Apple's Custom Store for School of the Arts students, faculty and staff

Apple offers a customized online store offering systems to School of the Arts students, faculty and staff at a substantial discount. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a link to the Apple Store.

Purchasing Guide - Computers

Here are some general guidelines and recommendations to help you navigate through the complex decision of buying a computer. If you have any questions regarding the purchase of a computer, please consult one of our technology staff members if you are a faculty or staff member, or a DMC fellow if you are a student.

The School of the Arts supports the following operating systems for administrators, staff and students:

Computer Recommendations

The School of the Arts mostly utilizes Apple Macintosh and Dell systems. We recommend the following minimum hardware requirements for a basic system for writing, email, and browsing the web:

Dell System Configuration:

Apple Macintosh System Configuration:

Users are encouraged to choose the Operating System that they are most comfortable with, but they should consider the following before making a purchase:

1) All currently available Apple Macintosh models use Intel processors. A benefit of the Intel chips is that Macs - in addition to Mac OS X - are capable of running Windows XP/Vista, Linux and other Unix flavors via virtualization software such as Boot Camp, Parallels, VMWare, etc. The reverse is not true, however: Apple does not authorize the Mac OS to run on computers from non-Apple vendors such as Sun, Dell or HP.*

2) Apple Macintosh computers are strongly recommended for anyone interested in maintaining compatibility with the School of the Arts Digital Media Center (DMC) facilities and labs, particularly those working with digital video or graphics and imaging.

*Users who wish to run Microsoft Windows/Vista or Linux/Unix on a Mac might incur additional costs to purchase licensed copies of the operating system and/or virtualization software from Microsoft, Parallels, VMWare, etc.

Two ways to purchase your Mac

Extra Discounts Available for the aluminum MacBooks, MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro's.

Option 1

If you want to custom configure your Mac with extra memory, larger hard drive, or add software or other peripheral devices, start here.

  1. Select your laptop from the tile on the front page of the store.
  2. Configure.
  3. Don't forget to add 3-Year AppleCare.
  4. Click Add to Cart to see your Promo Savings discount.

Option 2

If you're purchasing just the Mac and 3 Yr AppleCare, use the Quick Checkout option.

  1. Look for the Recommended Systems tile in the upper right corner of the store.
  2. Choose your Mac bundle (pre-configured with 3 Yr AppleCare)
  3. Click Add to Cart to see your Promo Savings discount.

To access these bundles and more, click on this link:

Click here to begin your purchase