Newest Form of Financial Aid: Laptops

For the first time, The University of Arizona will award MacBook Pro laptop computers to incoming students as part of their financial aid package.

The first group of "MacBook Scholars" received the new computers, preloaded with software to support the students' academic needs, on Saturday at a celebratory event at the UA Student Union Memorial Center. The MacBook Scholars Program, in its first year, is providing 500 freshman students with new computers to assist them in succeeding academically at the UA.

Each MacBook Scholar receives a custom-designed Apple MacBook Pro, featuring a 13-inch monitor, 2.0-gigahertz processor and a 160-gigabyte hard drive. The laptops have been personalized for the students, with the University's logo embossed on the laptop case and Apple's trademark logo in UA red.

The computer's browser already has several student services Web sites bookmarked, including the library, the 24/7 IT Support Center, the Think Tank at the Student Academic Learning Center, the Advising Resource Center and other sites.

In addition to the laptop – valued at $1,300 – each student also received a printer, the Apple iWork suite and an offer for a $229 rebate on an iPod Touch from the UA BookStores.