no way

if the facilities were stocked well enough with decent hardware and software, I couldn't see any issues... and would also probably be a good practice for setting up more structured work routines. you'd be there to work, not funk around on your laptop at your desk with youtube...

maybe for rendering

During my undergraduate studies at Ohio State nobody used laptops. The school was equiped with top of the line computers, softwares and hardwares so it was not necessary at all to have a laptop, unless you wanted to take work home etc. The labs were always full of people but they also had a computer per two students in studios. My senior year I barely worked in the lab because the studios were so small that we could actually use the comptuer at our desk. But during my graduate studies at a different school the labs were terrible and it was pretty much mandatory to get a laptop. I guess it all depends if the school is equiped to support students working there, I don't see a reason why you would use a laptop! Good luck!

I got through 3.5 yrs at the gsd without my own computer. I camped out in the lab, which had all the software I needed, and there were others there,,, but most people had their own machines. I was at a bit of a disadvantage during desk crits, because some people were able to just show the prof stuff on their screens and not constantly have to print out. It started to be an issue later in the program, where after my desk crit, I would need to do work on the computer (if I wasn't making a or sketching) and then I would have to leave my desk and go upstairs while other students had their crits. In the beiginning of the program I was more of a hybrid btwn hand drafting, computer rendering, making, but half way through I only drafted rarely...

For thesis it wasn't a problem because we didn't have a normal studio schedule. It was great because I could take up several machines (usually not all the time) and do multiple renderings at once...you know trying different settings for the same shot on different machines. I would suggest doing this even if you get your own computer...unless your school has a farm or something. There was actually a communal atmosphere in the lab which was nice. You had plenty of people around to ask questions about rendering etc.

All this to say, it's doable, but I would not recommend it. I was just really b-r-o-k-e, but in retrospect I should have just taken out a few K in extra loans.

I haven't used my own laptop this year at all for school. Just means you have to be able to get to/from school without too much trouble.

it's your education. spend the money on a computer.

Thanks for all the responses. Seems to be in line with what I expect - doable but probably not worth it. I do like the idea that it would force me to 'go to work' rather than dick around on archinect in the studio.

Oh yeah, I also lived an 8 minute walk from school, so I never would have worked at home, whether I had a computer or not. Personally, I also think it's worth the extra money to live closer to campus if you can. I happened to have a super cheap rent hook up. I lived in Boston instead of Cambridge my last semester and it was a really difficult transition for me...waiting in 2 degree weather for a bus instead of just quickly strolling over to campus.

Plus having your own computer to do freelance work over the summers will be nice.

ANd don't assume that just because you're on the lab computers you won't spend a little time goofing off....you won't if there's someone waiting to use the machines, but that was rarely the case.

I know a couple of 3rd year Masters students who I believe have managed to go through their 3.5 years without a personal computer. But I don't believe they have done anything computer renderings either.