Laptops are not completely necessary for schoolwork, though they help quite a bit. Many students prefer to bring laptops to school and write papers or do research on their computer. Then, when they go home, they have all their work there with them on their computer. If a student had to use a school computer or write by hand, he or she would have to spend lots of time transferring data onto his desktop computer. When buying a laptop, it is important to think about what operating system the student would prefer to use. Apples tend to be more expensive than PCs, but you may want to get an Apple laptop if the student interacts frequently with an Apple network or use Apple programs. You may want to look into what kind of software the student needs to succeed in school and which operating system