried about his mental health and his education if he stays. So all that said, I'm trying to collect things as we go that he's going to need.

One of the things I think he will need is a printer, but in reality, how much of the university work is submitted on paper anymore? Does he need one with the extra large ink cartridges or maybe just a laser (black and white) printer like an office might have? Or just a simple home 3 in 1 printer that he can use for occasional prints?

Anyone have any recommendations?

Also, we tend to like Canon or Epson for their individual inks (rather than a combined color), but I'm not even sure he needs that or one that's expensive enough to have the multi-color cartridges.

 

[mjkacmom]

None of my 3 college kids needed their own printer.

 

[ronandannette]

DS is off to residence for first year university in the fall. While I am worried about his physical health if he goes and there's a second wave, I'm more worried about his mental health and his education if he stays. So all that said, I'm trying to collect things as we go that he's going to need.

One of the things I think he will need is a printer, but in reality, how much of the university work is submitted on paper anymore? Does he need one with the extra large ink cartridges or maybe just a laser (black and white) printer like an office might have? Or just a simple home 3 in 1 printer that he can use for occasional prints?

Anyone have any recommendations?

Also, we tend to like Canon or Epson for their individual inks (rather than a combined color), but I'm not even sure he needs that or one that's expensive enough to have the multi-color cartridges.

DS just finished his first year; the last half of the 2nd semester was distance learning. It was 100% on-line and I doubt if he printed one document a month prior to that. If your son has digital hobbies that might require a printer, go for it, but he very likely won't need one for his class work. As for the type, I'd default to the Canon if I was buying one right now. We've had two Epsons in a row and they are ink-pigs and the cartridges are very expensive.

 

[kymom99]

Some universities give a printing allowance that is included in the fees. My son was online the last 2 months and he didn’t need a printer

 

[JimMIA]

I would check with his school. So much work is submitted online these days, he might not need a printer at all. Also, DD's school has several venues around campus where printers are provided if you do need to print something.

I would also check with the school on their mental health support. It's a big emphasis on many campuses now, and I'm sure they have some good resources. If the kid has never been away from home for any period of time, the first semester of college will be trying for both students and parents. There's the separation, a totally new and very different environment, finding friends and fitting in -- many issues to negotiate. Oh...and academics! But he'll be fine.

 

[Tinijocaro]

None of my kids three kids needed a printer. Most colleges give a printer allotment that is more than enough.

 

[Imzadi]

Be careful of printers which have cartridges with so little ink in them that they force one to buy a lot of printer cartridges. This technique by printer companies and other businesses that force a consumer to buy a lot of products to get the equipment to work is called, "after market sales." Where the companies make up the majority of their sales/profits after the initial equipment leaves the stores and is in the home.

Lexmark printers is notorious for this practice. Their printers are marked so cheaply that people can't pass up the buy, over getting a much more expensive printer which subsequently has cheaper refill cartridges, or cartridges that last much longer for the price. Three to four Lexmark refills turned out to be the price of a better printer, that only needed one refill for the same amount of printing.

My suggestions is to read the reviews carefully for this and to check the prices of actual refill cartridges. Also check to see how cheap are generic cartridges. Although, be warned, using a generic will void the warranty, But, once the warranty is up, using the cheap generics may be the way to go.

 

[AppleDumpling]

DS graduated last year and never had one, nor did any of his roommates. On the few occasions he needed or wanted a printout, he used a printer in the library or one of the academic buildings.

It may depend on the school. Many give incoming freshmen a list of things to bring for the dorm room and things not to bring, so you might want to check that. Rooms are often very small and you wouldn’t want to take up space with something that is unnecessary.

 

[Southernmiss]

Depends on the school. Just asked son today if we needed to buy one for our daughter starting college in the fall.

Son attends same college with a similar major as she will have.

He said yes he used his personal printer and thinks dd will need one, too.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Check the amenities of the resource center(s) of the school your son will attend. His need may also depend on the major he's pursuing.

 

[tvguy]

None of my kids three kids needed a printer. Most colleges give a printer allotment that is more than enough.

Both my kids went to colleges with that set up, but I insisted on a cheap printer. Worked out because a printer allotment is useless when you need something printed now and the printer center is closed. The were popular with their friends too when their friends needed something printed outside printer center hours. I think the HP printers I got were under $30.

 

[JimMIA]

I just double-checked DD's university, and they have an "All Knight Study" facility right in the dorm area where she will be living. It's open 24 hours per day, 5 days per week and has free printers, scantrons, and other amenities.

OP, I would really check with your DD's college to get an answer. Our results from different schools are going to be all over the place.

 

[_19disnA]

I agree with others to check for what your specific college recommends. I doubt any current college student would need a color printer. Black & white printers can be handy to have even if not required by the college and can be shared with friends or roommates. Ink is a big part of the cost of printing and you don't want to run out in middle of printing some important documents. Having a few spare cartridges is always a good idea and especially now when you want to avoid unnecessary trips to the store. Look at the total cost of printing to include not only the printer but the ink as well. Many inexpensive B&W laser printers are now a viable option and the dry ink doesn't tend to clog like inkjet printers do if you only print infrequently.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think most colleges now have students submit papers online.

 

[stsomewhere]

My son's college has them pay a printing fee. So, many sheets allowed per semester. He did not use it. The school would not remove the fee, so he and he roommates went and got 100 pieces of blank paper to cover the fee.

 

[FigmentSpark]

My son's college has them pay a printing fee. So, many sheets allowed per semester. He did not use it. The school would not remove the fee, so he and he roommates went and got 100 pieces of blank paper to cover the fee.

Good idea.

Thanks, everyone. I think 'printer' was on his dorm list, but I don't know if that was an old list that we found on line or something actually sent to us from the school.

I think the laser printer sounds like a good way to go. Good reminder about "cheap" initial cost doesn't always mean it'll be cheap in the end.

Also, thanks for the point about the mental health. He's going to be on a sports team, so he'll be making friends, but adjusting to independent dorm life could take it's toll. He's a Dec. baby, so he'll actually only be 17 for the first semester.

 

[RamblingMad]

This is what I bought for my home, and I'm happy with it:

https://www.costco.com/brother-mfc-...l-in-one-laser-printer.product.100425976.html

 

[design_mom]

My son just finished his first year studying business at a state university. He did not take and didn't need his own printer. He said he didn't need to print many things (almost everything was online) and he was able to use the campus computer labs for the things he needed to print.

One rule that his school has for student-owned printers is that they cannot be used wirelessly. They have to be plugged in. (And, he heard from other students that they have some way to tell.)

 

[GreatLakes]

Every assignment I've had for my MBA has been turned in electronically.

My son just finished his first year studying business at a state university. He did not take and didn't need his own printer. He said he didn't need to print many things (almost everything was online) and he was able to use the campus computer labs for the things he needed to print.

One rule that his school has for student-owned printers is that they cannot be used wirelessly. They have to be plugged in. (And, he heard from other students that they have some way to tell.)

It is easy to detect a wireless printer on a network and even drop them from the WAP if you are using anything more advanced than a blue box router running the default firmware.

 

[Tink9721]

As far as how much printing students have to do, it really depends on the classes they're taking and how the student studies. I've done four years at a state college and three at a community college, and I've had to write a lot of research papers and do a lot of reading that wasn't out of a textbook. I'm not someone who can read research articles straight off the computer. I have to print them out, highlight them, write notes directly on the paper. That's just the way my brain works.

I've also had a lot of classes where we were expected to have class materials printed before class - labs, lecture notes, charts, etc. So I did a lot of printing. But I never lived on campus, and did most of my studying at home, so I only had access to the school's printers when I was actually there. I'm not sure if the number of free pages we were allowed to print each semester would've been enough or not.

I also only remember ever submitting one paper online, unless it was for an online class. At both schools my professors have usually wanted physical copies.

Be careful of printers which have cartridges with so little ink in them that they force one to buy a lot of printer cartridges.

Yup, I fell for that several years ago Nice, cheap Epson printer with super affordable cartridges, which were only super affordable until I realized I had to replace them every couple weeks